Shloka 113
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
नारद उवाच अग्निहोत्रफला वेदा दत्तभुक्तफलं धनम् | रतिपुत्रफला दारा: शीलवृत्तफलं श्रुतम्
nārada uvāca | agnihotra-phalā vedā datta-bhukta-phalaṃ dhanam | rati-putra-phalā dārāḥ śīla-vṛtta-phalaṃ śrutam ||
Nārada said: “O King, the Vedas reach their true fruition through the Agnihotra rite. Wealth becomes meaningful only when it is used for giving and for rightful enjoyment. A wife bears her fruit in conjugal harmony and in the begetting of sons. And learning (scriptural knowledge) bears fruit in good character and upright conduct.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nārada defines the proper ‘fruit’ (meaningful fulfillment) of key human pursuits: scripture is fulfilled by disciplined ritual (Agnihotra), wealth by generosity and rightful enjoyment, marriage by conjugal harmony and progeny, and learning by moral character and good conduct.
In the Sabha Parva context, Nārada addresses a king and offers a didactic summary of how different domains—Vedic study, wealth, household life, and learning—should culminate in concrete dharmic outcomes rather than remaining merely theoretical or unused.