Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.21.50
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyAuthority Should Protect the Virtuous
“The tour you have undertaken, O lord, is surely intended to protect the virtuous and kill the demons, since you embody the protecting energy of Śrī Hari.”
What the purport teaches
- Pious kings toured their kingdoms to protect pious citizens and chastise the impious. Protection was an active duty, not merely a position of honor.
- The king’s protecting power is an energy of the Supreme Lord. The Lord Himself descends to protect the pious and destroy the demons.
- The purport permits violence for a good purpose as part of a kṣatriya’s duty. It condemns rulers who kill innocent persons without reason.
Try this today
Take one small action today to support someone whose well-being is your responsibility.
Ask yourself
How can I use the responsibility I have to protect others rather than cause harm?
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.