Shloka 41

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिदग्निषु ते युक्तो विधिज्ञो मतिमानृजु: । हुतं च होष्यमाणं च काले वेदयते सदा

Transliteration

kaccid agniṣu te yukto vidhijño matimān ṛjuḥ | hutaṃ ca hoṣyamāṇaṃ ca kāle vedayate sadā ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“你是否为你的圣火任命了一位祭司——通晓仪轨、聪慧明达、行止坦直？他是否总能在适当之时告知你：哪些供献已行，哪些供献尚待完成？”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether? (I hope)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• अग्निषु: in the sacred fires
• अग्निषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• ते: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• युक्तः: appointed/engaged
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधिज्ञः: knowing the rites
• विधिज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधिज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मतिमान्: intelligent
• मतिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋजुः: straightforward/upright
• ऋजुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋजु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हुतम्: what has been offered (oblation)
• हुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• होष्यमाणम्: what is going to be offered
• होष्यमाणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: होष्यमाण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वेदयते: informs/makes known
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (वेदयति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• agni (sacred fire)
• agnihotra (implied daily fire-oblation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that dharma is sustained through disciplined, timely performance of obligatory rites, overseen by competent and upright specialists; such orderliness reflects both personal integrity and responsible governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is conducting a welfare-and-dharma inquiry, asking whether the ruler has properly arranged the maintenance of sacred fires and whether a qualified priest keeps him informed about completed and upcoming offerings at the correct times.