Shloka 85

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिदात्ययिकं श्रुत्वा तदर्थमनुचिन्त्य च । प्रियाण्यनुभवउ्छेषे न त्वमन्तःपुरे नृप

Transliteration

kaccid ātyayikaṃ śrutvā tad-artham anucintya ca | priyāṇy anubhavo'cchese na tvam antaḥpure nṛpa ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“大王，当你听闻凶兆之讯，知有危难将至，并反复思量其意时，你可不会仍旧滞留内宫，沉溺于安乐与享受之中吧？”

Word by Word

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

• आत्ययिकम्: calamitous, ominous (news/thing)
• आत्ययिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्ययिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अर्थम्: meaning, import, purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुचिन्त्य: having reflected upon, having considered repeatedly
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: ल्यप् (gerund), अनु-, Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

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

• प्रियाणि: pleasant things, dear/enjoyable (objects)
• प्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अनुभव: in enjoyment/experience
• अनुभव: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुभव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• उच्छेषे: in excess, in indulgence (lit. surplus)
• उच्छेषे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छेष
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• अन्तःपुरे: in the inner palace/royal apartments
• अन्तःपुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• the king (nṛpa/rājan)
• antaḥpura (inner palace apartments)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must not retreat into private pleasures when warned of danger; ethical kingship requires alertness, reflection, and timely action rather than complacency in comfort.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada questions the king’s conduct, probing whether—despite hearing ominous reports and thinking about them—he still remains in the inner palace enjoying luxuries, implying negligence of royal duty.