Shloka 63
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
Devanagari script
कच्चिन्मूलं दृढं कृत्वा परान् यासि विशाम्पते । तांश्व॒ विक्रमसे जेतुं जित्वा च परिरक्षसि
Transliteration
kaccin mūlaṁ dṛḍhaṁ kṛtvā parān yāsi viśāmpate | tāṁś ca vikramase jetuṁ jitvā ca parirakṣasi, mahārāja ||
Translation
那罗陀说道：“民之主啊，你可曾先使国本坚固，然后才出征讨敌？你可曾尽展勇武以求克胜？而且，大王啊，既已征服之后，你还会周全护佑他们么？”
Word by Word
कच्चित्whether? surely?
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
Forminterrogative particle
मूलम्foundation, root
मूलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमूल
Formneuter, accusative, singular
दृढम्firm, strong
दृढम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदृढ
Formneuter, accusative, singular
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा), prior action
परान्enemies, opponents
परान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपर
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
यासिyou go/advance
यासि:
TypeVerb
Rootया
Formpresent, 2nd person, singular (parasmaipada)
विशाम्पतेO lord of the people
विशाम्पते:
TypeNoun
Rootविशाम्पति
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
तान्those (them)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Formconjunction
विक्रमसेyou exert yourself, display valor
विक्रमसे:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-क्रम्
Formpresent, 2nd person, singular (ātmanepada)
जेतुम्to conquer
जेतुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
Forminfinitive (तुमुन्)
जित्वाhaving conquered
जित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा), prior action
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Formconjunction
परिरक्षसिyou protect fully
परिरक्षसि:
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-रक्ष्
Formpresent, 2nd person, singular (parasmaipada)
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
Speaker
नारद उवाच
Characters & Entities
N
NāradaM
mahārāja (the king addressed)V
viśāmpati (king)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 king should not rush into campaigns without first securing the kingdom’s foundations; and even in victory, dharma requires protecting the conquered as subjects, not exploiting them.
Nārada questions the king in a counsel-like style, checking whether he governs prudently: stabilizing the realm, waging war with adequate strength, and then maintaining protection and order after conquest.