Shloka 76
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिन्न लुब्धा श्लौरा वा वैरिणो वा विशाम्पते । अप्राप्तव्यवहारा वा तव कर्मस्वनुछिता:
kaccin na lubdhā śaurā vā vairiṇo vā viśāmpate | aprāptavyavahārā vā tava karmasv anucitāḥ ||
Nārada said: “O lord of the people, have you not, by any chance, appointed to your affairs men who are greedy, or thieves, or enemies, or those utterly lacking practical experience? A king must ensure that unfit persons do not gain charge of royal duties, for such appointments corrode governance and dharma from within.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must appoint only trustworthy and competent people to public duties; greed, theft, hostility, and inexperience are disqualifications that endanger the state and undermine dharma.
Nārada is questioning the king in the style of royal counsel, probing whether the king’s administration is protected from corrupt, hostile, or incompetent appointees—an essential checkpoint in rajadharma.