Shloka 48

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ बलस्य ते मुख्या: सर्वयुद्धविशारदा: । धृष्टावदाता विक्रान्तास्त्वया सत्कृत्य मानिता:

Transliteration

kaccid balasya te mukhyāḥ sarvayuddhaviśāradāḥ | dhṛṣṭāvadātā vikrāntās tvayā satkṛtya mānitāḥ ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Tell me, are the foremost leaders of your army skilled in every kind of warfare—bold and fearless, straightforward and untainted in conduct, and truly valiant? And do you duly honor them, receiving them with proper respect and recognition?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether?, I hope (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• बलस्य: of the army/force
• बलस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• मुख्याः: chief, principal
• मुख्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्व-युद्ध-विशारदाः: skilled in all battles
• सर्व-युद्ध-विशारदाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धृष्टाः: bold, fearless
• धृष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अवदाताः: pure, unblemished, straightforward
• अवदाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवदात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विक्रान्ताः: valiant, mighty
• विक्रान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• सत्कृत्य: having honored, after duly receiving
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत् + कृ
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), कृ

• मानिताः: respected, honored
• मानिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• army (bala)
• chief commanders/leaders (mukhyāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s strength depends not only on military skill but on ethical leadership: appoint capable, fearless, upright commanders and maintain their loyalty through proper respect, recognition, and fair treatment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada continues a sequence of welfare-questions to the ruler, probing the condition of the kingdom. Here he asks whether the army’s principal leaders are competent and virtuous, and whether the king honors them appropriately—an indirect test of governance and preparedness.