Verse 7.64

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

अनुरक्तः शुचिर्दक्षः स्मृतिमान् देशकालवित् ।
वपुष्मान् वीतभीर्वाग्मी दूतो राज्ञः प्रशस्यते ॥ ६४ ॥

anuraktaḥ śucirdakṣaḥ smṛtimān deśakālavit |
vapuṣmān vītabhīrvāgmī dūto rājñaḥ praśasyate || 64 ||

That royal ambassador is commended who is loyal, honest, clever, possessed of good memory, conversant with place and time, handsome of body, fearless and eloquent.—(64)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Loyal’—‘who cannot be won over.

‘Clever’— does not miss the right time and place.

‘Possessed of good memory’—who carries his master’s messages intact, without forgetting any part of it.

‘Conversant with time and place’.—knowing the proper time and place, he may say things which he may not have been told if it happens to be opportune.

‘Handsome’—of goodly appearance. Being handsome to look at, he says things cleverly and in the right manner.

‘Fearless’;—it is only one who is free from fear who can say things in the proper spirit.

‘Eloquent’;—he is capable of replying to what may be said in answer to the message brought by him.—(64)

The author proceeds to explain why it is necessary to seek for the said qualities in an ambassador.—

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Anuraktaḥ’—‘Loyal to the king’(Medhātithi, Govindarāja and Rāghavānanda);—‘attached to the people’ (Kulluka).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Lakṣaṇa, p. 225);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 188), which adds the following notes:—‘Anuraktaḥ,’ ‘attached to the people and hence not likely to be disagreeable even, to enemy-kings’;—‘śuciḥ,’ ‘pure in his dealings with women and money’;—‘dakṣaḥ,’ ‘one who never misses his opportunity to act;—‘smṛtimān,’ ‘not likely to forget either the instructions of his own king or the replies given by the other party’;—‘deśakālavit’, ‘capable of altering either his own king’s message or the reply given by the other party, or his own operations, in view of the altered conditions of time and place in which he may find himself’;—‘vapuṣmān’, ‘possessed of excellent physical features’, —‘vītabhīḥ’, ‘who is capable of telling even disagreeable things to the king, if it is likely to be beneficial to the latter’s interests.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 7.63-64)

See Comparative notes for Verse 7.63.