Shloka 8

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

संधिविग्रहतत्त्वज्ञस्त्वनुमानवि भागवित्‌ । षाडुण्यविधियुक्तश्न सर्वशास्त्रविशारद:

Transliteration

sandhivigrahatattvajñas tv anumāna-vibhāgavit | ṣāḍguṇya-vidhi-yuktaś ca sarvaśāstra-viśāradaḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“他洞晓结盟与交恶之真义，善于推理，并能以推断分辨诸般结论；又受过国家权谋六策之训练，通达一切权威典籍。”

Word by Word

• सन्धि-विग्रह-तत्त्व-ज्ञः: knower of the principles of alliance and hostility
• सन्धि-विग्रह-तत्त्व-ज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्धिविग्रहतत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अनुमान-विभाग-वित्: knower of inference and classification/analysis
• अनुमान-विभाग-वित्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुमानविभागवित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• षाड्गुण्य-विधि-युक्तः: versed in the method of the six measures of policy (ṣāḍguṇya)
• षाड्गुण्य-विधि-युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षाड्गुण्यविधियुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• सर्व-शास्त्र-विशारदः: expert in all treatises
• सर्व-शास्त्र-विशारदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वशास्त्रविशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Competent governance requires disciplined knowledge of diplomacy and conflict (sandhi–vigraha), the ability to reason by inference (anumāna), and mastery of the six strategic options (ṣāḍguṇya). Such expertise should guide decisions toward stability and responsible action rather than impulsive force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a figure’s qualifications—portraying him as an accomplished adviser or statesman: expert in treaties and war, analytically sharp, trained in classical policy doctrine, and broadly learned in śāstric knowledge.