Shloka 23
Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)
जिनमें विनययुक्त बुद्धि, सुन्दर स्वभाव, तेज, वीरता, क्षमा, पवित्रता, प्रेम, धृति और स्थिरता हो, उनके इन गुणोंकी परीक्षा करके यदि वे राजकीय कार्यभारको सँभालनेमें प्रौढ़ तथा निष्कपट सिद्ध हों तो राजा उनमेंसे पाँच व्यक्तियोंको चुनकर अर्थमन्त्री बनावे ।।
Bhīṣma uvāca: yeṣāṁ vinayayuktā buddhiḥ, sundaraḥ svabhāvaḥ, tejaḥ, vīryam, kṣamā, pavitratā, prema, dhṛtiḥ ca sthairyaṁ ca bhavati, teṣāṁ guṇān parīkṣya yadi te rājakīya-kāryabhāraṁ soḍhuṁ prauḍhā niṣkapaṭāś ca siddhāḥ syuḥ, tadā rājā teṣāṁ madhyāt pañca puruṣān varayitvā arthamantriṇaḥ kuryāt. paryāptavacanān vīrān pratipattiviśāradān, kulīnān sattvasampannān niścitajñānanisthirān.
毗湿摩说道：“凡具备守礼之智、和悦之性、光辉之才、勇武之气、忍让之德、清净之行、慈爱之心、坚忍之志与安定之度者——当以此诸德加以考验。若其能在承担王政重任时显出成熟而无欺诈，国王便应从中择五人，立为掌财与谋略之大臣。其人当言辞有度而切要，勇敢无畏，善于裁断与处事，出自名门，德力充实，并牢固安住于确证之知。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should appoint ministers only after testing character and competence: disciplined intellect, integrity, courage, patience, purity, goodwill, steadiness, and stable judgment; and they should be measured in speech, expert in practical decision-making, morally strong, and firmly grounded in knowledge.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on how a ruler should choose key ministers—specifically recommending the selection of five proven, sincere, capable individuals to manage the state’s artha (resources and policy).