अनभिज्ञोगुणानांयोनभृत्यैर्अनुगम्यते।
धनाढ्योऽपिकुलीनोऽपिक्रमायातोऽपिभूपतिः॥७९॥
anabhijño guṇānāṃ yo na bhṛtyair anugamyate |
dhanāḍhyo ‘pi kulīno ‘pi kramāYāto ‘pi bhūpatiḥ || 79 ||
A king may he rich, or of a renowned family or of a great dynasty, but if he does not recognise the good qualities of a servant, he will lose the services of that servant.
असमैःसमीयमानःसमैश्चपरिहीयमाण-सत्-कारः।
धुरियोनयुज्यमानस्त्रिभिर्अर्थ-पतिंत्यजतिभृत्यः॥८०॥
asamaiḥ samīyamānaḥ samaiś ca parihīyamāṇa-sat-kāraḥ |
dhuri yo na yujyamānas tribhir artha-patiṃ tyajati bhṛtyaḥ || 80 ||
If a king compares his talented servant with others of lesser capabilities, or does not treat him honourably when compared to others of equal qualities, if he is not given a position in line with his capabilities…such a servant leaves such a king.
कनक-भूषण-सङ्ग्रहणोचितोयदिमणिस्त्रपुणिप्रतिबध्यते।
नसविरौतिनचापिसशोभतेभवतियोजयितुर्वचनीयता॥८१॥
kanaka-bhūṣaṇa-saṅgrahaṇocito yadi maṇis trapuṇi pratibadhyate |
na sa virauti na cāpi sa śobhate bhavati yojayitur vacanīyatā || 81 ||
If the gem that is fit to be embedded in an ornament made of gold, is instead is fitted on an ornament made of tin, the gem may not object; but it loses it’s brilliance. People who witness this blame the jeweller for this act of stupidity, not the gem.
The above is an extract from the Panchatantra.
Let’s reflect on what has been transpiring.
Damanaka, after getting an audience with the king, has been speaking about the merits of having good and capable servants, and has been carefully building up to the great reveal, that he is indeed ‘that servant’ who possesses all the qualities necessary to be part of the king’s inner circle.
The translations of the ślokas above have the word ‘servant’ mentioned extensively. While Damanaka is trying to present a humble image of himself, he does not mean ‘servant’ in the derogatory way that it is used nowadays. The Sanskrit equivalent is सेवक: (sevakah) – which has a much more refined meaning – the one who serves, or is of service, where service is a noble deed. I would prefer to read these parts of Damanaka’s conversation with that meaning in mind.
Also, these ślokas can be read in a wider context – of management/staff relations, friendships and even relationships. A lot of Damanaka’s musings are about recognising the true value of people, and not taking anyone for granted. This is again something that digs deeper, and one can read the Panchatantra in so many ways, each one bringing out a different meaning in a different context.
Here are some more ślokas on the same topic…
सव्य-दक्षिणयोर्यत्रविशेषोनास्तिहस्तयोः।
कस्तत्रक्षणम्अप्यार्योविद्यमान-गतिर्भवेत्॥८२॥
savya-dakṣiṇayor yatra viśeṣo nāsti hastayoḥ |
kas tatra kṣaṇam apyāryo vidyamāna-gatir bhavet || 82 ||
Which person of purpose will stay at a place where there is no difference observed between the right and left hand, and between capable and incapable people?
काचेमणिर्मणौकाचोयेषांबुद्धिर्विकल्पते।
नतेषांसन्निधौभृत्योनाम-मात्रोऽपितिष्ठति॥८३॥
kāce maṇir maṇau kāco yeṣāṃ buddhir vikalpate |
na teṣāṃ sannidhau bhṛtyo nāma-mātro ‘pi tiṣṭhati || 83 ||
A capable person will not serve a king who thinks of a gem to be a piece of glass, and a piece of glass to be a gem.
लोहिताख्यस्यचमणेःपद्मरागस्यचान्तरम्।
यत्रनास्तिकथंतत्रक्रियतेरत्न-विक्रयः॥८५॥
lohitākhyasya ca maṇeḥ padmarāgasya cāntaram |
yatra nāsti kathaṃ tatra kriyate ratna-vikrayaḥ || 85 ||
Who can sell jewels at a place, where the difference between an ordinary red stone and a priceless ruby is not known?
निर्विशेषंयदास्वामीसमंभृत्येषुवर्तते।
तत्रोद्यम-समर्थानाम्उत्साहःपरिहीयते॥८६॥
nirviśeṣaṃ yadā svāmī samaṃ bhṛtyeṣu vartate |
tatrodyama-samarthānām utsāhaḥ parihīyate || 86 ||
Where the Master treats his capable and incapable servants equally, the servant who is capable and efficient loses his enthusiasm to work.
नविनापार्थिवोभृत्यैर्नभृत्याःपार्थिवंविना।
तेषांचव्यवहारोऽयंपरस्पर-निबन्धनः॥८७॥
na vinā pārthivo bhṛtyair na bhṛtyāḥ pārthivaṃ vinā |
teṣāṃ ca vyavahāro ‘yaṃ paraspara-nibandhanaḥ || 87 ||
A servant without the king; and a king without a servant, cannot accomplish any meaningful task. They are mutually bound to this relationship.
भृत्यैर्विनास्वयंराजालोकानुग्रह-कारिभिः।
मयूखैर्इवदीप्तांशुस्तेजस्व्य्अपिनशोभते॥८८॥
bhṛtyair vinā svayaṃ rājā lokānugraha-kāribhiḥ |
mayūkhair iva dīptāṃśus tejasvy api na śobhate || 88 ||
Just as the sun, despite being lustrous, cannot shine without its rays, similarly, a king, even though he may be full of majesty, cannot be appreciated without capable servants.
राजातुष्टोहिभृत्यानाम्अर्थ-मात्रंप्रयच्छति।
तेतुसंमान-मात्रेणप्राणैर्अप्य्उपकुर्वते॥९१॥
rājā tuṣṭo hi bhṛtyānām artha-mātraṃ prayacchati |
te tu saṃmāna-mātreṇa prāṇair apy upakurvate || 91 ||
When the king is pleased, he offers money to his servants. But servants, when treated with respect, show their gratitude by even offering their own lives.
एवंज्ञात्वानरेन्द्रेणभृत्याःकार्याविचक्षणाः।
कुलीनाःशौर्य-संयुक्ताःशक्ताभक्ताःक्रमागताः॥९२॥
evaṃ jñātvā narendreṇa bhṛtyāḥ kāryā vicakṣaṇāḥ |
kulīnāḥ śaurya-saṃyuktāḥ śaktā bhaktāḥ kramāgatāḥ || 92 ||
Knowing this, the king should employ servants who are talented, who come from a good family, who are brave and efficient, who are devoted and who are from the family which has served for generations.