Shloka 16
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
तुतोष च यथावच्च पूजां प्राप्प युधिष्ठिरात् । सोडर्चित: पाण्डवै: सर्वैर्महर्षिवेदपारग: । धर्मकामार्थसंयुक्तं पप्रच्छेदं युधिष्ठिरम्,राजा युधिष्ठिससे यथोचित पूजा पाकर नारदजी भी बहुत प्रसन्न हुए। इस प्रकार सम्पूर्ण पाण्डवोंसे पूजित होकर उन वेददवेत्ता महर्षिने युधिष्ठिससे धर्म, काम और अर्थ तीनोंके उपदेशपूर्वक ये बातें पूछीं
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tutoṣa ca yathāvat ca pūjāṃ prāpya yudhiṣṭhirāt | so 'rcitaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sarvair maharṣir veda-pāragaḥ | dharma-kāmārtha-saṃyuktaṃ papraccha idaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ||
বৈশম্পায়নে ক’লে—যুধিষ্ঠিৰৰ পৰা যথোচিত পূজা পাই বেদপাৰঙ্গত মহর্ষি অতি প্ৰসন্ন হ’ল। সকলো পাণ্ডৱৰ দ্বাৰা সমাদৃত হৈ তেওঁ ধৰ্ম-কাম-অৰ্থ সংযুক্ত বিষয়সমূহ বিষয়ে যুধিষ্ঠিৰক প্ৰশ্ন কৰিলে।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Proper honor to the wise is itself a dharmic act, and true counsel for a ruler must integrate dharma (ethical duty), artha (effective governance and welfare), and kāma (regulated human desire) rather than treating them as isolated goals.
After Yudhiṣṭhira and the Pāṇḍavas receive and honor the great sage according to custom, the pleased sage begins a structured inquiry of Yudhiṣṭhira, introducing a discussion meant to guide him in balanced royal conduct.