Shloka 14
ततो5हमागम्य पुरे त्वामवोचं महीपते । नियम कंचिदारप्स्ये शुश्रूषा क्रियतामिति,भूपाल! इसी उद्देश्यसे तुम्हारे नगरमें आकर मैंने तुमसे कहा कि मैं एक व्रतका आरम्भ करूँगा। तुम मेरी सेवा करो (इसी अभिप्रायसे मैं तुम्हारा दोष ढूँढ़ रहा था); किंतु तुम्हारे घरमें रहकर भी मैंने आजतक तुममें कोई दोष नहीं पाया। राजर्षे! इसीलिये तुम जीवित हो, अन्यथा तुम्हारी सत्ता मिट गयी होती
tato ’ham āgamya pure tvām avocaṁ mahīpate | niyamaṁ kañcid ārapsye śuśrūṣā kriyatām iti ||
Then, O king, I came to your city and said to you: “I shall undertake a certain religious observance; render me service.” (With that intention I was in fact seeking a fault in you.) Yet, even while dwelling in your house, I have not found any fault in you to this day. O royal sage, for this reason you still live; otherwise your very power and standing would have been destroyed.
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s survival and legitimacy rest on dharma: faultless conduct, humility, and proper service to the virtuous. The verse frames ascetic discipline (niyama) and the demand for service (śuśrūṣā) as a moral test—implying that ethical integrity protects sovereignty, while serious faults can destroy a king’s standing.
Cyavana tells the king that he came to the city announcing a vow and requesting service, but his hidden purpose was to observe the king closely and find a fault. Living in the king’s house, he has found none; therefore he declares that the king remains alive and secure—otherwise his power would have been wiped out.