Sarga 7: The Ministers
Mantri Varnanam
Valmiki describes Dasaratha's eight wise ministers and two royal priests, Vasishtha and Vamadeva, whose virtue and counsel let the king rule Ayodhya in unmatched peace and justice.
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तस्यामात्या गुणैरासन्निक्ष्वाकोस्तु महात्मन: । मन्त्रज्ञाश्चेङ्गितज्ञाश्च नित्यं प्रियहिते रता: ।।1.7.1।।
Meaning
That great soul of the Ikshvaku line had ministers skilled in administration, capable of reading others' intentions, ever devoted to the king's welfare.
अष्टौ बभूवुर्वीरस्य तस्यामात्या यशस्विन: । शुचयश्चानुरक्ताश्च राजकृत्येषु नित्यश: ।।1.7.2।।
Meaning
That heroic and glorious king had eight famed ministers, pure of heart and devoted to royal service at all times.
धृष्टिर्जयन्तो विजयस्सिद्धार्थो ह्यर्थसाधक: । अशोको मन्त्रपालश्च सुमन्त्रश्चाष्टमोऽभवत् ।।1.7.3।।
Meaning
Dhrishti, Jayanta, Vijaya, Siddhartha the accomplisher of purpose, Ashoka, Mantrapala, and Sumantra as the eighth.
ऋत्विजौ द्वावभिमतौ तस्याऽऽस्तामृषिसत्तमौ । वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च मन्त्रिणश्च तथापरे ।।1.7.4।।
Meaning
He had two cherished ritual-priests, foremost among sages — Vasishtha and Vamadeva — along with other ministers besides.
सुयज्ञोऽपि अथ जाबालि: काश्यपोऽपि अथ गौतम: । मार्कण्डेय: तु दीर्घायु: तथा कात्यायनो द्विज: ।।1.7.5।।
Meaning
Suyajna, Jabali, Kashyapa, Gautama, Markandeya, Deerghayu, and the learned Katyayana --
एतै: ब्रह्मर्षिभि: नित्यं ऋत्विज: तस्य पौर्वका: ।।1.7.6।।
Meaning
-- these ancestral Brahma-sages served, along with the others, as his hereditary ritual-priests.
विद्याविनीता ह्रीमन्त: कुशला नियतेन्द्रिया: । श्रीमन्तश्च महात्मानश्शास्त्रज्ञा दृढविक्रमा: ।।1.7.5।। कीर्तिमन्त: प्रणिहिता: यथावचनकारिण: । तेज: क्षमायश:प्राप्ता स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिण: ।।1.7.6।।
Meaning
Learned, modest and self-controlled, they were splendid and great-souled, versed in scripture and firm in valor, renowned and disciplined, ever true to their word, radiant with patience and fame, and always spoke first with a smile.
क्रोधात्कामार्थहेतोर्वा न ब्रूयुरनृतं वच: । तेषामविदितं किञ्चित्स्वेषु नास्ति परेषु वा । क्रियमाणं कृतं वापि चारेणापि चिकीर्षितम् ।।1.7.7।।
Meaning
Never from anger, desire, or gain would they utter a falsehood; nothing was unknown to them, in their own land or another's, of what was being done, had been done, or was intended — for they learned it all through spies.
कुशला व्यवहारेषु सौहृदेषु परीक्षिता: । प्राप्तकालं तु ते दण्डं धारयेयुस्सुतेष्वपि ।।1.7.8।।
Meaning
Skilled in worldly affairs and well-tested in friendship, they would impose deserved punishment even upon their own sons.
कोशसङ्ग्रहणे युक्ता बलस्य च परिग्रहे । अहितं चापि पुरुषं न विहिंस्युरदूषकम् ।।1.7.9।।
Meaning
Devoted to building up the treasury and the army, they never wronged even a hostile man if he were blameless.