Shloka 67

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिदशभ्यवहार्याणि गात्रसंस्पर्शनानि च | प्रेयाणि च महाराज रक्षन्त्यनुमतास्तव

Transliteration

kaccid aśabhyavahāryāṇi gātrasaṃsparśanāni ca | preyāṇi ca mahārāja rakṣanty anumātās tava ||

Translation

Nārada said: “O great king, are the things meant for your personal use—your food and drink, the garments and other items that touch your body, and the pleasing fragrances you use—being safeguarded only by trusted persons approved by you?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether?, I hope
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• अशभ्यव्यवहार्याणि: things not to be handled by the unrefined / not to be dealt with improperly
• अशभ्यव्यवहार्याणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशभ्य-व्यवहार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• गात्रसंस्पर्शनानि: things for contact with the body (e.g., garments, unguents)
• गात्रसंस्पर्शनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र-संस्पर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रेयाणि: dear, pleasant (things)
• प्रेयाणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रक्षन्ति: protect, guard
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अनुमताः: approved, authorized (persons)
• अनुमताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुमत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तव: of you, your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must ensure strict, trustworthy control over intimate and consumable items—food, clothing, and personal luxuries—because negligence here invites harm, corruption, and loss of sovereignty; prudent kingship includes vigilance over one’s immediate environment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is conducting a probing inquiry into the king’s administration and personal safeguards, asking whether the king’s private-use items are protected by reliable, authorized attendants—an indirect test of the king’s alertness and quality of governance.