Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.2.1
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyLeadership Means Protection and Spiritual Care
“Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After his father, Mahārāja Priyavrata, departed to follow the path of spiritual life by undergoing austerities, King Āgnīdhra completely obeyed his order. Strictly observing the principles of religion, he gave full protection to the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa as if they were his own begotten sons.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Āgnīdhra obeyed his father’s instruction and protected the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa as his own children. He ruled strictly according to religious principles.
- Dharma means principles given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The purport explains that religious duties begin with varṇāśrama-dharma, organized according to people’s qualities and activities.
- A leader should be a genuine well-wisher, responsible for the citizens’ spiritual welfare rather than merely collecting taxes. The purport presents the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as the hope for the actual welfare of human society.
Try this today
Give one person in your care practical help today, keeping their spiritual welfare in mind.
Ask yourself
How can I care for those who depend on me as a genuine well-wisher?
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.