Shloka 85
निष्पाप युधिष्ठिर! यह नीतिशास्त्रका तत्त्व है, जिसे मैंने तुम्हें बताया है। किसीपर भी पूरा विश्वास न करना नरेशोंका परम गोपनीय गुण बताया जाता है ।। इति श्रीमहाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि अमात्यवि भागे पज्चाशीतितमो<ध्याय:
niṣpāpa yudhiṣṭhira! etan nītiśāstrasya tattvaṃ mayā te kathitam | kasyāpi pūrṇaṃ viśvāsaṃ na kartavyaṃ—nareśānāṃ parama-gopyaḥ guṇa iti kathyate ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “O Yudhishthira na walang kasalanan, ito ang pinakadiwa ng nīti—ang aral ng pamamahala—na ipinaliwanag ko sa iyo. Ang hari ay hindi dapat magtiwala nang lubos kaninuman; ang ganitong pag-iingat ang itinuturing na pinakalihim at pinakamahalagang katangian ng isang pinuno.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler must practice prudent restraint in trust: never granting anyone absolute confidence, because safeguarding secrets and maintaining strategic caution are essential to stable governance.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma), Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on principles of statecraft, emphasizing confidential conduct and careful judgment in dealing with others.