# Bāla Kāṇḍa 7 — The ministers who sustain the Kingdom *Ministers and priests advise Daśaratha, gather intelligence, maintain the treasury and army, and administer justice without favour* Portion: Descriptions of Ayodhyā · Verses: 17 · Ref format: 1.7. ## Sequence - Daśaratha has eight trusted ministers: Dhṛṣṭi, Jayanta, Vijaya, Siddhārtha, Arthasādhaka, Aśoka, Mantrapāla, and Sumantra → Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva serve as his purohitas (royal priests), alongside other advisers (7.1–3) - the narrator describes their learning, courage, restraint, honesty, and attention to duty (7.4–5) - their spies keep them informed of completed, current, and intended actions among their own people and their enemies (7.6) - they punish wrongdoing even in their own sons but will not harm an enemy who has committed no offense → they maintain the treasury and army while weighing circumstances before imposing punishment (7.7–10) - their cooperation, vigilance, and judgment support the Kingdom's peace and win respect abroad (7.11–14) - with their counsel and intelligence, Daśaratha protects and pleases his subjects and has no rival equal to him (7.15–17). ## Verses **1.7.1** aṣṭau babhūvur vīrasya tasyāmātyā yaśasvinaḥ śucayaś cānuraktāś ca rājakṛtyeṣu nityaśaḥ That renowned hero had eight ministers, honest and devoted, constantly (engaged) in the affairs of the king. **1.7.2** dhṛṣṭir jayanto vijayaḥ siddhārtho arthasādhakaḥ aśoko mantrapālaś ca sumantraś cāṣṭamo 'bhavat Dhṛṣṭi, Jayanta, Vijaya, Siddhārtha, and Arthasādhaka; Aśoka and Mantrapāla, and Sumantra was the eighth. **1.7.3** ṛtvijau dvāv abhimatau tasyāstām ṛṣisattamau vasiṣṭho vāmadevaś ca mantriṇaś ca tathāpare He had two esteemed officiating priests, the best of seers — Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva — and other counsellors as well. **1.7.4** śrīmantaś ca mahātmānaḥ śāstrajñā dṛḍhavikramāḥ kīrtimantaḥ praṇihitā yathā vacanakāriṇaḥ Illustrious and great-souled, learned in the śāstras, of firm valour, renowned, attentive, and duly carrying out (the king's) commands, **1.7.5** tejaḥkṣamāyaśaḥprāptāḥ smitapūrvābhibhāṣiṇaḥ krodhāt kāmārthahetor vā na brūyur anṛtaṃ vacaḥ Possessed of energy, forbearance, and renown, addressing (others) with a smile, they would never utter a false word, whether out of anger or for the sake of desire or gain. **1.7.6** teṣām aviditaṃ kiṃ cit sveṣu nāsti pareṣu vā kriyamāṇaṃ kṛtaṃ vāpi cāreṇāpi cikīrṣitam There was nothing at all — being done, already done, or (merely) intended — among their own people or their enemies, that was unknown to them, thanks to their spies. **1.7.7** kuśalā vyavahāreṣu sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ prāptakālaṃ yathā daṇḍaṃ dhārayeyuḥ suteṣv api Skilled in affairs, tried and proven in friendship, they would mete out punishment duly, when the time was right, even upon (their own) sons. **1.7.8** kośasaṃgrahaṇe yuktā balasya ca parigrahe ahitaṃ cāpi puruṣaṃ na vihiṃsyur adūṣakam Intent on filling the treasury and on maintaining the army, they would not injure even a hostile man if he had done no wrong. **1.7.9** vīrāṃś ca niyatotsāhā rāja śāstram anuṣṭhitāḥ śucīnāṃ rakṣitāraś ca nityaṃ viṣayavāsinām Valiant and of steadfast zeal, versed in the science of statecraft, they were ever the protectors of the honest dwellers in the realm. **1.7.10** brahmakṣatram ahiṃsantas te kośaṃ samapūrayan sutīkṣṇadaṇḍāḥ saṃprekṣya puruṣasya balābalam Without harming the brahmins and kṣatriyas, they filled the treasury; though severe in punishment, they acted only after weighing a man's strength and weakness. **1.7.11** śucīnām ekabuddhīnāṃ sarveṣāṃ saṃprajānatām nāsīt pure vā rāṣṭre vā mṛṣāvādī naraḥ kva cit Under all these (ministers), honest, of one mind, and fully discerning, there was nowhere in city or kingdom a single man who spoke falsely. **1.7.12** kaś cin na duṣṭas tatrāsīt paradāraratir naraḥ praśāntaṃ sarvam evāsīd rāṣṭraṃ puravaraṃ ca tat There was no wicked man there, none who lusted after another's wife; wholly at peace was that entire realm and its splendid city. **1.7.13** suvāsasaḥ suveśāś ca te ca sarve suśīlinaḥ hitārthaṃ ca narendrasya jāgrato nayacakṣuṣā Well-clothed and handsome, all of them too were of good conduct; and for the welfare of the king they kept watch with the eye of statecraft. **1.7.14** gurau guṇagṛhītāś ca prakhyātāś ca parākramaiḥ videśeṣv api vijñātāḥ sarvato buddhiniścayāt Devoted to their preceptor and esteemed for their virtues, renowned for their feats of valour, they were known even in foreign lands, on every side, for the firmness of their judgement. **1.7.15** īdṛśais tair amātyais tu rājā daśaratho 'naghaḥ upapanno guṇopetair anvaśāsad vasuṃdharām Endowed with such ministers as these, gifted with (every) virtue, the faultless king Daśaratha ruled the earth. **1.7.16** avekṣamāṇaś cāreṇa prajā dharmeṇa rañjayan nādhyagacchad viśiṣṭaṃ vā tulyaṃ vā śatrum ātmanaḥ Watching (his realm) through spies, and gladdening his subjects with righteous rule, he found no enemy superior or even equal to himself. **1.7.17** tair mantribhir mantrahitair niviṣṭair vṛto 'nuraktaiḥ kuśalaiḥ samarthaiḥ sa pārthivo dīptim avāpa yuktas tejomayair gobhir ivodito 'rkaḥ Surrounded by those counsellors — givers of good counsel, steadfast, loyal, skilled, and capable — that king, thus attended, attained radiance, like the risen sun with its rays of light.