Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.9.49
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyLeadership Must Support Spiritual Welfare
“After this, the great religious King, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, executed the royal power in the kingdom strictly according to the codes of royal principles approved by his uncle and confirmed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was not merely a tax collector. A king’s responsibility, like that of a father or spiritual master, includes the citizens’ social, political, economic and spiritual welfare.
- Human life is meant to free the soul from the bondage of material conditions. A ruler must care for the citizens so that they can attain this highest perfection.
- Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira strictly followed the codes of royal principles, with his experienced uncle’s approval and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s confirmation. The purport presents him as an ideal, properly trained monarch.
Try this today
In one responsibility today, consider both the practical and spiritual welfare of the person affected before you act.
Ask yourself
Do I consider spiritual welfare as well as material needs when caring for others?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.