🪷 ŚB 4.21.24

source-text page · source page 24 · Sanskrit, transliteration, word meanings, translation

Sanskrit

य उद्धरेत्करं राजा प्रजा धर्मेष्वशिक्षयन् । प्रजानां शमलं भुङ्क्ते भगं च स्वं जहाति स: ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

ya uddharet karaṁ rājā prajā dharmeṣv aśikṣayan prajānāṁ śamalaṁ bhuṅkte bhagaṁ ca svaṁ jahāti saḥ
Synonyms
yaḥ — anyone (king or governor); uddharet — exact; karam — taxes; rājā — king; prajāḥ — the citizens; dharmeṣu — in executing their respective duties; aśikṣayan — without teaching them how to execute their respective duties; prajānām — of the citizens; śamalam — impious; bhuṅkte — enjoys; bhagam — fortune; ca — also; svam — own; jahāti — gives up; saḥ — that king.

Translation

Any king who does not teach his citizens about their respective duties in terms of varṇa and āśrama but who simply exacts tolls and taxes from them is liable to suffer for the impious activities which have been performed by the citizens. In addition to such degradation, the king also loses his own fortune.

🪷 ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय 🪷