Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.17.10-11
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionRelieve Hunger and Support Meaningful Work
“Dear King, just as a tree with a fire burning in the hollow of the trunk gradually dries up, we are drying up due to the fire of hunger in our stomachs. You are the protector of surrendered souls, and you have been appointed to give employment to us. Therefore we have all come to you for protection. You are not only a king, but the incarnation of God as well. Indeed, you are the king of all kings. You can give us all kinds of occupational engagements, for you are the master of our livelihood. Therefore, O king of all kings, please arrange to satisfy our hunger by the proper distribution of food grains. Please take care of us, lest we soon die for want of food.”
What the purport teaches
- The citizens compared their hunger to a fire drying out a tree from within. They asked Pṛthu for protection and proper distribution of food grains.
- The king’s duty is to see that all social orders are fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. Permission to work alone is not enough when people still lack employment and food.
- The people were not lazy, yet they could not produce enough to satisfy their hunger. In such distress, citizens should approach the government, and its leader should act immediately.
Try this today
Help provide one meal or a small amount of food to someone in need today.
Ask yourself
Do I recognize that people can suffer hunger despite being willing to work?
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.