सा तात कच्चित्कौसल्या सुमित्रा च प्रजावती । सुखिनी कच्चिदार्य्या च देवी नन्दति कैकयी ।। २.१००.
Dear one, is Kausalyā well, and Sumitrā, mother of sons? And is the noble queen Kaikeyī also happy?
कच्चिद्विनयसम्पन्न: कुलपुत्रो बहुश्रुत: । अनसूयुरनुद्रष्टा सत्कृतस्ते पुरोहित: ।। २.१००.
Is your family priest, endowed with discipline, learned, free from envy, and impartial, honored by you?
कच्चिदग्निषु ते युक्तो विधिज्ञो मतिमानृजु: । हुतं च होष्यमाणं च काले वेदयते सदा ।। २.१००.
Are you attentive to the sacred fires, knowledgeable in the rites, wise and upright, always ensuring that what is offered and to be offered is done at the proper time?
कच्चिद्देवान् पितऽन् मातऽर्गुरून् पितृसमानपि । वृद्धांश्च तत वैद्यांश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चाभिमन्यसे ।। २.१००.
Do you, dear one, show proper respect to the gods, your father, mother, teachers, elders, physicians, and Brāhmaṇas?
इष्वस्त्रवरसम्पन्नमर्थशास्त्रविशारदम् । सुधन्वानमुपाध्यायं कच्चित्त्वं तात मन्यसे ।। २.१००.
Do you, dear one, regard as your instructor one skilled in the best weapons, expert in statecraft, and well-versed in the science of wealth?
कच्चिदात्मसमा: शूरा: श्रुतवन्तो जितेन्द्रिया: । कुलीनाश्चेङ्गितज्ञाश्च कृतास्ते तात मन्त्रिण: ।। २.१००.
Have you appointed as ministers those who are brave as yourself, learned, self-controlled, noble, perceptive, and discerning?
मन्त्रो विजयमूलं हि राज्ञां भवति राघव । सुसंवृतो मन्त्रधरैरमात्यै: शास्त्रकोविदै: ।। २.१००.
For, Rāghava, counsel is the root of victory for kings, when well-guarded by ministers skilled in counsel and versed in the sciences.
कच्चिन्निद्रावशं नैषी: कच्चित्काले प्रबुध्यसे । कच्चिच्चापररात्रेषु चिन्तयस्यर्थनैपुणम् ।। २.१००.
Do you not fall under the sway of sleep? Do you rise at the proper time? Do you reflect on the subtleties of affairs even in the latter part of the night?
कच्चिन्मन्त्रयसे नैक: कच्चिन्न बहुभि: सह । कच्चित्ते मन्त्रितो मन्त्रो राष्ट्रं न परिधावति ।। २.१००.
Do you not deliberate alone, nor with too many? When you have taken counsel, does your plan not leak out into the realm?
कच्चिदर्थं विनिश्चित्य लघुमूलं महोदयम् । क्षिप्रमारभसे कर्त्तुं न दीर्घयसि राघव ।। २.१००.
Do you, Rāghava, after determining a matter with small effort but great result, quickly set about accomplishing it, without delay?
कच्चित्ते सुकृतान्येव कृतरूपाणि वा पुन: । विदुस्ते सर्वकार्याणि न कर्त्तव्यानि पार्थिवा: ।। २.१००.
Are all your actions, or those already accomplished, known to your virtuous subjects? For kings should not undertake what is unknown.
कच्चिन्न तर्कैर्युक्त्या वा ये चाप्यपरिकीर्तिता: । त्वया वा वा ऽमात्यैर्बुध्यते तात मन्त्रितम् ।। २.१००.
Dear one, do you, by reasoning or inference, or through your ministers, discern any counsel that has not been declared by you or your advisers?
कच्चित् सहस्रान् मूर्खाणामेकमिच्छसि पण्डितम् । पण्डितो ह्यर्थकृच्छ्रेषु कुर्य्यान्नि:श्रेयसं महत् ।। २.१००.
Do you desire one wise person rather than a thousand fools? For a wise man, in times of difficulty, can accomplish great benefit.
सहस्राण्यपि मूर्खाणां यद्युपास्ते महीपति: । अथवाप्ययुतान्येव नास्ति तेषु सहायता ।। २.१००.
Even if a king relies on thousands or even tens of thousands of fools, among them there is no true support.
एकोप्यमात्यो मेधावी शूरो दक्षो विचक्षण: । राजानं राजमात्रं वा प्रापयेन्महतीं श्रियम् ।। २.१००.
Even a single minister who is intelligent, brave, skilled, and discerning can bring great prosperity to a king or to a kingdom.
