Shloka 91

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ वैद्याश्रविकित्सायामष्टाज्ञायां विशारदा: । सुहृदश्चानुरक्ताश्व शरीरे ते हिता: सदा

Transliteration

kaccid vaidyāśravikitsāyām aṣṭājñāyāṁ viśāradāḥ | suhṛdaś cānuraktāś ca śarīre te hitāḥ sadā ||

Translation

ナーラダは言った。「そなたには、八支の医術（アシュターンガ）に通暁した医師たちがいるか。技に優れ、信頼に足り、情愛ある友として、常にそなたの益を願い、身の健やかさを保つために絶えず尽くしているか。」

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether?, I hope (that)...
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्
• Form: interrogative particle (yes/no question)

• वैद्याः: physicians
• वैद्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• चिकित्सायाम्: in medical treatment
• चिकित्सायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकित्सा
• Form: feminine, locative, singular

• अष्टाङ्गचिकित्सायाम्: in eight-limbed (Ayurvedic) medicine
• अष्टाङ्गचिकित्सायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टाङ्गचिकित्सा
• Form: feminine, locative, singular

• विशारदाः: skilled, proficient
• विशारदाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशारद
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सुहृदः: well-wishers, friends
• सुहृदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• अनुरक्ताः: attached, devoted
• अनुरक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरक्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• शरीरे: in (your) body; regarding the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• ते: of you; your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular (enclitic form)

• हिताः: beneficial; well-disposed
• हिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा
• Form: adverb

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• physicians (vaidya)
• Aṣṭāṅga-cikitsā (eightfold medical science)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes safeguarding bodily health through competent, loyal, and benevolent attendants; personal well-being is treated as a foundation for responsible governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada, in a sequence of probing questions about royal administration and preparedness, asks whether the king has expert physicians trained in the eightfold medical tradition who remain constantly attentive to his health and welfare.