Shloka 109
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
निश्चितानामनारम्भं मन्त्रस्यापरिरक्षणम् | मड़लाद्यप्रयोगं च प्रत्युत्थानं च सर्वतः
niścitānām anārambhaṁ mantrasya aparirakṣaṇam | maṅgalādyaprayogaṁ ca pratyutthānaṁ ca sarvataḥ, yudhiṣṭhira |
Nārada said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, do you avoid these faults of kingship—failing to begin what has been firmly decided; not safeguarding confidential counsel; neglecting auspicious rites and public ceremonies that sustain morale and legitimacy; and rising up (acting or reacting) on all fronts at once? Even rulers whose kingdoms are deeply rooted can be ruined by such defects, for they weaken resolve, expose strategy, erode public confidence, and dissipate strength.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must convert decisions into timely action, protect confidential strategy, maintain auspicious public observances that uphold legitimacy and social cohesion, and avoid overextending by confronting all threats simultaneously. Neglect in these areas can destroy even a stable kingdom.
In the Sabha Parva dialogue on rājadharma, Nārada questions Yudhiṣṭhira about whether he has abandoned key royal defects, warning that such lapses—delay, indiscretion, neglect of public rites, and strategic overreach—bring ruin to rulers.