A secret of the State is blown to ineffectiveness if it falls on six ears..

षट्कर्णाद् भिद्यते मन्त्रः।३४॥

चाणक्यसूत्राद्

ṣaṭkarṇād bhidyate mantraḥ|34||

cāṇakyasūtrād

This is the 34 th sutra of Chanakya

A secret of the State is blown to ineffectiveness if it falls on six ears..

Here the Master underlines the importance absolute secrecy that should be maintained in the matters of State..

A king or the man wielding great powers of the State, should never discuss matters of strategic importance with more persons that those who are absolutely necessary and are absolutely dependable.. The king should confine himself to discussing such matters with his Prime Minister alone.. When the secret is shared with a single person, only four ears hear it.. The king cannot afford the luxury of sharing the secret with another pair of ears.. For the secret ceases to be so by the time it falls into six ears..

This principle is avidly followed by all intelligence agencies.. they always go by the needs-to- know principle.. In matters of State strict rules of law are to be followed.. No personal likes and dislikes or emotions should ever come in the way.. even the slightest slip is not permitted in administrative and defence matters.