Shloka 93

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्न लोभान्मोहाद्‌ वा विश्रम्भात्‌ प्रणयेन वा । अश्रितानां मनुष्याणां वृत्तिं त्वं संरुणत्सि वै,कहीं अपने आश्रितजनोंकी जीविकावृत्तिको तुम लोभ, मोह, आत्मविश्वास अथवा आसत्तिसे बंद तो नहीं कर देते?

Transliteration

kaccin na lobhān mohād vā viśrambhāt praṇayena vā | āśritānāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ vṛttiṃ tvaṃ saṃruṇatsi vai ||

Translation

نارد نے کہا—کیا لالچ، فریبِ نفس، حد سے بڑھے ہوئے اعتماد یا بےجا محبت کے باعث تم اپنے زیرِسایہ لوگوں کی روزی اور ذریعۂ معاش کو کبھی روک دیتے ہو؟

Word by Word

कच्चित्whether (indeed)?

नnot

लोभात्from greed / out of greed

मोहात्from delusion / out of delusion

वाor

विश्रम्भात्from overfamiliarity / from misplaced trust

प्रणयेनby affection / through attachment

वाor

अश्रितानाम्of those who have taken refuge / dependents

मनुष्याणाम्of people / men

वृत्तिम्livelihood / means of subsistence

त्वम्you

संरुणत्सिdo you restrain / block / shut off

वैindeed / surely

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

dependent people (āśritāḥ manuṣyāḥ)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler or authority must not, due to greed, delusion, overconfidence, or favoritism, cut off the livelihood of dependents; protecting their sustenance is a key aspect of rājadharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada, in a sequence of probing questions on statecraft and righteousness, tests the king’s conduct by asking whether he ever unjustly restrains the livelihood of those who rely on him for protection and support.