Shloka 16

Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)

Devanagari script

कुलीन: कुलसम्पन्नस्तितिक्षुर्दक्ष आत्मवान्‌ । शूर: कृतज्ञः सत्यश्न श्रेयस: पार्थ लक्षणम्‌,कुन्तीनन्दन! उत्तम कुलमें जन्म होना, सदा श्रेष्ठ कुलके सम्पर्कमें रहना, सहनशीलता, कार्यदक्षता, मनस्विता, शूरता, कृतज्ञता और सत्यभाषण--ये ही श्रेष्ठ पुरुषके लक्षण हैं

Translation

Bhishma disse: Ó filho de Kuntī! Nascer em linhagem nobre, manter-se sempre em convívio com famílias ilustres, a tolerância, a competência no agir, a firmeza de ânimo, a coragem, a gratidão e a palavra verdadeira — estes são, ó Pārtha, os sinais do homem excelente.

Word by Word

कुलीनःwell-born, of noble family

कुलसम्पन्नःendowed with (good) lineage

तितिक्षुःforbearing, patient

दक्षःskilful, competent

आत्मवान्self-possessed, self-controlled

शूरःvaliant, heroic

कृतज्ञःgrateful (one who knows what is done)

सत्यश्नःtruth-speaking / devoted to truth (lit. 'truth-eating')

श्रेयसःof the good / of welfare / of the best

पार्थO Partha (son of Pritha)

लक्षणम्mark, characteristic

कुन्तीनन्दनO son of Kunti

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes