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matr-bhaktih—as respectful as one is to his mother; para-strisu—to other women; patnyam—to his own wife; ardhah—half; iva—like; atmanah—of his body; prajasu—unto the citizens; pitr-vat—like a father; snigdhah—affectionate; kinkarah—servant; brahma-vadinam—of the devotees who preach the glories of the Lord.

The King will respect all women as if they were his own mother, and he will treat his own wife as the other half of his body. He will be just like an affectionate father to his citizens, and he will treat himself as the most obedient servant of the devotees, who always preach the glories of the Lord.

mukta-sanga-prasango ’yam

A learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother, looks on others’ property as garbage in the street, and treats others as he would treat his own self. These are the symptoms of a learned person as described by Canakya Pandita. This should be the standard for education. Education does not mean having academic degrees only. One should execute what he has learned in his personal life. These learned characteristics were verily manifest in the life of King Prthu. Although he was the king, he treated himself as a servant of the Lord’s devotees. According to Vedic etiquette, if a devotee came to a king’s palace, the king would immediately offer his own seat to him. The word brahma-vadinam is very significant. Brahma-vadi refers to the devotees of the Lord. Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are different terms for the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman is Lord Krsna. This is accepted in Bhagavad-gita (10.12) by Arjuna (param brahma param dhama). Thus the word brahma-vadinam refers to the devotees of the Lord. The state should always serve the devotees of the Lord, and the ideal state should conduct itself according to the instructions of the devotee. Because King Prthu followed this principle, he is highly praised.

SB4.16.18

TEXT 18

dehinam atmavat-presthah

suhrdam nandi-vardhanah

danda-panir asadhusu

dehinam—to all living entities having a body; atma-vat—as himself; presthah—considering dear; suhrdam—of his friends; nandi-vardhanah—increasing pleasures; mukta-sanga—with persons devoid of all material contamination; prasangah—intimately associated; ayam—this King; danda-panih—a chastising hand; asadhusu—to the criminals.

The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons.

The word dehinam refers to those who are embodied. The living entities are embodied in different forms, which number 8,400,000 species. All of these were treated by the King in the same way he would treat himself. In this age, however, so-called kings and presidents do not treat all other living entities as their own self. Most of them are meat-eaters, and even though they may not be meat-eaters and may pose themselves to be very religious and pious, they still allow cow slaughter within their state. Such sinful heads of state cannot actually be popular at any time. Another significant word in this verse is mukta-sanga-prasangah, which indicates that the King was always associating with liberated persons.

SB4.16.19

TEXT 19

ayam tu saksad bhagavams try-adhisah

kuta-stha atma kalayavatirnah

yasminn avidya-racitam nirarthakam

pasyanti nanatvam api pratitam

ayam—this King; tu—then; saksat—directly; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tri-adhisah—the master of the three planetary systems; kuta-sthah—without any change; atma—the Supersoul; kalaya—by a partial plenary expansion; avatirnah—descended; yasmin—in whom; avidya-racitam—created by nescience; nirarthakam—without meaning; pasyanti—they see; nanatvam—material variegatedness; api—certainly; pratitam—understood.

This King is the master of the three worlds, and he is directly empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is without change, and he is an incarnation of the Supreme known as a saktyavesa-avatara. Being a liberated soul and completely learned, he sees all material varieties as meaningless because their basic principle is nescience.

The reciters of these prayers are describing the transcendental qualities of Prthu Maharaja. These qualities are summarized in the words saksad bhagavan. This indicates that Maharaja Prthu is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore possesses unlimited good qualities. Being an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Maharaja Prthu could not be equaled in his excellent qualities. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully equipped with six kinds of opulences, and King Prthu was also empowered in such a way that he could display these six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in full.

The word kuta-stha, meaning “without change,” is also very significant. There are two kinds of living entities—nitya-mukta and nitya-baddha. A nitya-mukta never forgets his position as the eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who does not forget this position and knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord is nitya-mukta. Such a nitya-mukta living entity represents the Supersoul as His expansion. As stated in the Vedas, nityo nityanam. Thus the nitya-mukta living entity knows that he is an expansion of the supreme nitya, or the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead. Being in such a position, he sees the material world with a different vision. The living entity who is nitya-baddha, or eternally conditioned, sees the material varieties as being actually different from one another. In this connection we should remember that the embodiment of the conditioned soul is considered to be like a dress. One may dress in different ways, but a really learned man does not take dresses into consideration. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.18):

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva svapake ca
panditah sama-darsinah

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].”