कच्चिन्मुख्या महत्स्वेव मध्यमेषु च मध्यमा: । जघन्यास्तु जघन्येषु भृत्या: कर्मसु योजिता: ।। २.१००.
Are your chief servants assigned to important tasks, those of middling ability to moderate tasks, and the lowest to the least duties?
अमात्यानुपधातीतान् पितृपैतामहाञ्छुचीन् । श्रेष्ठान् श्रेष्ठेषु कच्चित्त्वं नियोजयसि कर्मसु ।। २.१००.
Do you appoint as your ministers those who are above suspicion, pure, descended from your father and grandfather, and the best among the best to the highest tasks?
कच्चिन्नोग्रेण दण्डेन भृशमुद्वेजितप्रजम् । राष्ट्रं तवानुजानन्ति मन्त्रिण: कैकयीसुत ।। २.१००.
O son of Kaikeyi, do your counselors approve of your rule, or is your kingdom disturbed by harsh punishment and a greatly troubled people?
कच्चित्त्वां नावजानन्ति याजका: पतितं यथा । उग्रप्रतिग्रहीतारं कामयानमिव स्त्रिय: ।। २.१००.
Are you not despised by your priests, as a fallen man is, or by women as one who accepts harsh gifts and pursues them with desire?
उपायकुशलं वैद्यं भृत्यसन्दूषणे रतम् । शूरमैश्वर्यकामं च यो न हन्ति स वध्यते ।। २.१००.
One who is skilled in intrigue, a physician intent on corrupting servants, brave and greedy for power—if not punished, he deserves to be executed.
कच्चिद्धृष्टश्च शूरश्च मतिमान् धृतिमाञ्छुचि: । कुलीनश्चानुरक्तश्च दक्ष: सेनापति: कृत: ।। २.१००.
Have you appointed as commander of your army one who is bold, brave, intelligent, steadfast, pure, of noble lineage, loyal, and capable?
बलवन्तश्च कच्चित्ते मुख्या युद्धविशारदा: । दृष्टापदाना विक्रान्तास्त्वया सत्कृत्य मानिता: ।। २.१००.
Are your principal warriors strong, skilled in battle, proven in danger, and have you honored and respected them properly?
कच्चिद्बलस्य भक्तं च वेतनं च यथोचितम् । सम्प्राप्तकालं दातव्यं ददासि न विलम्बसे ।। २.१००.
Do you give food and wages to your troops at the proper time, without delay, as is fitting?
कालातिक्रमणाच्चैव भक्तवेतनयोर्भृता: । भर्त्तु: कुप्यन्ति दुष्यन्ति सो ऽनर्थ: सुमहान् स्मृत: ।। २.१००.
For if there is delay in giving food and wages, the soldiers become angry and corrupted, and that is considered a great misfortune for the ruler.
कच्चित् सर्वे ऽनुरक्तास्त्वां कुलपुत्रा: प्रधानत: । कच्चित्प्राणांस्तवार्थेषु सन्त्यजन्ति समाहिता: ।। २.१००.
Are all the sons of noble families, especially the chief ones, devoted to you? Are they ready to give their lives for your cause, with full commitment?
कच्चिज्जानपदो विद्वान् दक्षिण: प्रतिभानवान् । यथोक्तवादी दूतस्ते कृतो भरत पण्डित: ।। २.१००.
Have you appointed as your messenger a learned, skilled, intelligent, and eloquent man from the countryside, who speaks as instructed, O wise Bharata?
कच्चिदष्टादशान्येषु स्वपक्षे दश पञ्च च । त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरविज्ञातैर्वेत्सि तीर्थानि चारकै: ।। २.१००.
Do you know the eighteen positions—ten on your own side and five on the enemy's—by means of three spies each, unknown to one another?
कच्चिद्व्यपास्तानहितान् प्रतियातांश्च सर्वदा । दुर्बलाननवज्ञाय वर्त्तसे रिपुसूदन ।। २.१००.
Do you always avoid those who are not well-disposed and keep away those who have turned against you, never underestimating the weak, O destroyer of foes?
कच्चिन्न लोकायतिकान् ब्राह्मणांस्तात सेवसे । अनर्थकुशला ह्येते बाला: पण्डितमानिन: ।। २.१००.
My son, do you avoid associating with materialistic Brahmins? For these childish men, though thinking themselves wise, are skilled only in useless matters.
धर्मशास्त्रेषु मुख्येषु विद्यमानेषु दुर्बुधा: । बुद्धिमान्वीक्षिकीं प्राप्य निरर्थं प्रवदन्ति ते ।। २.१००.
When the main scriptures of dharma are available, these foolish men, having acquired a little logic, speak uselessly, though they consider themselves wise.