Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Fourteen

King Citraketu’s Lamentation

SB6.14Summary

In this Fourteenth Chapter, Pariksit Maharaja asks his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, how such a demon as Vrtrasura could become an exalted devotee. In this connection the previous life of Vrtrasura is discussed. This involves the story of Citraketu and how he was victimized by lamentation because of the death of his son.

Among many millions of living entities, the number of human beings is extremely small, and among human beings who are actually religious, only some are eager to be liberated from material existence. Among many thousands of people who desire relief from material existence, one is freed from the association of unwanted persons or is relieved of material contamination. And among many millions of such liberated persons, one may become a devotee of Lord Narayana. Therefore such devotees are extremely rare. Since bhakti, devotional service, is not ordinary, Pariksit Maharaja was astonished that an asura could rise to the exalted position of a devotee. Being doubtful, Pariksit Maharaja inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami, who then described Vrtrasura with reference to his previous birth as Citraketu, the King of Surasena.

Citraketu, who had no sons, got an opportunity to meet the great sage Angira. When Angira inquired from the King about his welfare, the King expressed his moroseness, and therefore by the grace of the great sage, the King’s first wife, Krtadyuti, gave birth to a son, who was the cause of both happiness and lamentation. Upon the birth of this son, the King and all the residents of the palace were very happy. The co-wives of Krtadyuti, however, were envious, and later they administered poison to the child. Citraketu was overwhelmed by shock at his son’s death. Then Narada Muni and Angira went to see him.

SB6.14.1

TEXT 1

sri-pariksid uvaca

rajas-tamah-svabhavasya

brahman vrtrasya papmanah

narayane bhagavati

katham asid drdha matih

SYNONYMS

sri-pariksit uvaca—King Pariksit inquired; rajah—of the mode of passion; tamah—and of the mode of ignorance; sva-bhavasya—having a nature; brahman—O learned brahmana; vrtrasya—of Vrtrasura; papmanah—who was supposedly sinful; narayane—in Lord Narayana; bhagavati—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; katham—how; asit—was there; drdha—very strong; matih—consciousness.

TRANSLATION

King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: O learned brahmana, demons are generally sinful, being obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. How, then, could Vrtrasura have attained such exalted love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana?

PURPORT

In this material world, everyone is obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. However, unless one conquers these modes and comes to the platform of goodness, there is no chance of one’s becoming a pure devotee. This is confirmed by Lord Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.28):

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” Since Vrtrasura was among the demons, Maharaja Pariksit wondered how it was possible for him to have become such an exalted devotee.

SB6.14.2

TEXT 2

devanam suddha-sattvanam

rsinam camalatmanam

bhaktir mukunda-carane

na prayenopajayate

SYNONYMS

devanam—of the demigods; suddha-sattvanam—whose minds are purified; rsinam—of great saintly persons; ca—and; amala-atmanam—who have purified their existence; bhaktih—devotional service; mukunda-carane—to the lotus feet of Mukunda, the Lord, who can give liberation; na—not; prayena—almost always; upajayate—develops.

TRANSLATION

Demigods situated in the mode of goodness and great saints cleansed of the dirt of material enjoyment hardly ever render pure devotional service at the lotus feet of Mukunda. [Therefore how could Vrtrasura have become such a great devotee?]

SB6.14.3

TEXT 3

rajobhih sama-sankhyatah

parthivair iha jantavah

tesam ye kecanehante

sreyo vai manujadayah

SYNONYMS

rajobhih—with the atoms; sama-sankhyatah—having the same numerical strength; parthivaih—of the earth; iha—in this world; jantavah—the living entities; tesam—of them; ye—those who; kecana—some; ihante—act; sreyah—for religious principles; vai—indeed; manuja-adayah—the human beings and so on.

TRANSLATION

In this material world there are as many living entities as atoms. Among these living entities, a very few are human beings, and among them, few are interested in following religious principles.

SB6.14.4

TEXT 4

prayo mumuksavas tesam

kecanaiva dvijottama

mumuksunam sahasresu

kascin mucyeta sidhyati

SYNONYMS

prayah—almost always; mumuksavah—persons interested in liberation; tesam—of them; kecana—some; eva—indeed; dvija-uttama—O best of the brahmanas; mumuksunam—of those who desire to be liberated; sahasresu—in many thousands; kascit—someone; mucyeta—may be actually liberated; sidhyati—someone is perfect.

TRANSLATION

O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation is very rare.

PURPORT

There are four classes of men, namely karmis, jnanis, yogis and bhaktas. This statement pertains especially to karmis and jnanis. A karmi tries to he happy within this material world by changing from one body to another. His objective is bodily comfort, either in this planet or in another. When such a person becomes a jnani, however, be aspires for liberation from material bondage. Among many such persons who aspire for liberation, one may actually be liberated during his life. Such a person gives up his attachment for society, friendship, love, country, family, wife and children. Among many such persons, who are in the vanaprastha stage, one may understand the value of becoming a sannyasi, completely accepting the renounced order of life.