Thus a learned man does not look upon the dresses that externally cover the living entity, but sees the pure soul within the varieties of dress and knows very well that the varieties of dress are the creation of nescience (avidya-racitam). Being a saktyavesa-avatara, empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prthu Maharaja did not change his spiritual position, and consequently there was no possibility of his viewing the material world as reality.

SB4.16.20

TEXT 20

ayam bhuvo mandalam odayadrer

goptaika-viro naradeva-nathah

asthaya jaitram ratham atta-capah

paryasyate daksinato yatharkah

ayam—this King; bhuvah—of the world; mandalam—the globe; a-udaya-adreh—from the mountain where the first appearance of the sun is visible; gopta—will protect; eka—uniquely; virah—powerful, heroic; nara-deva—of all kings, gods in human society; nathah—the master; asthaya—being situated on; jaitram—victorious; ratham—his chariot; atta-capah—holding the bow; paryasyate—he will circumambulate; daksinatah—from the southern side; yatha—like; arkah—the sun.

This King, being uniquely powerful and heroic, will have no competitor. He will travel around the globe on his victorious chariot, holding his invincible bow in his hand and appearing exactly like the sun, which rotates in its own orbit from the south.

In this verse the word yatharkah indicates that the sun is not fixed but is rotating in its orbit, which is set by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita and also in other parts of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that the sun rotates in its own orbit at the rate of sixteen thousand miles per second. Similarly, Brahma-samhita states, yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakrah: the sun rotates in its own orbit according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conclusion is that the sun is not fixed in one place. As far as Prthu Maharaja is concerned, it is indicated that his ruling power would extend all over the world. The Himalaya Mountains, from which the sunrise is first seen, are called udayacala or udayadri. It is herein indicated that Prthu Maharaja’s reign over the world would cover even the Himalaya Mountains and extend to the borders of all oceans and seas. In other words, his reign would cover the entire planet.

Another significant word in this verse is naradeva. As described in previous verses, the qualified king—be he King Prthu or any other king who rules over the state as an ideal king—should be understood to be God in human form. According to Vedic culture, the king is honored as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he represents Narayana, who also gives protection to the citizens. He is therefore natha, or the proprietor. Even Sanatana Gosvami gave respect to the Nawab Hussain Shah as naradeva, although the Nawab was Muhammadan. A king or governmental head must therefore be so competent to rule over the state that the citizens will worship him as God in human form. That is the perfectional stage for the head of any government or state.

SB4.16.21

TEXT 21

asmai nr-palah kila tatra tatra

balim harisyanti saloka-palah

mamsyanta esam striya adi-rajam

cakrayudham tad-yasa uddharantyah

asmai—unto him; nr-palah—all the kings; kila—certainly; tatra tatra—here and there; balim—presentations; harisyanti—will offer; sa—with; loka-palah—the demigods; mamsyante—will consider; esam—of these kings; striyah—wives; adi-rajam—the original king; cakra-ayudham—bearing the disc weapon; tat—his; yasah—reputation; uddharantyah—carrying on.

When the King travels all over the world, other kings, as well as the demigods, will offer him all kinds of presentations. Their queens will also consider him the original king, who carries in His hands the emblems of club and disc, and will sing of his fame, for he will be as reputable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

As far as reputation is concerned, King Prthu is already known as the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word adi-rajam means “the original king.” The original king is Narayana, or Lord Visnu. People do not know that the original king, or Narayana, is actually the protector of all living entities. As confirmed in the Vedas: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). Actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is maintaining all living entities. The king, or naradeva, is His representative. As such, the king’s duty is to personally supervise the distribution of wealth for the maintenance of all living entities. If he does so, he will be as reputable as Narayana. As mentioned in this verse (tad-yasah), Prthu Maharaja was actually carrying with him the reputation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he was actually reigning over the world in that capacity.

SB4.16.22

TEXT 22

ayam mahim gam duduhe ’dhirajah

prajapatir vrtti-karah prajanam

yo lilayadrin sva-sarasa-kotya

bhindan samam gam akarod yathendrah

ayam—this King; mahim—the earth; gam—in the form of a cow; duduhe—will milk; adhirajah—extraordinary king; praja-patih—progenitor of mankind; vrtti-karah—providing living facility; prajanam—of the citizens; yah—one who; lilaya—simply by pastimes; adrin—mountains and hills; sva-sarasa—of his bow; kotya—by the pointed end; bhindan—breaking; samam—level; gam—the earth; akarot—will make; yatha—as; indrah—the King of heaven, Indra.

