Shloka 14
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
ततो5हमागम्य पुरे त्वामवोचं महीपते । नियम कंचिदारप्स्ये शुश्रूषा क्रियतामिति
tato ’ham āgamya pure tvām avocaṁ mahīpate | niyamaṁ kañcid ārapsye śuśrūṣā kriyatām iti ||
Então, ó rei, cheguei à tua cidade e te disse: “Empreenderei um certo vrata (observância sagrada); serve-me.” (Com essa intenção, na verdade, eu buscava alguma falta em ti.) Contudo, mesmo habitando em tua casa, até hoje não encontrei em ti falta alguma. Ó sábio régio, por isso ainda vives; de outro modo, teu poder e tua posição teriam sido destruídos.
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s survival and legitimacy rest on dharma: faultless conduct, humility, and proper service to the virtuous. The verse frames ascetic discipline (niyama) and the demand for service (śuśrūṣā) as a moral test—implying that ethical integrity protects sovereignty, while serious faults can destroy a king’s standing.
Cyavana tells the king that he came to the city announcing a vow and requesting service, but his hidden purpose was to observe the king closely and find a fault. Living in the king’s house, he has found none; therefore he declares that the king remains alive and secure—otherwise his power would have been wiped out.