Shloka 95
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिन्न दुर्बल: शत्रुर्बलेन परिपीडित: । मन्त्रेण बलवान् कश्चिदुभाभ्यां च कथंचन,कोई दुर्बल शत्रु जो तुम्हारे द्वारा पहले बलपूर्वक पीड़ित किया गया (किंतु मारा नहीं गया), अब मन्त्रणाशक्तिसे अथवा मन्त्रणा और सेना दोनों ही शक्तियोंसे किसी तरह बलवान होकर सिर तो नहीं उठा रहा है?
kaccin na durbalaḥ śatrur balena paripīḍitaḥ | mantreṇa balavān kaścid ubhābhyāṃ ca kathaṃcana ||
Nārada disse: “Dize-me—há algum inimigo que outrora era fraco, e que tu esmagaste pela força (mas não mataste), que agora, de algum modo, recuperou vigor—seja por conselho e estratégia, seja por conselho e poder militar juntos—de modo que volta a erguer a cabeça?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must not ignore a previously subdued enemy: if left alive, he may recover through strategy (mantra) or through combined strategy and force (mantra-bala). Vigilance, intelligence, and timely policy are essential parts of rāja-dharma.
Nārada is conducting a probing inquiry into the king’s governance and security. He asks whether any formerly weakened adversary—earlier suppressed by military power but not eliminated—has now become strong again through counsel or through both counsel and armed strength.