Shloka 20
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिदर्थ च धर्म च काम च जयतां वर । विभज्य काले कालज्ञ: सदा वरद सेवसे
kaccid arthaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca jayatāṃ vara | vibhajya kāle kālajñaḥ sadā varada sevase ||
Nārada said: “O best among victorious men, O boon-giving king—do you, as one who understands the right time, always apportion the hours properly and, at their due seasons, pursue the three aims of life—dharma, artha, and kāma—without letting one violate the other?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should pursue dharma, artha, and kāma in a balanced way, guided by proper timing and proportion, so that governance and personal life remain disciplined and ethically ordered.
Nārada addresses the king with a respectful ‘kaccit’ inquiry, testing whether he governs and lives wisely—specifically, whether he knows how to allocate time so the three human aims are pursued appropriately.