Shloka 54
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिद् विद्याविनीतांश्व नराउज्ञानविशारदान् | यथाहँ गुणतश्वैव दानेनाभ्युपपद्यसे,क्या तुम विद्यासे विनयशील एवं ज्ञाननिपुण मनुष्योंको उनके गुणोंके अनुसार यथायोग्य धन आदि देकर उनका सम्मान करते हो?
kaccid vidyā-vinītāṁś ca narān jñāna-viśāradān | yathārhaṁ guṇataś caiva dānenābhyupapadyase ||
Nārada said: “Do you duly honor men who are educated and disciplined, and who are proficient in knowledge—treating them according to their merits and worth, and supporting them through appropriate gifts and patronage?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma includes recognizing true merit: honoring the learned and well-disciplined, and supporting them with fitting gifts. Respect is not merely verbal; it is shown through appropriate patronage aligned with a person’s qualities.
Nārada is conducting a probing inquiry into proper royal conduct. By asking whether the king honors qualified, learned people according to their merit and supports them through gifts, he tests the king’s adherence to dharma and sound governance.