Shloka 71
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिदायस्य चार्थेन चतुर्भागेन वा पुनः । पादभागैस्त्रिभिवापि व्यय: संशुद्धयते तव,क्या तुम्हारी आयके एक चौथाई या आधे अथवा तीन चौथाई भागसे तुम्हारा सारा खर्च चल जाता है?
kaccid āyasya cārthena caturbhāgena vā punaḥ | pādabhāgais tribhir vāpi vyayaḥ saṁśuddhyate tava ||
Narada said: “Is it the case that your household expenditure is fully met from only a portion of your income—by a fourth, or again by a half, or even by three quarters—so that your spending remains cleanly covered without waste or debt?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should practice financial discipline: expenditure should be comfortably covered by income, ideally leaving a surplus. This reflects ethical governance—avoiding waste, debt, and oppressive extraction—so the treasury and the people remain secure.
Nārada is examining the king’s administrative competence through practical questions. Here he asks whether the king’s expenses are managed within a fraction of revenue, implying prudent budgeting and orderly statecraft.