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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वीराश्च नियतोत्साहा राजशास्त्रमनुष्ठिता: । शुचीनां रक्षितारश्च नित्यं विषयवासिनाम् ।।1.7.10।।
Meaning
Heroic and of steady resolve, they upheld the science of kingship, ever protecting the pure-hearted people of the realm.
ब्रह्म क्षत्रमहिंसन्तस्ते कोशं समपूरयन् । सुतीक्ष्णदण्डास्संप्रेक्ष्य पुरुषस्य बलाबलम् ।।1.7.11।।
Meaning
Without harming brahmins or kshatriyas, they filled the treasury, imposing firm punishment only after weighing an offender's strength and weakness.
शुचीनामेकबुद्धीनां सर्वेषां सम्प्रजानताम् । नासीत्पुरे वा राष्ट्रे वा मृषावादी नर: क्वचित् ।।1.7.12।।
Meaning
Under these pure, like-minded and discerning ministers, there was no liar anywhere, in the capital or the countryside.
कश्चिन्न दुष्टस्तत्रासीत्परदाररतो नर: । प्रशान्तं सर्वमेवासीद्राष्ट्रं पुरवरं च तत् ।।1.7.13।।
Meaning
No wicked man, no one who coveted another's wife, was to be found there — the whole realm and that finest of cities lived in perfect peace.
सुवाससस्सुवेषाश्च ते च सर्वे सुशीलिन: । हितार्थं च नरेन्द्रस्य जाग्रतो नयचक्षुषा ।।1.7.14।।
Meaning
Well-dressed and well-mannered, all of them of good character, they kept watch with the eye of policy for the king's benefit.
गुरोर्गुणगृहीताश्च प्रख्याताश्च पराक्रमे । विदेशेष्वपि विज्ञातास्सर्वतो बुद्धिनिश्चयात् ।।1.7.15।।
Meaning
Trained by their mentors' virtues and renowned for their prowess, they were known even in foreign lands for the soundness of their judgment.
सन्धिविग्रहतत्त्वज्ञा: प्रकृत्या सम्पदान्विता: ।।1.7.16।। मन्त्रसंवरणे शक्ताश्श्लक्ष्णास्सूक्ष्मासु बुद्धिषु । नीतिशास्त्रविशेषज्ञास्सततं प्रियवादिन: ।।1.7.17।।
Meaning
Versed in the principles of peace and war, endowed by nature with prosperity, capable of guarding confidential counsel and subtle in fine judgments, they were experts in the science of statecraft and ever gentle-spoken.
ईदृशैस्तैरमात्यैस्तु राजा दशरथोऽनघ: । उपपन्नो गुणोपेतैरन्वशासद्वसुन्धराम् ।।1.7.18।।
Meaning
With such virtuous ministers at his side, the blameless King Dasaratha governed the earth.
अवेक्षमाणश्चारेण प्रजा धर्मेण रञ्जयन् । प्रजानां पालनं कुर्वन्नधर्मान्परिवर्जयन् ।।1.7.19।। विश्रुतस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वदान्यस्सत्यसङ्गर: । स तत्र पुरुषव्याघ्रश्शशास पृथिवीमिमाम् ।।1.7.20।।
Meaning
Watching through spies, delighting the people with righteousness, protecting them and forsaking all unrighteousness, that tiger among men — renowned in the three worlds for generosity and truthful pledges — ruled this earth.
नाध्यगच्छद्विशिष्टं वा तुल्यं वा शत्रुमात्मन: । मित्रवान्नतसामन्त: प्रतापहतकण्टक: ।।1.7.21।। स शशास जगद्राजा दिवं देवपतिर्यथा ।
Meaning
He never met a foe superior or even equal to himself; rich in friends, his vassal kings bowed to him, and his valor uprooted every thorn — he ruled as sovereign of the world as Indra rules heaven.