Shloka 49
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिद् बलस्य भक्त च वेतनं च यथोचितम् । सम्प्राप्तकाले दातव्यं ददासि न विकर्षसि,अपनी सेनाके लिये यथोचित भोजन और वेतन ठीक समयपर दे देते हो न? जो उन्हें दिया जाना चाहिये, उसमें कमी या विलम्ब तो नहीं कर देते?
kaccid balasya bhaktaṃ ca vetanaṃ ca yathocitam | samprāptakāle dātavyaṃ dadāsi na vikarṣasi ||
قال نارادا: «هل تُؤمِّن لجنودك مؤونةً لائقةً وأجورًا عادلةً كما يليق؟ وإذا حلَّ الأجلُ المستحقّ، أتعطي ما يجب إعطاؤه من غير حبسٍ ولا إبطاء؟»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma includes ensuring the welfare of those who serve the state—especially soldiers—by providing adequate rations and fair wages, and by paying what is due on time without reduction or delay.
Nārada, in a sequence of ‘kaccit’ welfare-and-dharma questions, probes the king’s governance: he asks whether the army is properly maintained through fitting provisions and timely remuneration, testing the king’s adherence to righteous administration.