Dasharatha's Ministers and Priests

Shloka 1 (bala.7.1)

तस्यामात्या गुणैरासन्निक्ष्वाकोस्तु महात्मनः । मंत्रज्ञाश्चेङ्गितज्ञाश्च नित्यं प्रियहिते रताः ।। ७.१ ।।

tasya amātyā guṇair āsan ikṣhvakostu mahātmanaḥ | maṃtrajñāḥ ca iṅgitajñāḥ ca nityam priya hite ratāḥ || 7.1 ||

The ministers of that great-souled scion of the Ikshvaku line were endowed with virtues; knowers of policy and of others' intent, they were ever devoted to his welfare and benefit.

Shloka 2 (bala.7.2)

अष्टौ बभूवुर्वीरस्य तस्यामात्या यशस्विनः । शुचयश्चानुरक्ताश्च राजकृत्येषु नित्यशः ।। ७.२ ।।

aṣṭau babhūvuḥ vīrasya tasya amātyā yaśasvinaḥ | śucayaḥ ca anuraktāḥ ca rājakṛtyeṣu nityaśaḥ || 7.2 ||

Eight ministers there were for that heroic and glorious king, pure of heart and devoted, ever engaged in the affairs of the kingdom.

Shloka 3 (bala.7.3)

धृष्टिर्जयन्तो विजयो सुराष्ट्रो राष्ट्रवर्धनः । अकोपो धर्मपालश्च सुमंत्रश्चाष्टमोऽभवत् ।। ७.३ ।।

dhṛṣṭir jayanto vijayo surāṣṭro rāṣṭra vardhanaḥ | akopo dharmapālaḥ ca sumaṃtraḥ ca aṣṭamo 'bhavat || 7.3 ||

Dhrishti, Jayanta, Vijaya, Surashtra, Rashtravardhana, Akopa and Dharmapala — these seven, and Sumantra was the eighth.

Shloka 4 (bala.7.4)

ऋत्विजौ द्वावभिमतौ तस्यास्तामृषिसत्तमौ । वशिष्ठो वामदेवश्च मंत्रिणश्च तथापरे ।। ७.४ ।।

ṛtvijau dvau abhimatau tasyāḥ tām ṛṣi sattamau | vaśiṣṭho vāmadevaḥ ca maṃtriṇaḥ ca tathā apare || 7.4 ||

Two eminent sages served him as his chosen officiating priests — Vasishtha and Vamadeva — and there were other counsellors besides.

Shloka 5 (bala.7.5)

सुयज्ञोऽप्यथ जाबालिः काश्यपोऽप्यथ गौतमः । मार्कण्डेयस्तु दीर्घायुस्तथा कात्यायनो द्विजः ।। ७.५ ।।

suyajño api atha jābāliḥ kāśaypo api atha gautamaḥ | mārkaṇḍeyaḥ tu dīrghāyuḥ tathā kātyāyano dvijaḥ || 7.5 ||

Suyajna, and Jabali, and Kashyapa, and Gautama, and Markandeya of long life, and likewise the twice-born Katyayana —

Shloka 6 (bala.7.6)

एतैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिर्नित्यमृत्विजस्तस्य पौर्वकाः । विद्याविनीता ह्रीमंतः कुशला नियतेन्द्रियाः ।। ७.६ ।।

etaiḥ brahmarṣibhir nityam ṛtvijaḥ tasya paurvakāḥ | vidyā vinītā hrīmaṃtaḥ kuśalā niyatendriyāḥ || 7.6 ||

— together with these Brahmarshis, who were the hereditary priests ever officiating for his family; [and other ministers besides,] well-trained in learning, modest, capable, and of controlled senses.

Shloka 7 (bala.7.7)

श्रीमन्तश्च महात्मानः शास्त्रज्ञा धृढविक्रमाः । कीर्तिमन्तः प्रणिहिता यथावचनकारिणः ।। ७.७ ।।

śrīmantaḥ ca mahātmanaḥ śāstrajñā dhṛḍha vikramāḥ | kīrtimantaḥ praṇihitā yathā vacana kāriṇaḥ || 7.7 ||

Prosperous and great-souled, versed in the scriptures, of firm valour, renowned and single-minded, and always true to their word —

Shloka 8 (bala.7.8)

तेजःक्षमायशःप्राप्ताः स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिणः । क्रोधात्कामार्थहेतोर्वा न ब्रूयुरनृतं वचः ।। ७.८ ।।

tejaḥ kṣamā yaśaḥ prāptāḥ smita pūrva abhibhāṣiṇaḥ | krodhāt kāma artha hetor vā na brūyur anṛtam vacaḥ || 7.8 ||

— endowed with vigour, forbearance and fame, ever the first to greet others with a smile; never, out of anger or for desire or gain, would they utter an untrue word.

