Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.14.31
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyLeadership Must Remain Under Saintly Guidance
“All the great saintly sages immediately cried: Kill him! Kill him! He is the most dreadful, sinful person. If he lives, he will certainly turn the whole world into ashes in no time.”
What the purport teaches
- The sages judged King Vena to be dreadful and dangerous to all human society. Fearing widespread destruction, they called for his death.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda says saintly persons are generally kind to all living entities and that killing is not good for them. He explains their decision here by comparing dangerous demons to serpents and scorpions.
- The purport emphasizes the sages' authority over the king. A demonic government should be replaced by deserving persons who follow saintly orders and instructions.
Try this today
Write down one quality of leadership emphasized here: willingness to follow saintly guidance.
Ask yourself
What makes a leader deserving of responsibility according to this purport?
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.