Shloka 87

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

कच्चिदर्थयसे नित्यं मनुष्यान्‌ समलंकृत: । उत्थाय काले कालनज्ञै: सह पाण्डव मन्त्रिभि:

Transliteration

kaccid arthayase nityaṁ manuṣyān samalaṅkṛtaḥ | utthāya kāle kālajñaiḥ saha pāṇḍava mantribhiḥ, pāṇḍunandana! tvaṁ pratidina samayapara uṭhkara snāna-ādike paścāt vastra-ābhūṣaṇaiḥ alaṅkṛta ho deśa-kāla-ke jñātā mantriyoṁ ke sātha baiṭhkara (prārthī yā darśanārthī) manuṣyoṁ kī icchā pūrṇa karate ho na?

Translation

那罗陀说道：“般度之子啊，你是否每日按时起身，沐浴整肃，办理政务；衣冠华饰以称其位；并与通晓时势的般度婆大臣同坐，常常接见百姓，成全来者的诉求与请愿？”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether (indeed)?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्
• Form: interrogative particle

• अर्थयसे: do you satisfy/fulfil (requests)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्थय् (अर्थयते)
• Form: present, 2nd person, singular, parasmaipada

• नित्यम्: always, daily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य
• Form: adverbial accusative

• मनुष्यान्: people (petitioners)
• मनुष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• समलङ्कृतः: adorned, well-decorated
• समलङ्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आलङ्कृत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-स्था
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा-न्त), prior action

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• कालज्ञैः: with those who know time (and circumstance)
• कालज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालज्ञ
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह
• Form: postposition governing instrumental

• पाण्डव: of the Pandavas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural (as prior member in compound)

• मन्त्रिभिः: with ministers/counsellors
• मन्त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• पाण्डुनन्दन: O son of Pandu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु-नन्दन
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Pāṇḍava ministers
• petitioners/people (manuṣyāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes disciplined daily conduct, personal cleanliness and dignity, and accessible, timely administration—he should hear petitioners with competent advisers and fulfill rightful requests according to time and circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is examining Yudhiṣṭhira’s royal governance by asking whether he follows a proper daily regimen and, with wise ministers, regularly grants audience to people and addresses their needs.