Shloka 71
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिदायस्य चार्थेन चतुर्भागेन वा पुनः । पादभागैस्त्रिभिवापि व्यय: संशुद्धयते तव,क्या तुम्हारी आयके एक चौथाई या आधे अथवा तीन चौथाई भागसे तुम्हारा सारा खर्च चल जाता है?
kaccid āyasya cārthena caturbhāgena vā punaḥ | pādabhāgais tribhir vāpi vyayaḥ saṁśuddhyate tava ||
Нарада сказал: «Покрываются ли все твои дворцовые расходы лишь частью дохода — четвертью, или половиной, или даже тремя четвертями — так, чтобы траты были чисто обеспечены, без расточительства и без долгов?»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should practice financial discipline: expenditure should be comfortably covered by income, ideally leaving a surplus. This reflects ethical governance—avoiding waste, debt, and oppressive extraction—so the treasury and the people remain secure.
Nārada is examining the king’s administrative competence through practical questions. Here he asks whether the king’s expenses are managed within a fraction of revenue, implying prudent budgeting and orderly statecraft.