Bhṛtya-niyoga: Role-appropriate appointment of servants and protection of the royal treasury (भृत्यनियोगः कोशरक्षणं च)
भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्! इस प्रकार अपनी योनिमें आकर वह कुत्ता अत्यन्त दीनदशाको पहुँच गया। ऋषिने हुंकार करके उस पापीको तपोवनसे बाहर निकाल दिया ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—rājan! evaṁ svāṁ yonim āgamya sa śvā atyanta-dīna-daśāṁ gataḥ. ṛṣiṇā huṅkṛtya sa pāpī tapovanād bahiṣkṛtaḥ. evaṁ rājñā matimatā viditvā satya-śaucatām, ārjavaṁ prakṛtiṁ satyaṁ śrutaṁ vṛttaṁ kulaṁ damaṁ (dayāṁ balaṁ parākramaṁ prabhāvaṁ vinayaṁ kṣamāṁ ca), yathā-yogyaṁ sevakān karmasu niyojayet teṣāṁ ca rakṣāyāḥ samyak prabandhaṁ kuryāt.
Sinabi ni Bhishma: O Hari, sa gayon, nang magbalik sa sariling kapanganakan, ang asong iyon ay nahulog sa sukdulang paghihirap. Sa mahigpit na sigaw na “hūṃ,” pinalayas ng rishi ang makasalanan mula sa gubat ng ashram. Gayundin, ang marunong na hari ay dapat munang siyasatin sa kanyang mga lingkod ang katapatan, kalinisan, pagiging tuwid, likas na ugali, pagtalima sa katotohanan, kaalaman sa mga banal na aral, mabuting asal, marangal na angkan, pagpipigil-sa-sarili—kasama ang habag, lakas, kagitingan, impluwensiya, kababaang-loob, at pagtitiis; at saka italaga ang bawat isa sa gawaing angkop sa kanya, at ganap na ayusin ang kanilang pag-iingat at pagprotekta.
भीष्म उवाच
A ruler must evaluate the moral and practical qualities of servants—truthfulness, purity, straightforwardness, temperament, learning, conduct, lineage, self-control, compassion, strength, valor, influence, humility, and patience—and then assign duties according to fitness, while ensuring their protection through proper administrative arrangements.
Bhishma recalls an episode where a dog, returning to its former birth-state, becomes utterly miserable and is driven out of the hermitage by a sage’s stern cry; he then turns the incident into counsel for the king on discerning and appointing servants and safeguarding them.