Shloka 108
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
नास्तिक्यमनृतं क्रोध॑ प्रमादं दीर्घसूत्रताम् । अदर्शनं ज्ञानवतामालस्यं पज्चवृत्तिताम् । एकचिन्तनमर्थानामनर्थजैश्व चिन्तनम्
nāstikyam anṛtaṁ krodhaṁ pramādaṁ dīrghasūtratām | adarśanaṁ jñānavatām ālasyaṁ pañcavṛttitām | ekacintanam arthānām anarthajaiś ca cintanam, yudhiṣṭhira! |
那罗陀说道：“尤提施提罗啊，你可摒弃那些毁坏王道的过失——不敬法（否认道德秩序）、虚妄、忿怒、放逸、拖延、远离智者之交与其箴言、懒惰、沉溺五欲、独自郁思国事、并与不知政略及其后果的愚人共议？即便根基牢固之国的君主，也会因这些缺陷而走向覆亡。”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s stability depends less on power and more on disciplined character and sound counsel: truthfulness, self-control, diligence, and seeking the wise are essential, while sensuality, anger, negligence, procrastination, and consulting the unqualified destroy even well-established kingdoms.
In the royal-ethics dialogue of the Sabha Parva, the sage Nārada addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and tests/teaches him by listing governance-ruining vices, urging him to abandon them as part of rājadharma (the duties and prudence of kings).