Shloka 101
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिज्ज्ञातीन् गुरून् वृद्धान् दैवतांस्तापसानपि । चैत्यांश्व॒ वृक्षान् कल्याणान् ब्राह्मणांश्न नमस्यसि,जाति-भाई, गुरुजन, वृद्ध पुरुष, देवता, तपस्वी, चैत्यवृक्ष (पीपल) आदि तथा कल्याणकारी ब्राह्मणोंको नमस्कार तो करते हो न?
kaccij jñātīn gurūn vṛddhān daivatāṁs tāpasān api | caityāṁś ca vṛkṣān kalyāṇān brāhmaṇāṁś ca namasyasi ||
Nārada berkata: “Adakah tuanku menundukkan diri dengan hormat kepada kaum kerabat, para guru, dan orang tua yang mulia—juga kepada para dewa dan pertapa? Dan adakah tuanku turut memberi penghormatan kepada tempat suci, pohon-pohon bertuah, serta para brāhmaṇa yang membawa kesejahteraan?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that righteous governance and personal dharma begin with humility and reverence—regularly honoring one’s relatives, teachers, elders, deities, ascetics, sacred places, and Brahmins. Such acts sustain social harmony, invite auspiciousness, and restrain pride.
Nārada is examining the king’s conduct through a series of ‘kaccit’ questions—checking whether he maintains foundational duties of respect and worship. The inquiry functions as a moral audit of the ruler’s daily discipline and adherence to dharma.