This King, this protector of the citizens, is an extraordinary king and is equal to the Prajapati demigods. For the living facility of all citizens, he will milk the earth, which is like a cow. Not only that, but he will level the surface of the earth with the pointed ends of his bow, breaking all the hills exactly as King Indra, the heavenly King, breaks mountains with his powerful thunderbolt.

SB4.16.23

TEXT 23

visphurjayann aja-gavam dhanuh svayam

yadacarat ksmam avisahyam ajau

tada nililyur disi disy asanto

langulam udyamya yatha mrgendrah

SYNONYMS

visphurjayan—vibrating; aja-gavam—made of the horns of goats and bulls; dhanuh—his bow; svayam—personally; yada—when; acarat—will travel; ksmam—on the earth; avisahyam—irresistible; ajau—in battle; tada—at that time; nililyuh—will hide themselves; disi disi—in all directions; asantah—demoniac men; langulam—tail; udyamya—keeping high; yatha—as; mrgendrah—the lion.

TRANSLATION

When the lion travels in the forest with its tail turned upward, all menial animals hide themselves. Similarly, when King Prthu will travel over his kingdom and vibrate the string of his bow, which is made of the horns of goats and bulls and is irresistible in battle, all demoniac rogues and thieves will hide themselves in all directions.

PURPORT

It is very appropriate to compare a powerful king like Prthu to a lion. In India, ksatriya kings are still called singh, which means “lion.” Unless rogues, thieves and other demoniac people in a state are afraid of the executive head, who rules the kingdom with a strong hand, there cannot be peace or prosperity in the state. Thus it is most regrettable when a woman becomes the executive head instead of a lionlike king. In such a situation the people are considered very unfortunate.

SB4.16.24

TEXT 24

eso ’svamedhan satam ajahara

sarasvati pradurabhavi yatra

aharsid yasya hayam purandarah

sata-kratus carame vartamane

esah—this King; asvamedhan—sacrifices known as asvamedha; satam—one hundred; ajahara—will perform; sarasvati—the river of the name Sarasvati; pradurabhavi—became manifest; yatra—where; aharsit—will steal; yasya—whose; hayam—horse; purandarah—the Lord Indra; sata-kratuh—who performed one hundred sacrifices; carame—while the last sacrifice; vartamane—is occurring.

At the source of the River Sarasvati, this King will perform one hundred sacrifices known as asvamedha. In the course of the last sacrifice, the heavenly King Indra will steal the sacrificial horse.

SB4.16.25

TEXT 25

esa sva-sadmopavane sametya

sanat-kumaram bhagavantam ekam

aradhya bhaktyalabhatamalam taj

jnanam yato brahma param vidanti

SYNONYMS

esah—this King; sva-sadma—of his palace; upavane—in the garden; sametya—meeting; sanat-kumaram—Sanat-kumara; bhagavantam—the worshipable; ekam—alone; aradhya—worshiping; bhaktya—with devotion; alabhata—he will achieve; amalam—without contamination; tat—that; jnanam—transcendental knowledge; yatah—by which; brahma—spirit; param—supreme, transcendental; vidanti—they enjoy, they know.

TRANSLATION

This King Prthu will meet Sanat-kumara, one of the four Kumaras, in the garden of his palace compound. The King will worship him with devotion and will be fortunate to receive instructions by which one can enjoy transcendental bliss.

PURPORT

The word vidanti refers to one who knows something or enjoys something. When a person is properly instructed by a spiritual master and understands transcendental bliss, he enjoys life. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.54), brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati. When one attains to the Brahman platform, he neither hankers nor laments. He actually partakes of transcendental, blissful enjoyment. Although King Prthu was an incarnation of Visnu, he nonetheless taught the people in his kingdom to take instructions from a spiritual master who represents the disciplic succession. Thus one can become fortunate and enjoy a blissful life even within this material world. In this verse the verb vidanti is sometimes taken to mean “understanding.” Thus when a person understands Brahman, or the supreme source of everything, he enjoys a blissful life.

SB4.16.26

TEXT 26

tatra tatra giras tas ta

iti visruta-vikramah

srosyaty atmasrita gathah

prthuh prthu-parakramah

tatra tatra—here and there; girah—words; tah tah—many, various; iti—thus; visruta-vikramah—he whose chivalrous activities are widely reputed; srosyati—will hear; atma-asritah—about himself; gathah—songs, narrations; prthuh—King Prthu; prthu-parakramah—distinctly powerful.

In this way when the chivalrous activities of King Prthu come to be known to the people in general, King Prthu will always hear about himself and his uniquely powerful activities.