Shloka 53

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चित्‌ पुरुषकारेण पुरुष: कर्म शोभयन्‌ । लभते मानमधिकं भूयो वा भक्तवेतनम्‌

Transliteration

kaccit puruṣakāreṇa puruṣaḥ karma śobhayann | labhate mānam adhikaṃ bhūyo vā bhaktavetanaṃ ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“告诉我——在此地，若一人凭自身的担当与努力，将一项事务办得精妙周全，他是否能从你那里获得更高的荣誉，或是得到更丰厚的津贴与俸给？”

Word by Word

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

• पुरुषकारेण: by personal effort/initiative
• पुरुषकारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषकार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुरुषः: a man/person
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्म: work/task
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शोभयन्: adorning/doing well; making (it) excellent
• शोभयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शोभय् (शुभ्/शोभ् caus.)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लभते: obtains/gets
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• मानम्: honour/respect
• मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधिकम्: more/greater
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूयः: again; rather; more (alternatively)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• भक्तवेतनम्: rations and wages (allowance and salary)
• भक्तवेतनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्तवेतन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse probes ethical governance: competent work done with personal initiative should be recognized—either through increased honor or through tangible remuneration—highlighting merit-based reward as a principle of just administration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is questioning a ruler/householder about how workers are treated: when someone completes a task well through his own effort, does he receive greater respect or increased allowance and wages?