Shloka 106

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

दुष्टो गृहीतस्तत्कारी तज्ज्ैर्दृष्ट: सकारण: । कच्चिन्न मुच्यते स्तेनो द्रव्यलोभान्नरर्षभ

Transliteration

duṣṭo gṛhītastatkārī tajjñair dṛṣṭaḥ sakāraṇaḥ | kaccin na mucyate steno dravyalobhān naraṛṣabha ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“人中雄牛啊，若有恶盗当场被擒——为知情者亲见，缘由与证据俱明——他决不会因贪财而被放走吧？可曾有人因受贿或贪恋财物而释放此等罪犯？”

Word by Word

• दुष्टः: wicked
• दुष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गृहीतः: caught, seized
• गृहीतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (past participle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कारी: doer (of that), perpetrator
• कारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ
• Form: णिनि, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• दृष्टः: seen
• दृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (past participle)

• सकारणः: with evidence/with cause (i.e., with proof)
• सकारणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकारण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कच्चित्: surely? is it the case that...?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मुच्यते: is released, is let go
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive/impersonal sense: is released

• स्तेनः: thief
• स्तेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रव्यलोभात्: from/for greed of wealth
• द्रव्यलोभात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्यलोभ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• नरर्षभ: O bull among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• thief (stena)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a standard of righteous governance: when guilt is evident and witnessed, justice should not be subverted by greed. Releasing a proven offender for wealth (bribes or personal gain) is presented as a moral failure and a breach of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada poses a pointed rhetorical question to a leading man/kingly figure, using the example of a thief caught red-handed. The question probes whether, in that realm, criminals are ever improperly freed due to desire for wealth—implicitly testing the integrity of administration and judgment.