SB6.14.5

TEXT 5

muktanam api siddhanam

narayana-parayanah

sudurlabhah prasantatma

kotisv api maha-mune

SYNONYMS

muktanam—of those who are liberated during this life (who are unattached to the bodily comforts of society, friendship and love); api—even; siddhanam—who are perfect (because they understand the insignificance of bodily comforts); narayana-parayanah—a person who has concluded that Narayana is the Supreme; su-durlabhah—very rarely found; prasanta—fully pacified; atma—whose mind; kotisu—out of millions and trillions; api—even; maha-mune—O great sage.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.

PURPORT

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the following purport to this verse. Simply desiring mukti, or liberation, is insufficient; one must become factually liberated. When one understands the futility of the materialistic way of life, one becomes advanced in knowledge, and therefore he situates himself in the vanaprastha order, unattached to family, wife and children. One should then further progress to the platform of sannyasa, the actual renounced order, never to fall again and be afflicted by materialistic life. Even though one desires to be liberated, this does not mean he is liberated. Only rarely is someone liberated. Indeed, although many men take sannyasa to become liberated, because of their imperfections they again become attached to women, material activities, social welfare work and so on.

Jnanis, yogis and karmis devoid of devotional service are called offenders. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, mayavadi krsne aparadhi: one who thinks that everything is maya instead of thinking that everything is Krsna is called an aparadhi, or offender. Although the Mayavadis, impersonalists, are offenders at the lotus feet of Krsna, they may nonetheless be counted among the siddhas, those who have realized the self. They may be considered nearer to spiritual perfection because at least they have realized what spiritual life is. If such a person becomes narayana-parayana, a devotee of Lord Narayana, he is better than a jivan-mukta, one who is liberated or perfect. This requires higher intelligence.

There are two kinds of jnanis. One is inclined to devotional service and the other to impersonal realization. Impersonalists generally undergo great endeavor for no tangible benefit, and therefore it is said that they are husking paddy that has no grain (sthula-tusavaghatinah). The other class of jnanis, whose jnana is mixed with bhakti, are also of two kinds—those who are devoted to the so-called false form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and those who understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], the actual spiritual form. The Mayavadi devotees worship Narayana or Visnu with the idea that Visnu has accepted a form of maya and that the ultimate truth is actually impersonal. The pure devotee, however, never thinks that Visnu has accepted a body of maya; instead, he knows perfectly well that the original Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person. Such a devotee is actually situated in knowledge. He never merges in the Brahman effulgence. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32):

ye ’nye ’ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

“O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet.” Evidence of this same point is also given in Bhagavad-gita (9.11), wherein the Lord says:

avajananti mam mudha
manusim tanum asritam
param bhavam ajananto
mama bhuta-mahesvaram

[Bg. 9.11]

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.” When rascals (mudhas) see that Krsna acts exactly like a human being, they deride the transcendental form of the Lord because they do not know the param bhavam, His transcendental form and activities. Such persons are further described in Bhagavad-gita (9.12) as follows:

moghasa mogha-karmano
mogha-jnana vicetasah
raksasim asurim caiva
prakrtim mohinim sritah

“Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demoniac and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.” Such persons do not know that Krsna’s body is not material. There is no distinction between Krsna’s body and His soul, but because less intelligent men see Krsna as a human being, they deride Him. They cannot imagine how a person like Krsna could be the origin of everything (govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **). Such persons are described as moghasah, baffled in their hopes. Whatever they desire for the future will be baffled. Even if they apparently engage in devotional service, they are described as moghasah because they ultimately desire to merge into the Brahman effulgence.

Those who aspire to be elevated to the heavenly planets by devotional service will also be frustrated, because this is not the result of devotional service. However, they are also given a chance to engage in devotional service and be purified. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam

“Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.”

Unless the dirt within the core of one’s heart is cleansed away, one cannot become a pure devotee. Therefore the word sudurlabhah (“very rarely found”) is used in this verse. Not only among hundreds and thousands, but among millions of perfectly liberated souls, a pure devotee is hardly ever found. Therefore the words kotisv api are used herein. Srila Madhvacarya gives the following quotations from the Tantra Bhagavata:

nava-kotyas tu devanam
rsayah sapta-kotayah
narayanayanah sarve
ye kecit tat-parayanah

“There are ninety million demigods and seventy million sages, who are all called narayanayana, devotees of Lord Narayana. Among them, only a few are called narayana-parayana.

narayanayana deva
rsy-adyas tat-parayanah
brahmadyah kecanaiva syuh
siddho yogya-sukham labhan

The difference between the siddhas and narayana-parayanas is that direct devotees are called narayana-parayanas whereas those who perform various types of mystic yoga are called siddhas.

SB6.14.6

TEXT 6

vrtras tu sa katham papah

sarva-lokopatapanah

ittham drdha-matih krsna

asit sangrama ulbane

SYNONYMS

vrtrah—Vrtrasura; tu—but; sah—he; katham—how; papah—although sinful (getting the body of a demon); sarva-loka—of all the three worlds; upatapanah—the cause of suffering; ittham—such; drdha-matih—firmly fixed intelligence; krsne—in Krsna; asit—there was; sangrame ulbane—in the great blazing fire of battle.

