Post 4
Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
Continuing the topic of "good governance- raamaa's style", we saw in post 3, what was king dhasarathhaa's organisation structure in governing his state, the cabinet [consisting of 8 ministers] and a super cabinet [8 rishis advicing king without getting directly involved in day to day administration, but effectively putting a check to king when required].
Also we saw the ministers were
* Tactful
* Adroit
* Always obliging
* Efficient in administration
* Welfare of the kingdom was the top point always in their agenda
* Nothing was happening in their country and neighbouring country unknown to them
We could not see in this sargam [baala kaaNdam sargam] how these ministers were appointed or what kind of persons were selected by the king to be his ministers.
For knowing that, perhaps, we have to move on to the kachchith sargam in ayOdhyaa kaaNdam. Sri raamaa asks bharatha on each step on these points how he has selected his ministers. Actually perhaps raama may not want to check such minute points, for, he knew what kind of people bharatha has inherited as prince. Sri vaalmeeki wants us, the later day mortals, to know what kind of persons, we must have as ministers, by reading his work. Further on the functioning of these ministers, also raamaa asks questions to his brother - have you checked these persons on ------ during the tenure as ministers.
kachchid aathma samaa: sooraa: sruthavanthO jithEndhriyaa: |
kuleenaascha ingithajnaascha kruthaasthE thaatha manthriNa: ||
100th sargam ayodhyaa kaaNdam - slOkam 15
thaatha = my dear bharatha - my father [actually thaatha means father - since here it is addressed to raamaa's younger brother in love and affection it is to betaken as my dear]
kachchidh = few
aathma samaa: = who understand the king thoroughly and act accordingly
sooraa: = valiant
sruthavantha: = having sound knowledge of vEdhaas and saasthraas
jithEndhriyaa: = who have well controlled senses
kuleenaa: cha = hailing from well established families
ingithajnaa: cha = well intentioned people, who can understand the mind of king, [or prince] and act accordingly
manthriNa: = ministers
kruthaasthE = made
meaning: Oh my dear bharathaa, have you made persons who possess following as ministers
* who can understand the king closely and his mind,
* valiant,
* having sound knowledge of vEdhaas and saasthraas,
* who have controlled their senses,
* hailing from good families,
* well intentioned
Point: See how many qualifications a person must have to become a minister in a monarchy. Compare it with a democracy. It spells on qualities of ministers, what we have in a democracy as of now, in particular the 3 important clauses, which are the basic qualifications
* be an Indian,
* Aged above 25,
* Be a member of one of the House of Representatives.
That is all. Is it not sounding funny to have such people as ministers. So, now, you are able start understanding what is "raama raajyam".
amaathya anupadhaatheethaan pithru paithaamahaan sucheen |
srEshtaan srEshtEshu kachchith thvam niyOjayasi karmasu ||
100th sargam ayodhyaa kaaNdam - slOkam 26
amaathya: = minister
anupadhaatheethaan = guileless, or fraudless, or terrorless
pithrupaithaamahaan = father, grand father, and their elders
sucheen = clean
srEshtaan srEshtEshu = more excellent among excellent
kachchith = few
thvam niyOjayasi = you appoint
karmasu = in the work
meaning: hey bharathaa, are you appointing [or directing] such persons as ministers, who are guileless, fraudless, more excellent among excellent, clean persons, and have well established ancestry.
EkO api amaathyO mEDhaavee soorO dakshO vichakshaNa: |
raajaanan raajaputhram vaa praapayEn mahatheem shriyam || 24
100th sargam ayodhyaa kaaNdam - slOkam 24
EkO api = even one
amaathya: = minister
mEDhaavee = a learned one or a genius
soora: = valiant
daksha: = competent
vichakshaNa: = wizard
raajaanan raajaputhram vaa = to the kingdom, king or the prince
praapayEn = will bring in or beget
mahatheem shriyam = lot of wealth and good.
meaning: Even if one minister is well learned or a genius, valiant and competent, he will bring in lot of prosperity / good to the prince, or king, than a number of fools around, as ministers.
vyasane kachchidh aaDyasya dhurbalasya cha raaghava |
artham viraagaa: pasyanthi thava amaathyaa bahusruthaa: ||
100th sargam ayodhyaa kaaNdam - slOkam 58
kachchidh = some
thava amaathyaa = your ministers
pasyanthi = seeing
vyasane = in the arguments between
aaDyasya = wealthy
dhurbalasya cha = poor people also
raaghava = one who hails from the raghu dynasty
artham = money or wealth
viraagaa: = without passion
bahusruthaa: = well heard, also well versed in saasthraas.
meaning: hey bharathaa, one who hails from raghu dynasty, are you seeing [or checking] that some of your ministers are well versed in administration are listening to both sides in arguments between wealthy and poor impartially and dispassionately.
Point: see a point of advice to the prince. That a check to be done by the king on his ministers. Both are combined and presented. The subtleties are something beautiful here.
manthrO vijayamoolam hi raajnaam bhavathi raaghava |
susamvruthO manthri Dhurair amaathyai: saasthra kovidhai: ||16
100th sargam ayodhyaa kaaNdam - slOkam 16
manthra: = secrets
raajnaam = for the kingdom
vijayamoolam hi = the success formulae
bhavathi = attains or gives or happens or is
raaghava = one who hails from the raghu dynasty
susamvrutha: = well concealed
manthri Dhurair = well analysed
amaathyai: = by the ministers
saasthra kovidhai: = wizards of saasthraas
meaning: hey bharathaa, one who hails from the raghu dynasty, well analysed decisions taken after consultations by the ministers who are well versed in saasthraas, are the formulae for the success of the kingdom. Are these decisions kept secret till their stages of implementation.
Point: See here how decisions are to be taken. It is not a one man's decision, neither just taken without proper analysis. Also the decisions are to be well concealed and kept secret till its readiness for implementation. For, otherwise, the decision taken may well be resisted by concerned, as happening nowadays, because of leakage of such information.
Further there is also a point implied, - hey, are you checking that your ministers are not leaking certain confidential decisions taken by you and your council of ministers. .
These are about the ministers. Let us see about the king himself in next post.
Dhasan
Vasudevan m.g.
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