Shloka 54

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ विद्याविनीतांश्व नराउज्ञानविशारदान्‌ | यथाहँ गुणतश्वैव दानेनाभ्युपपद्यसे,क्या तुम विद्यासे विनयशील एवं ज्ञाननिपुण मनुष्योंको उनके गुणोंके अनुसार यथायोग्य धन आदि देकर उनका सम्मान करते हो?

Transliteration

kaccid vidyā-vinītāṁś ca narān jñāna-viśāradān | yathārhaṁ guṇataś caiva dānenābhyupapadyase ||

Translation

Nārada dit : «Rends-tu comme il se doit honneur aux hommes instruits et disciplinés, experts en connaissance—les traitant selon leurs mérites et leur valeur, et les soutenant par des dons et une protection convenables ?»

Word by Word

कच्चित्whether (indeed)? / I hope that

विद्या-विनीतान्those disciplined by learning / well-trained through education

चand

नरान्men

ज्ञान-विशारदान्skilled/adept in knowledge

यथाas / according to

अर्हान्worthy (persons)

गुणतःaccording to merit/qualities

चand

एवindeed / just

दानेनby giving / with gifts

अभ्युपपद्यसेdo you approach/act properly toward (honour, treat suitably)

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

vidyā-vinīta narāḥ (educated and disciplined persons)

jñāna-viśāradāḥ (experts in knowledge)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes recognizing true merit: honoring the learned and well-disciplined, and supporting them with fitting gifts. Respect is not merely verbal; it is shown through appropriate patronage aligned with a person’s qualities.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is conducting a probing inquiry into proper royal conduct. By asking whether the king honors qualified, learned people according to their merit and supports them through gifts, he tests the king’s adherence to dharma and sound governance.