Shloka 125
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिदन्धांश्व मूकां श्व पड्डून् व्यज्ञानबान्धवान् । पितेव पासि धर्मज्ञ तथा प्रव्रजितानपि,धर्मज्ञ! क्या तुम अंधों, गूँगों, पंगुओं, अंगहीनों और बन्धु-बान्धवोंसे रहित अनाथों तथा संन्यासियोंका भी पिताकी भाँति पालन करते हो?
kaccid andhāṁś ca mūkāṁś ca paṅgūn vyādhita-bāndhavān | piteva pāsi dharmajña tathā pravrajitān api ||
ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞ! ତୁମେ କି ପିତା ପରି ଅନ୍ଧ, ମୂକ, ପଙ୍ଗୁ, ଅଙ୍ଗବିକଳ ଏବଂ ବନ୍ଧୁବାନ୍ଧବହୀନ ଅନାଥମାନଙ୍କୁ—ଏପରିକି ପ୍ରବ୍ରଜିତ ସନ୍ନ୍ୟାସୀମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ—ପୋଷଣ ଓ ରକ୍ଷା କରୁଛ?
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames righteous kingship (rājadharma) as paternal care: a ruler’s dharma includes actively protecting and supporting society’s most vulnerable—those with disabilities, the unprotected without kin, and even renunciants—rather than limiting concern to the powerful or productive.
Nārada, in a sequence of probing welfare-questions, tests the ruler’s adherence to dharma by asking whether he ensures compassionate maintenance and protection for marginalized dependents and for ascetics who live outside ordinary household structures.