Shloka 4
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
वक्ता प्रगल्भो मेधावी स्मृतिमान् नयवित् कवि: । परापरविभागज्ञ: प्रमाणकृतनिश्चय:
vaktā pragalbho medhāvī smṛtimān nayavit kaviḥ | parāparavibhāgajñaḥ pramāṇakṛtaniścayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “He was an eloquent speaker—bold in expression, intelligent, and possessed of a strong memory; skilled in policy and conduct, a true poet; discerning the proper distinction between higher and lower, and firm in his conclusions, grounded on valid standards of proof.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal counselor/speaker: confident yet disciplined in speech, intellectually sharp, guided by memory and learning, able to distinguish what is higher and lower (right and wrong, fitting and unfitting), and committed to conclusions supported by valid standards of knowledge (pramāṇa). It frames ethical governance as requiring both eloquence and evidence-based discernment.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a person’s qualifications and character in laudatory terms—highlighting rhetorical skill, intelligence, prudence in matters of policy (naya), and sound judgment. The narrative context is a characterization meant to establish authority and trustworthiness within the unfolding events of the Sabha Parva.