Shloka 9 (bala.7.9)

तेषामविदितं किंचित्स्वेषु नास्ति परेषु वा । क्रियमाणं कृतं वापि चारेणापि चिकीर्षितम् ।। ७.९ ।।

teṣām aviditam kiṃcat śveṣu nāsti pareṣu vā | kriyamāṇam kṛtam vā api cāreṇa api cikīrṣitam || 7.9 ||

Nothing whatsoever, in their own realm or in others', was unknown to them — whatever was being done, had been done, or was even merely intended, they knew, too, through their spies.

Shloka 10 (bala.7.10)

कुशला व्यवहारेषु सौहृदेषु परीक्षिताः । प्राप्तकालं यथादण्डं धारयेयुः सुतेष्वपि ।। ७.१० ।।

kuśalā vyvahāreṣu sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ | prāpta kālam yathā daṇḍam dhārayeyuḥ suteṣu api || 7.10 ||

Skilled in the conduct of affairs, their friendships well tested, they would mete out due punishment in season, even upon their own sons.

Shloka 11 (bala.7.11)

कोशसंग्रहणे युक्ता बलस्य च परिग्रहे । अहितं चापि पुरुषं न हिंस्युरविदूषकम् ।। ७.११ ।।

kośa saṃgrahaṇe yuktā balasya ca parigrahe | ahitam ca api puruṣam na hiṃsyur avidūṣakam || 7.11 ||

Devoted to the gathering of revenue and to the maintenance of the army, they would not harass even an unfriendly man, so long as he was blameless.

Shloka 12 (bala.7.12)

वीराश्च नियतोत्साहा राजशास्त्रमनुष्ठिताः । शुचीनां रक्षितारश्च नित्यं विषयवासिनाम् ।। ७.१२ ।।

vīrāḥ ca niyatotsāhā rāja śāstram anuṣṭhitāḥ | śucīnām rakṣitāraḥ ca nityam viṣaya vāsinām || 7.12 ||

Heroic, of unwavering zeal, followers of the science of statecraft, they were the constant protectors of the honest folk dwelling in his realm.

Shloka 13 (bala.7.13)

ब्रह्म क्षत्रमहिंसन्तस्ते कोशं समपूरयन् । सुतीक्ष्णदण्डाः संप्रेक्ष्य पुरुषस्य बलाबलम् ।। ७.१३ ।।

brahma kṣatram ahiṃsantaḥ te kośam samapūrayan | sutīkṣṇa daṇḍāḥ saṃprekṣya puruṣasya balābalam || 7.13 ||

Doing no violence to Brahmin or Kshatriya, they yet kept the treasury full, awarding the severest penalties only after weighing a man's strength or weakness.

Shloka 14 (bala.7.14)

शुचीनामेकबुद्धीनां सर्वेषां संप्रजानताम् । नासीत्पुरे वा राष्ट्रे वा मृषावादी नरः क्वचित् ।। ७.१४ ।।

śucīnām eka buddhīnām sarveṣām saṃprajānatām | na āsīt pure vā rāṣṭre vā mṛṣā vādī naraḥ kvacit || 7.14 ||

Since all of these honest men, alike-minded and prudent, administered together, there was never, in the city or in the realm, any man given to falsehood.

Shloka 15 (bala.7.15)

कश्चिन्न दुष्टस्तत्रासीत्परदाररतो नरः । प्रशांतं सर्वमेवासीद्राष्ट्रं पुरवरं च तत् ।। ७.१५ ।।

kaścin na duṣṭaḥ tatra āsīt para dāra ratir naraḥ | praśāṃtam sarvam eva asīt rāṣṭram puravaram ca tat || 7.15 ||

No wicked man was there, none given to lusting after another's wife; and so the whole kingdom, and that finest of cities too, dwelt entirely at peace.

Shloka 16 (bala.7.16)

सुवाससः सुवेषाश्च ते च सर्वे शुचिव्रताः । हितार्थं च नरेन्द्रस्य जाग्रतो नयचक्षुषा ।। ७.१६ ।।

su vāsasa su veṣāḥ ca te ca sarve śucivratāḥ | hitārthaḥ ca narendrasya jāgrato naya cakṣuṣā || 7.16 ||

Well-clothed and well-adorned, all of them holding to purity of conduct, they watched vigilantly, with the eye of policy, over the welfare of the king.

