Shloka 96
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चित् सर्वेडनुरक्तास्त्वां भूमिपाला: प्रधानत: । कच्चित् प्राणांस्त्वदर्थेषु संत्यजन्ति त्वया55दृता:,क्या सभी मुख्य-मुख्य भूपाल तुमसे प्रेम रखते हैं? कया वे तुम्हारे द्वारा सम्मान पाकर तुम्हारे लिये अपने प्राणोंकी बलि दे सकते हैं?
kaccit sarve ’nuraktās tvāṃ bhūmipālāḥ pradhānataḥ | kaccit prāṇāṃs tvadartheṣu saṃtyajanti tvayādṛtāḥ ||
നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—എല്ലാ ഭൂമിപാലകരും, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് പ്രമുഖർ, നിനക്കു അനുരക്തരാണോ? നിന്റെ സത്കാരമേറ്റു, നിന്റെ കാര്യാർത്ഥം അവർ പ്രാണം പോലും ത്യജിക്കാൻ തയ്യാറാണോ?
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes the ethical foundation of rulership: a king’s authority depends not merely on power but on earned loyalty. Honor (ādara) shown to allies and subordinate rulers is presented as a key cause of devotion so strong that they would risk even their lives for the ruler’s aims.
Nārada is questioning a ruler about the stability of his political circle—specifically whether the leading kings are genuinely attached to him and whether, having been properly respected by him, they would stand by him to the point of sacrificing their lives.