Shloka 88

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ रक्ताम्बरधरा: खड्गहस्ता: स्वलंकृता: । उपासते त्वामभितो रक्षणार्थमरिंदम,शत्रुदमन! कया लाल वस्त्र धारण करके अलंकारोंसे अलंकृत हुए योद्धा अपने हाथोंमें तलवार लेकर तुम्हारी रक्षाके लिये सब ओरसे सेवामें उपस्थित रहते हैं?

Transliteration

kaccid raktāmbaradharāḥ khaḍgahastāḥ svalankṛtāḥ | upāsate tvām abhito rakṣaṇārtham ariṃdama śatrudamana ||

Translation

Nārada dit : «Ô dompteur d’ennemis, des guerriers vêtus de rouge, parés d’ornements, l’épée à la main, se tiennent-ils tout autour de toi, en service de garde pour ta protection ?»

Word by Word

कच्चित्whether (indeed)?

रक्ताम्बरधराःwearing red garments

खड्गहस्ताःhaving swords in (their) hands

स्वलंकृताःwell-adorned

उपासतेattend upon / stand by in service

त्वाम्you

अभितःall around

रक्षणार्थम्for the purpose of protection

अरिंदमO subduer of foes

शत्रुदमनO tamer of enemies

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

warriors/guards

red garments

sword (khaḍga)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a ruler’s duty to maintain vigilant protection and orderly governance: sovereignty is not merely display, but sustained by disciplined guardianship and readiness against threats.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses the king with honorific epithets and asks whether armed, well-adorned guards in red attire stand around him in constant attendance to ensure his safety.