Shloka 56

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ भयादुपगतं क्षीणं वा रिपुमागतम्‌ । युद्धे वा विजितं पार्थ पुत्रवत्‌ परिरक्षसि

Transliteration

kaccid bhayādupagataṁ kṣīṇaṁ vā ripum āgatam | yuddhe vā vijitaṁ pārtha putravat parirakṣasi ||

Translation

ナーラダは言った。「パールタよ、恐れからそなたに帰依してきた者、あるいは衰え滅びた者、また戦でそなたに敗れて後に来た者――そのような敵であっても、子のように守り養っているか。」

Word by Word

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

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• उपगतम्: come/approached (seeking refuge)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular; past passive participle

• क्षीणम्: impoverished, weakened
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular; (PPP of √क्षि/क्षी) used adjectivally

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा
• Form: disjunctive particle

• रिपुम्: enemy
• रिपुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• आगतम्: come, arrived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular; past passive participle

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा
• Form: disjunctive particle

• विजितम्: conquered, defeated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-जि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular; past passive participle

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• पुत्रवत्: like a son
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्रवत्
• Form: indeclinable (vat-affix adverbial usage)

• परिरक्षसि: do you protect/guard
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष्
• Form: present tense, parasmaipada, 2nd person, singular

• कुन्तीनन्दन: O son of Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्तीनन्दन
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal: even a hostile person, once defeated or seeking refuge in fear and ruin, should be protected with the care one gives a son. It frames victory as responsibility, not license for cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is examining Pārtha’s (Arjuna’s) conduct by asking whether he upholds the duty of protection toward a surrendered or defeated enemy—an ethical test of royal and warrior virtue.