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Shloka 15

Bhṛtya-niyoga: Role-appropriate appointment of servants and protection of the royal treasury (भृत्यनियोगः कोशरक्षणं च)

सचिवं य: प्रकुरुते न चैनमवमन्यते । तस्य विस्तीर्यते राज्यं ज्योत्स्ना ग्रहपतेरिव

sacivaṃ yaḥ prakurute na cainam avamanyate | tasya vistīryate rājyaṃ jyotsnā grahapater iva ||

Bhīṣma nói: “Vị vua nào đặt người xứng đáng làm đại thần và không bao giờ khinh mạn người ấy, thì vương quyền của vua ấy sẽ lan rộng khắp bốn phương—như ánh trăng của Chandra, chúa tể các tinh tú, tỏa khắp nơi.”

सचिवम्minister, counselor
सचिवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसचिव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रकुरुतेappoints, makes (as)
प्रकुरुते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + कृ
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एनम्him
एनम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अवमन्यतेdisrespects, despises
अवमन्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootअव + मन्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada
तस्यof him, his
तस्य:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
विस्तीर्यतेspreads, expands
विस्तीर्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + स्तॄ
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Reflexive (intransitive sense)
राज्यम्kingdom, rule
राज्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराज्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ज्योत्स्नाmoonlight
ज्योत्स्ना:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्योत्स्ना
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ग्रहपतेःof the lord of planets (the Moon)
ग्रहपतेः:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootग्रहपति
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
S
saciva (minister/counsellor)
R
rājā (king)
G
grahapati (the Moon)
J
jyotsnā (moonlight)

Educational Q&A

A ruler’s power and stability grow when he appoints capable ministers and consistently honors them; contempt for trusted advisers undermines governance, while respect enables the kingdom to flourish and expand.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on principles of good rule, using the image of moonlight spreading everywhere to illustrate how a king’s realm prospers when he values and does not insult his minister.