Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.19.4
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyGenerosity and Courage Befit a King
“O King Bali, never in your dynasty has the low-minded king been born who upon being requested has refused charity to brāhmaṇas in holy places or a fight to kṣatriyas on a battlefield. And your dynasty is even more glorious due to the presence of Prahlāda Mahārāja, who is like the beautiful moon in the sky.”
What the purport teaches
- Willingness to give charity is one qualification of a kṣatriya. A kṣatriya does not refuse charity when requested by a brāhmaṇa.
- A kṣatriya also cannot refuse another kṣatriya’s challenge on the battlefield. The purport says that Bali Mahārāja’s dynasty had no low-minded kings who refused these duties.
- Prahlāda Mahārāja made the dynasty even more glorious. The translation compares his presence to the beautiful moon in the sky.
Try this today
Respond to one request for help today with a small, concrete act of generosity.
Ask yourself
When someone needs help, do I willingly accept my responsibility?
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.