Shloka 26
Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)
Devanagari script
एवमल्पश्रुतो मन्त्री कल्याणाभिजनोडप्युत । धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तो नालं॑ मन्त्र परीक्षितुम्
Transliteration
evam alpaśruto mantrī kalyāṇābhijano 'py uta | dharmārthakāmasaṃyukto nālaṃ mantraṃ parīkṣitum ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“因此，学闻浅薄之臣——纵出身名门、声誉卓著——亦不足以裁断或检验机密之谋议；即便他平日亦关涉于达摩、阿尔塔与迦摩之诸旨，仍不为足。门第与世务之能并非充分；密议之中所需的辨识，必赖学养与训练有素的理解。”
Word by Word
एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
अल्पश्रुतःhaving little learning (poorly heard/learned)
अल्पश्रुतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्पश्रुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मन्त्रीminister, counsellor
मन्त्री:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्रिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कल्याणाभिजनःof noble/good lineage
कल्याणाभिजनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकल्याणाभिजन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अपिeven, also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उतand, moreover (emphatic)
उत:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत
धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तःendowed with dharma, artha and kāma
धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्मार्थकामसंयुक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अलम्able, sufficient
अलम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअलम्
मन्त्रम्counsel, secret plan
मन्त्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
परीक्षितुम्to examine, to test
परीक्षितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-ईक्ष्
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A minister’s fitness for confidential counsel depends on learning and discernment, not merely noble birth or general engagement with dharma, artha, and kāma.
In Bhishma’s instruction on kingship and governance (rājadharma), he warns that an ill-informed adviser cannot properly evaluate or safeguard secret deliberations, even if socially well-born.