Shloka 14
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
ततो5हमागम्य पुरे त्वामवोचं महीपते । नियम कंचिदारप्स्ये शुश्रूषा क्रियतामिति
tato ’ham āgamya pure tvām avocaṁ mahīpate | niyamaṁ kañcid ārapsye śuśrūṣā kriyatām iti ||
Puis, ô roi, je vins dans ta cité et je te dis : « J’entreprendrai un vrata (observance sacrée) ; rends-moi service. » (Par cette intention, en vérité, je cherchais une faute en toi.) Pourtant, bien que j’aie demeuré dans ta maison, je n’ai trouvé en toi aucune faute jusqu’à ce jour. Ô sage royal, c’est pour cela que tu vis encore ; autrement, ton pouvoir et ton rang auraient été anéantis.
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s survival and legitimacy rest on dharma: faultless conduct, humility, and proper service to the virtuous. The verse frames ascetic discipline (niyama) and the demand for service (śuśrūṣā) as a moral test—implying that ethical integrity protects sovereignty, while serious faults can destroy a king’s standing.
Cyavana tells the king that he came to the city announcing a vow and requesting service, but his hidden purpose was to observe the king closely and find a fault. Living in the king’s house, he has found none; therefore he declares that the king remains alive and secure—otherwise his power would have been wiped out.