Shloka 43

Devanagari script

श्रेयः सदा55त्मनो दृष्ट्वा परं राज्ञा न संवदेत्‌ विशेषयेच्च राजानं योग्यभूमिषु सर्वदा,अपनी भलाई अथवा लाभ देखकर दूसरेको सदा राजाके साथ न मिलावे; न बातचीत करावे। उपयुक्त स्थान और अवसर देखकर सदा राजाकी विशेषता प्रकट करे

Transliteration

śreyaḥ sadātmanaḥ dṛṣṭvā paraṃ rājñā na saṃvadet | viśeṣayec ca rājānaṃ yogyabhūmiṣu sarvadā ||

Translation

既知自身安泰为要，便不应为一己之利而常常私下攀附国王，也不当以无益的亲昵闲谈屡屡扰王。应择其地、审其时，以合宜之礼，常常承认并宣扬国王之卓越，使进谏合乎正道，而君臣之交亦得以端肃不失其尊严。

Word by Word

श्रेयःone's welfare / the better course

सदाalways

आत्मनःof oneself

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen/considered

परम्another (person)

राज्ञाwith/by the king

नnot

संवदेत्should converse / should speak with

विशेषयेत्should distinguish / should extol / should point out (merit)

चand

राजानम्the king

योग्यभूमिषुin suitable places/occasions

सर्वदाalways

Speaker

धौग्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

ध

धौम्य (Dhaumya)

र

राजा (the 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

What is the core teaching?

Maintain ethical distance and dignity in dealings with rulers: do not cultivate the king’s company or conversation for personal advantage; instead, speak appropriately and praise or acknowledge the king’s merits only in fitting contexts.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhaumya offers a norm of conduct regarding interaction with a king, emphasizing prudent speech and proper occasions—guidance meant to preserve dharma, avoid opportunism, and uphold royal decorum.