Shloka 119

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

द्रव्योपकरणं किंचित्‌ सर्वदा सर्वशिल्पिनाम्‌ । चातुर्मास्यावरं सम्यड नियतं सम्प्रयच्छसि

Transliteration

dravyopakaraṇaṃ kiñcit sarvadā sarvaśilpinām | cāturmāsyāvaraṃ samyaṅ niyataṃ samprayacchasi, nareśvara ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“大王啊，你是否常常依规制、按次第，给一切工匠供给若干材料与器具——定额有则，至少足以支撑四个月之季——使其工事得以不断绝地进行？”

Word by Word

• द्रव्योपकरणम्: materials and implements (equipment of goods)
• द्रव्योपकरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य + उपकरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• किञ्चित्: some, a certain (amount)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा

• सर्वशिल्पिनाम्: of all artisans/craftsmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + शिल्पिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चातुर्मास्य: lasting four months; for a four-month period
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चातुर्मास्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवरम्: at least; minimum (lit. not less)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्यक्: properly, duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक्

• नियतं: fixed, regular, as a rule
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रयच्छसि: you give, you bestow
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + यम् (यच्छति)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• nareśvara (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes ensuring stable livelihoods and uninterrupted productive work by providing regulated, sufficient resources to artisans; good governance supports the economic base and social welfare through orderly provisioning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses the king and probes his administrative practice: whether he systematically supplies all craftsmen with enough materials and tools—at least for a four-month period—reflecting scrutiny of the king’s governance and care for subjects.