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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 4 · The Creation of the Fourth Order · 31 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 4 · Chapter 20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu
4.20.134.20.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.20.14

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Viṣṇusince 4.20.12inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

श्रेय: प्रजापालनमेव राज्ञो

यत्साम्पराये सुकृतात् षष्ठमंशम् ।

हर्तान्यथा हृतपुण्य: प्रजाना-

मरक्षिता करहारोऽघमत्ति ॥ १४ ॥

śreyaḥ prajā-pālanam eva rājño

yat sāmparāye sukṛtāt ṣaṣṭham aṁśam

hartānyathā hṛta-puṇyaḥ prajānām

arakṣitā kara-hāro ’gham atti

Translation

To give protection to the general mass of people who are citizens of the state is the prescribed occupational duty for a king. By acting in that way, the king in his next life shares one sixth of the result of the pious activities of the citizens. But a king or executive head of state who simply collects taxes from the citizens but does not give them proper protection as human beings has the results of his own pious activities taken away by the citizens, and in exchange for his not giving protection he becomes liable to punishment for the impious activities of his subjects.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

True Protection Includes Spiritual Welfare

  1. 1

    A king need not abandon his kingdom to attain liberation. He can attain perfection by performing his duty and helping the citizens carry out their duties for spiritual salvation.

  2. 2

    A ruler's real responsibility is to help citizens gradually become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and free from sinful activities. Collecting taxes without caring for their protection and spiritual welfare neglects that responsibility.

  3. 3

    A protective king shares one sixth of the results of his citizens' pious activities in his next life; a negligent king loses his own pious results and shares responsibility for their sins. Parents and spiritual masters likewise bear responsibility for the spiritual guidance of those in their care.

Key points from the purport
  • The royal duty or the duty of the head of state is to see that the prajās, or the general mass of people, are doing their respective duties for spiritual salvation.
  • If the government is careless in this matter, the citizens will act whimsically, without any sense of God realization or spiritual life, and thus become entangled in sinful activities.
  • In this way both the subjects and the king will be happy during this life, and in the next life the king will be able to share one sixth of the pious activities of the citizens.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 4.20.14 quotesBG 18.45

This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.45). Sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ: “By executing one’s prescribed duties, one can attain the highest perfection.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Anger and disorder → Duty and devotion. Kingship shifts from domination to stewardship and renunciation.

Chapters 13–23 of Canto 4: Vena and Pṛthu: power, the Earth and stewardship. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu

Lord Viṣṇu appears with Indra, instructs Pṛthu, and receives his worship and devotional prayers.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.20
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śreyaḥauspicious
  2. prajā-pālanamruling over the general mass of people
  3. evacertainly
  4. rājñaḥfor the king
  5. yatbecause
  6. sāmparāyein the next birth
  7. su-kṛtātfrom the pious activities
  8. ṣaṣṭham aṁśamone-sixth part
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “king”, “citizens”, “ruler's”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “duty”, “duties”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “protection”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where you have responsibility for others, do you consider their spiritual welfare as well as their material needs?

Practice

Offer someone in your care a few minutes of support for their spiritual learning today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTrue Protection Includes Spiritual WelfareThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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