Shloka 17 (bala.7.17)

गुरोर्गुणगृहीताश्च प्रख्याताश्च पराक्रमे । विदेशेष्वपि विज्ञाताः सर्वतो बुद्धिनिश्चयाः ।। ७.१७ ।।

guror guṇa gṛhītāḥ ca prakhyātāḥ ca parākrame | videśeṣu api vijñātā sarvato buddhi niścayāḥ || 7.17 ||

They had gained good qualities from their mentors, and were renowned for their prowess; known even in foreign lands, they were everywhere esteemed for the soundness of their judgment.

Shloka 18 (bala.7.18)

अभितो गुणवन्तश्च न चासन् गुणवर्जिताः । सन्धिविग्रहतत्त्वज्ञाः प्रकृत्या संपदान्विताः ।। ७.१८ ।।

abhito guṇavantaḥ ca na ca āsan guṇa varjitāḥ | sandhi vigraha tatvajñāḥ prakṛtyā saṃpadānvitāḥ || 7.18 ||

On all sides they were possessed of virtues, and none among them was devoid of merit; knowers of the principles of peace and war, they were by nature endowed with prosperity.

Shloka 19 (bala.7.19)

मंत्रसंवरणे शक्ताः शक्ताः सूक्ष्मासु बुद्धिषु । नीतिशास्त्रविशेषज्ञाः सततं प्रियवादिनः ।। ७.१९ ।।

maṃtra saṃvaraṇe śaktāḥ śaktāḥ sūkṣmāsu buddhiṣu | nīti śāstra viśeṣajñāḥ satatam priya vādinaḥ || 7.19 ||

Capable of guarding a secret counsel, capable too in the subtlest matters of judgment, thoroughly versed in the science of polity, they were ever gentle of speech.

Shloka 20 (bala.7.20)

ईदृशैस्तैरमात्यैश्च राजा दशरथोऽनघः । उपपन्नो गुणोपेतैरन्वशासद्वसुंधराम् ।। ७.२० ।।

īdṛśaiḥ taiḥ amātyaiḥ ca rājā daśaratho.anaghaḥ | upapanno guṇopetaiḥ anvaśāsad vasuṃdharām || 7.20 ||

Furnished with such ministers as these, endowed with virtue, the blameless King Dasharatha governed the earth.

Shloka 21 (bala.7.21)

अवेक्षमाणश्चारेण प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षयन् । प्रजानां पालनं कुर्वन्नधर्मं परिवर्जयन् ।। ७.२१ ।।

avekṣamāṇaḥ cāreṇa prajā dharmeṇa rakṣayan | prajānām pālanam kurvan adharmam parivarjayan || 7.21 ||

Watching over his people through spies, protecting them righteously, giving good governance to his subjects, and wholly forsaking unrighteousness —

Shloka 22 (bala.7.22)

विश्रुतस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वदान्यः सत्यसंगरः । स तत्र पुरुषव्याघ्रः शशास पृथिवीमिमाम् ।। ७.२२ ।।

viśrutaḥ triṣu lokeṣu vadānyaḥ satya saṃgaraḥ | sa tatra puruṣavyāghraḥ śaśāsa pṛthvīm imām || 7.22 ||

— renowned in the three worlds, generous, true to his covenants, that tiger among men ruled this earth.

Shloka 23 (bala.7.23)

नाध्यगच्छद्विशिष्टं वा तुल्यं वा शत्रुमात्मनः । मित्रवान्नतसामन्तः प्रतापहतकण्टकः । स शशास जगद्राजा दिवं देवपतिर्यथा ।। ७.२३ ।।

na adhyagacchat viśiṣṭam vā tulyam vā śatrum ātmanaḥ | mitravān nata sāmantaḥ pratāpa hata kaṇṭakaḥ | sa śaśāsa jagat rājā divi deva patir yathā || 7.23 ||

He found none superior to himself, nor even an equal, among his foes; rich in friends, with feudatory kings bowed before him, and every thorn of opposition destroyed by his own valour — thus he ruled the world, as the lord of the gods rules heaven.

Shloka 24 (bala.7.24)

तैर्मंत्रिभिर्मंत्रहिते निविष्टैः । वृतोऽनुरक्तैः कुशलैः समर्थैः । स पार्थिवो दीप्तिमवाप युक्तः । तेजोमयैर्गोभिरिवोदितोऽर्कः ।। ७.२४ ।।

taiḥ maṃtribhiḥ maṃtra hiteḥ niviṣṭaiḥ | vṛto.anuraktaiḥ kuśalaiḥ samarthaiḥ | sa pārthivo dīptim avāpa yuktaḥ | tejomayaiḥ gobhiḥ iva uditaḥ arkaḥ || 7.24 ||

Surrounded by those ministers — devoted, skilled, capable and intent upon his welfare — that king attained a splendour, as the sun, endowed with radiant rays, attains its brilliance upon rising.