Shloka 80

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चित्‌ स्वनुछिता तात वार्ता ते साधुभिर्जनै: । वार्तायां संश्रितस्तात लोको5यं सुखमेधते

Transliteration

kaccit svanucitā tāta vārtā te sādhubhir janaiḥ | vārtāyāṃ saṃśritas tāta loko ’yaṃ sukham edhate ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Dear one, in your realm are the proper livelihoods—agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade—being diligently carried on by worthy people? For by relying on such productive occupations the people prosper and grow in happiness.”

Word by Word

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

• स्वनुच्छिता: well-arranged, properly regulated
• स्वनुच्छिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वनुच्छित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear (son), O dear one
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वार्ता: means of livelihood (agriculture, cattle-rearing, trade)
• वार्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• साधुभिः: by good (virtuous) people
• साधुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वार्तायाम्: in (the pursuit of) livelihood
• वार्तायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• संश्रितः: having resorted to, dependent on
• Type: Verb
• Root: सं-श्रि
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: O dear one
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• लोकः: people, the populace
• लोकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुखम्: happily, with ease
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: prospers, grows
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Lat (present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• तात: O dear one
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• tāta (addressed person, unnamed in the verse)
• loka (the people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s duty includes ensuring that the kingdom’s productive livelihoods—agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade—are properly maintained by virtuous citizens, because public prosperity and happiness depend on these foundations.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses the ruler (or prince) with a welfare-oriented inquiry, checking whether the realm’s economic life is functioning well, framing good governance as care for the people’s material stability.