Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

देशकालविधानन्ञान्‌ भर्त॒कार्यहितैषिण: । नित्यमर्थेषु सर्वेषु राजन्‌ कुर्वीत मन्त्रिण:

Transliteration

deśa-kāla-vidhāna-jñān bhartṛ-kārya-hitaiṣiṇaḥ | nityam artheṣu sarveṣu rājan kurvīta mantriṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，大臣当是通晓因地因时之制者，能为君上职责之成就与利益而用心者；并且在一切国事之中，恒以务实之旨与正当之谋而行。”

Word by Word

• देशकालविधानज्ञानान्: those who know the rules of place and time
• देशकालविधानज्ञानान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश-काल-विधान-ज्ञान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भर्तृकार्यहितैषिणः: seeking the welfare of the king's affairs (their master's work)
• भर्तृकार्यहितैषिणः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भर्तृ-कार्य-हित-एषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• अर्थेषु: in matters/affairs
• अर्थेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुर्वीत: should appoint/should employ/should make
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Vidhi-ling (Optative), Non-past (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मन्त्रिणः: ministers/counsellors
• मन्त्रिणः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• the King (rājan, addressed as Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s ministers must combine ethical intent (seeking the king’s duty and welfare) with situational discernment—knowing how to apply policy appropriately according to place and time—so that counsel remains both righteous and effective in all affairs.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhīṣma continues advising the king on governance, here describing the essential qualifications and constant responsibilities of ministers in managing state matters.