Valmiki Ramayana talks about eight ministers and their
attributes which made Ayodhya a peaceful and prosperous city. For any nation to
progress, the administration should be of par excellence. Sudhamahi Regunathan
talks about the Attributes of Ministers in the Court of Dasaratha in this
article in the Times of India.
Valmiki recounts the attributes of Dasaratha's ministers and says that these men were vidyavinita. That means they were not only learned but also full of a humility that comes from learning. He implies that they were people who internalised what they learnt and applied it to everyday life. They were humble not as ministers of Dasaratha, but by virtue of their erudition. So the first qualification is to select the person who is qualified enough, which means possessing adequate knowledge to carry out the job assigned to him. Such a person will be secure in his learning and so will not need to resort to arrogance or bullying to get by.
Further, the ministers were of imperturbable nature. Again this meant that they were confident and so could keep cool in a crisis; they would act rather than react. When viewed in the context of a powerful job where people may say good and bad things, where time may be in short supply and so irritation may mount, where the feeling that one knows everything may be fostered, Dasaratha's ministers remained unaffected.
The third epithet he uses is kushalaha which is to say, they were very efficient. We do not only need good and qualified men in power but also efficient ones who are able to deliver.
To describe the fourth attribute, Valmiki uses the word: niyateindriyaha or ones who had complete control over their senses. This control helped them retain equanimity at all times. They would never utter a lie either out of lust and greed or anger. They were always true to their word and were willing and quick to forgive.
Valmiki dwells on the one virtue which he has extolled all through the narration of his Ramayana: Sweet speech. Choose a person who is good natured, suggests Vamiki as the ministers always spoke with a smile on their lips and only with purpose. Their words were sweet and righteous, well meant and well intentioned rather than mere lip service.