Shloka 90

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिच्छारीरमाबाधमौषधैर्नियमेन वा । मानसं वृद्धसेवाभि: सदा पार्थापकर्षसि

Transliteration

kaccic chārīram ābādham auṣadhair niyamena vā | mānasaṁ vṛddha-sevābhiḥ sadā pārthāpakarṣasi, kuntīkumāra |

Translation

Nārada said: “O son of Kuntī, do you continually keep bodily afflictions at bay through medicines or disciplined regimen, and likewise dispel mental distress through the wholesome influence of serving elders?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether? (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• शारीरम्: bodily (pain/affliction) / physical
• शारीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारीर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आबाधम्: affliction, trouble
• आबाधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आबाध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• औषधैः: by medicines
• औषधैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नियमेन: by regimen/discipline
• नियमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• मानसम्: mental (pain/affliction) / of the mind
• मानसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वृद्धसेवाभिः: by service to elders
• वृद्धसेवाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धसेवा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• पार्थ: O son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अपकर्षसि: do you remove/drive away
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपकृष्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कुन्तीकुमार: O son of Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्तीकुमार
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kuntī
• Pārtha (a son of Kuntī / Pāṇḍava addressee)
• elders (vṛddhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler (or disciplined person) should safeguard both body and mind: physical suffering is managed through proper remedies and regulated habits, while mental suffering is eased through sat-saṅga expressed here as humble service to elders—an ethical practice that cultivates steadiness, humility, and good judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a son of Kuntī (Pārtha), asking after his welfare in a pointed, dharma-oriented way: whether he is maintaining health through medicine and regimen, and maintaining mental balance through respectful association and service to venerable elders.