Shloka 42

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिदज्गभेषु निष्णातो ज्योतिष: प्रतिपादक: । उत्पातेषु च सर्वेषु दैवज्ञ: कुशलस्तव,क्या तुम्हारे यहाँ हस्त-पादादि अंगोंकी परीक्षामें निपुण, ग्रहोंकी वक्र तथा अतिचार आदि गतियों एवं उनके शुभाशुभ परिणाम आदिको बतानेवाला तथा दिव्य, भौम एवं शरीरसम्बन्धी सब प्रकारके उत्पातोंको पहलेसे ही जान लेनेमें कुशल ज्योतिषी है?

Transliteration

kaccid aṅgabhēṣu niṣṇāto jyotiṣaḥ pratipādakaḥ | utpāteṣu ca sarveṣu daivajñaḥ kuśalas tava ||

Translation

तुझ्याकडे अंगलक्षण-परीक्षेत निष्णात, ग्रहगती व त्यांच्या शुभाशुभ फलांचे निरूपण करणारा, तसेच दिव्य, भौम व शारीरिक सर्व प्रकारच्या उत्पातांचे पूर्वज्ञान घेण्यात कुशल असा दैवज्ञ-ज्योतिषी आहे का?

Word by Word

कच्चित्whether (indeed)?

अङ्गभेषुin the limbs (hands, feet, etc.)

निष्णातःskilled, well-versed

ज्योतिषःastrologer

प्रतिपादकःexpounder, one who explains

उत्पातेषुin portents/omens

चand

सर्वेषुin all

दैवज्ञःastrologer, knower of fate/omens

कुशलःcompetent, proficient

तवof you; your

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A well-governed realm values competent counsel: the verse highlights the practical dharma of kingship—maintaining experts who can interpret signs (astral and terrestrial) to anticipate danger and guide timely, ethical decisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is questioning the ruler’s preparedness and administrative completeness, asking whether the court includes a capable astrologer/diviner who can read bodily marks, planetary movements, and all kinds of omens to warn of impending events.