Shloka 62

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चित्‌ ते यास्यतः शत्रून पूर्व यान्ति स्वनुछिता: । साम दानं च भेदश्न दण्डश्व॒ विधिवद्‌ गुणा:

Transliteration

kaccit te yāsyataḥ śatrūn pūrvaṃ yānti svanuṣṭhitāḥ | sāma dānaṃ ca bhedaś ca daṇḍaś ca vidhivad guṇāḥ ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Before you march against your enemies, do your well-applied measures reach them first in the proper way—conciliation (sāma), gifts or inducements (dāna), division (bheda), and punishment or force (daṇḍa)? For these four, when employed according to rule, are the necessary means for bringing adversaries under control.”

Word by Word

• {'kaccit': 'whether indeed? (a probing, welfare-check question)', 'te': 'your', 'yāsyataḥ': 'when you are going / as you are about to march', 'śatrūn': 'enemies', 'pūrvam': 'beforehand, in advance', 'yānti': 'go, reach, are applied/extended', 'sv-anuṣṭhitāḥ': 'well-performed, properly carried out', 'sāma': 'conciliation, gentle persuasion, diplomacy', 'dānam': 'gift, concession, inducement', 'bhedaḥ': 'creating division, sowing dissension, strategic splitting of alliances', 'daṇḍaḥ': 'punishment, coercion, force, military action', 'vidhivat': 'according to proper method/rule', 'guṇāḥ': 'effective means/qualities (here: the four upāyas of statecraft)'}

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• enemies (śatravaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should not rush into open conflict; he should first employ the four classical upāyas—conciliation, inducement, division, and only then force—each in a disciplined, rule-governed manner. Ethical governance includes using the least harmful effective means before resorting to violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is questioning the king’s preparedness and prudence in dealing with adversaries. He asks whether the king’s diplomatic and coercive instruments are being properly deployed in advance, indicating a counsel on responsible kingship and strategic restraint.