Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.3.9-13
Nirodha· Winding upTime Ends Every Ruler’s Supremacy
“Such kings as Pṛthu, Purūravā, Gādhi, Nahuṣa, Bharata, Kārtavīrya Arjuna, Māndhātā, Sagara, Rāma, Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhuhā, Raghu, Tṛṇabindu, Yayāti, Śaryāti, Śantanu, Gaya, Bhagīratha, Kuvalayāśva, Kakutstha, Naiṣadha, Nṛga, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Vṛtra, Rāvaṇa, who made the whole world lament, Namuci, Śambara, Bhauma, Hiraṇyākṣa and Tāraka, as well as many other demons and kings who possessed great powers of control over others, were all full of knowledge, heroic, all-conquering and unconquerable. Nevertheless, O almighty Lord, although they lived their lives intensely trying to possess me, these kings were subject to the passage of time, which reduced them all to mere historical accounts. None of them could permanently establish their rule.”
What the purport teaches
- Powerful, learned and heroic kings tried intensely to possess the earth. Time reduced them to historical accounts, and none established permanent rule.
- Pṛthu Mahārāja, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, displayed the characteristics of an earthly king. A saintly king rules on the Lord’s behalf, whereas a demon exploits the earth for personal sense gratification.
- Both saintly kings and demons must leave the earth, so time ends their political supremacy. Modern leaders, with fragmented power and brief lives, likewise face frustration in their misdirected ambitions.
Try this today
Review one responsibility today and identify one way to carry it out without seeking personal enjoyment or prestige.
Ask yourself
Am I using what I oversee on the Lord’s behalf or for personal sense gratification?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.