Shloka 17

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्निद्रावशं नैषीः कच्चित् कालेऽवबुध्यसे।कच्चिच्चापररात्रेषु चिन्तियस्यर्थनैपुणम्।।।।

Transliteration

kaccin nidrāvaśaṃ naiṣīḥ kaccit kāle ’vabudhyase | kaccic cāpararātreṣu cintayasy artha-naipuṇam ||

Translation

നീ ഉറക്കത്തിന്റെ അധീനനാകുന്നില്ലല്ലോ? യഥാസമയം ഉണരുന്നുണ്ടോ? പിന്നെ രാത്രിയുടെ ഉത്തരാർദ്ധത്തിൽ ഭരണകാര്യത്തിലെ നൈപുണ്യമാർഗങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ച് ആലോചിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ?

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• nidrā-vaśam: sleep’s sway, sleep-control
• nidrā-vaśam: Karma (object) of 'naiṣīḥ'
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; samāsa: nidrāyā vaśaḥ = 'control of sleep'

• naiṣīḥ: (you) did not go/submit (to)
• naiṣīḥ: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ lakāra (Aorist), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada; with implied negation from context: 'did not lead yourself into'

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• kāle: at the proper time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative/7th), Ekavacana

• avabudhyase: you wake up/are awake
• avabudhyase: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√budh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• ca: and
• ca: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• apara-rātreṣu: in the late/early hours of night
• apara-rātreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (locative time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक) + rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana; samāsa: aparāḥ rātrayaḥ = 'later part of nights/early hours'

• cintayasi: you think/reflect
• cintayasi: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• artha-naipuṇam: skill in statecraft
• artha-naipuṇam: Karma (object) of 'cintayasi'
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + naipuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; samāsa: arthe naipuṇam = 'skill in policy/statecraft'

Context

I trust you are not under the grip of sleep but wake up at appropriate times, I hope you always think of the means of judicious statecraft during the last part of the night.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma requires self-mastery: a ruler’s personal discipline (timely waking, sober reflection) becomes public welfare through better judgment and steadier governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues his counsel to Bharata, emphasizing the daily regimen and reflective habits expected of a righteous administrator.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and vigilance—qualities that prevent negligence and support wise, dharmic rule.