Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 7: King Daśaratha’s Ministers
Text 1.7.2
अष्टौ बभूवुर्वीरस्य तस्यामात्या यशस्विनः।
शुचयश्चानुरक्ताश्च राजकृत्येषु नित्यशः॥
aṣṭau babhūvur vīrasya tasyāmātyā yaśasvinaḥ
śucayaś cānuraktāś ca rāja-kṛtyeṣu nityaśaḥ
aṣṭau = eight; babhūvuḥ = had; vīrasya = hero; tasya = that; amātyāḥ = ministers; yaśasvinaḥ = famous; śucayaḥ ca = who were pure; anuraktaḥ ca = dedicated; rāja-kṛtyeṣu = to carrying out governmental duties; nityaśaḥ = constantly.
That hero had eight famous ministers who were pure and constantly dedicated to carrying out governmental duties.
[1] mantriṇaḥ sapta vā aṣṭau vā prakurvīta parīkṣitān.
The Manu-saṁhitā (7.54) states that a king should engage seven or eight ministers who have been examined and confirmed to possess certain requisite qualities [1]. In accordance with that injunction, King Daśaratha had eight ministers. They were pure, that is, they were absolutely devoid of any thoughts of betraying their master.