Shloka 120
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
Devanagari script
कच्चित् कृतं विजानीषे कर्तारें च प्रशंससि । सतां मध्ये महाराज सत्करोषि च पूजयन्
Transliteration
kaccit kṛtaṃ vijānīṣe kartāraṃ ca praśaṃsasi | satāṃ madhye mahārāja satkaroṣi ca pūjayan ||
Translation
那罗陀说道：“大王啊，你可曾察知有人对你施以恩惠？你是否称赞其人，并在贤者云集的大会之中，一面礼敬他，一面以应有的尊崇与敬礼昭示你的感恩？”
Word by Word
कच्चित्whether (indeed)?
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
कृतम्a deed; (good) act done (for you)
कृतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकृत
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विजानीषेdo you know/recognize?
विजानीषे:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-ज्ञा
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Atmanepada
कर्तारम्the doer; benefactor
कर्तारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्तृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
प्रशंससिdo you praise?
प्रशंससि:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-शंस्
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
सताम्of the good/virtuous people
सताम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसत्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
मध्येin the midst (of)
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमध्य
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सत्करोषिdo you honor; do you treat with respect?
सत्करोषि:
TypeVerb
Rootसत्-√कृ
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
पूजयन्honoring; worshipping (while doing so)
पूजयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपूज्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
नारद उवाच
Characters & Entities
N
NāradaM
Mahārāja (the king addressed)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A ruler should be mindful of benefits received, acknowledge them, and publicly honor the benefactor among the virtuous; gratitude and recognition of merit are presented as marks of righteous kingship.
Nārada is examining the king’s conduct through a series of ‘kaccit’ questions, here focusing on whether the king recognizes good deeds done for him and responds with praise and respectful public honor in a noble assembly.