Shloka 124
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चिदग्निभयाच्चैव सर्व व्यालभयात् तथा । रोगरक्षो भयाच्चैव राष्ट्र स्वं परिरक्षसि,क्या तुम अग्नि, सर्प, रोग तथा राक्षसोंके भयसे अपने सम्पूर्ण राष्ट्रकी रक्षा करते हो?
kaccid agnibhayāc caiva sarva-vyāla-bhayāt tathā | roga-rakṣo-bhayāc caiva rāṣṭraṁ svaṁ parirakṣasi ||
那罗陀问道：“你是否如法守护自己的国土——免于火灾之惧，免于一切毒物之惧，并同样免于疾病与罗刹（rākṣasa）之惧？”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadharma: a king’s ethical responsibility is not only justice and ritual order but also concrete protection of the realm from predictable dangers—fire, venomous creatures, epidemics, and violent threats—so that subjects can live securely.
Nārada, as a sage-messenger, questions the ruler about the condition of his governance. He specifically asks whether the king is actively safeguarding the kingdom against major sources of harm, using this as a measure of competent and dharmic rule.