Shloka 117
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिच्छृूणोषि वृद्धानां धर्मार्थसहिता गिर: । नित्यमर्थविदां तात यथाधर्मार्थदर्शिनाम्,तात! तुम सदा धर्म और अर्थके ज्ञाता एवं अर्थशास्त्रके पूरे पण्डित बड़े-बूढ़े लोगोंकी धर्म और अर्थसे युक्त बातें सुनते रहते हो न?
kaccic chṛṇoṣi vṛddhānāṃ dharmārthasahitā giraḥ | nityam arthavidāṃ tāta yathā dharmārthadarśinām ||
Nārada berkata: “Wahai anakku, adakah engkau sentiasa mendengar kata-kata para tua-tua—kata-kata yang berpaut pada dharma dan artha—daripada mereka yang benar-benar memahami kemakmuran serta melihat dengan jelas apa yang benar dan apa yang bermanfaat?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler (or any responsible person) should habitually seek guidance from experienced elders whose speech integrates dharma (moral right) with artha (practical welfare). Ethical judgment must be informed by both righteousness and sound policy.
Nārada addresses the listener affectionately and tests his conduct by asking whether he regularly listens to elder advisers—those skilled in artha and capable of discerning dharma and artha—thus framing a standard of good governance and disciplined learning.