TRANSLATION

Vrtrasura was situated in the blazing fire of battle and was an infamous, sinful demon, always engaged in giving troubles and anxieties to others. How could such a demon become so greatly Krsna conscious?

PURPORT

It has been described that a narayana-parayana, a pure devotee, is rarely found even among millions and millions of persons. Therefore Pariksit Maharaja was surprised that Vrtrasura, whose purpose was to give trouble and anxiety to others, was one of these devotees, even on a battlefield. What was the reason for Vrtrasura’s advancement?

SB6.14.7

TEXT 7

atra nah samsayo bhuyan

chrotum kautuhalam prabho

yah paurusena samare

sahasraksam atosayat

SYNONYMS

atra—in this connection; nah—our; samsayah—doubt; bhuyan—great; srotum—to hear; kautuhalam—eagerness; prabho—O my lord; yah—he who; paurusena—by bravery and strength; samare—in battle; sahasra-aksam—Lord Indra, who has one thousand eyes; atosayat—pleased.

TRANSLATION

My dear lord, Sukadeva Gosvami, although Vrtrasura was a sinful demon, he showed the prowess of a most exalted ksatriya and satisfied Lord Indra in battle. How could such a demon be a great devotee of Lord Krsna? These contradictions have caused me great doubt, and they have made me eager to hear of this from you.

SB6.14.8

TEXT 8

sri-suta uvaca

pariksito ’tha samprasnam

bhagavan badarayanih

nisamya sraddadhanasya

pratinandya vaco ’bravit

SYNONYMS

sri-sutah uvaca—Sri Suta Gosvami said; pariksitah—of Maharaja Pariksit; atha—thus; samprasnam—the perfect question; bhagavan—the most powerful; badarayanih—Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva; nisamya—hearing; sraddadhanasya—of his disciple, who was so faithful in understanding the truth; pratinandya—congratulating; vacah—words; abravit—spoke.

TRANSLATION

Sri Suta Gosvami said: After hearing Maharaja Pariksit’s very intelligent question, Sukadeva Gosvami, the most powerful sage, began answering his disciple with great affection.

SB6.14.9

TEXT 9

sri-suka uvaca

srnusvavahito rajann

itihasam imam yatha

srutam dvaipayana-mukhan

naradad devalad api

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; srnusva—please hear; avahitah—with great attention; rajan—O King; itihasam—history; imam—this; yatha—just as; srutam—heard; dvaipayana—of Vyasadeva; mukhat—from the mouth; naradat—from Narada; devalat—from Devala Rsi; api—also.

TRANSLATION

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, I shall speak to you the same history I have heard from the mouths of Vyasadeva, Narada and Devala. Please listen with attention.

SB6.14.10

TEXT 10

asid raja sarvabhaumah

surasenesu vai nrpa

citraketur iti khyato

yasyasit kamadhun mahi

SYNONYMS

asit—there was; raja—one king; sarva-bhaumah—an emperor of the entire surface of the globe; surasenesu—in the country known as Surasena; vai—indeed; nrpa—O King; citraketuh—Citraketu; iti—thus; khyatah—celebrated; yasya—of whom; asit—was; kama-dhuk—supplying all the necessities; mahi—the earth.

TRANSLATION

O King Pariksit, in the province of Surasena there was a king named Citraketu, who ruled the entire earth. During his reign, the earth produced all the necessities for life.

PURPORT

Here the most significant statement is that the earth completely produced all the necessities of life during the time of King Citraketu. As stated in the Isopanisad (Mantra 1):

isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.” Krsna, the supreme controller, has created the material world, which is completely perfect and free from scarcity. The Lord supplies the necessities of all living entities. These necessities come from the earth, and thus the earth is the source of supply. When there is a good ruler, that source produces the necessities of life abundantly. However, when there is not such a good ruler, there will be scarcity. This is the significance of the word kamadhuk. Elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.10.4) it is said, kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi: “During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of men in profusion.” We have experience that in some seasons the rains produce abundance and in other seasons there is scarcity. We have no control over the earth’s productiveness, for it is naturally under the full control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By His order, the Lord can make the earth produce sufficiently or insufficiently. If a pious king rules the earth according to the sastric injunctions, there will naturally be regular rainfall and sufficient produce to provide for all men. There will be no question of exploitation, for everyone will have enough. Black-marketeering and other corrupt dealings will then automatically stop. Simply ruling the land cannot solve man’s problems unless the leader has spiritual capabilities. He must be like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Pariksit Maharaja or Ramacandra. Then all the inhabitants of the land will be extremely happy.

SB6.14.11

TEXT 11

tasya bharya-sahasranam

sahasrani dasabhavan

santanikas capi nrpo

na lebhe tasu santatim

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him (King Citraketu); bharya—of wives; sahasranam—of thousands; sahasrani—thousands; dasa—ten; abhavan—there were; santanikah—quite capable of begetting sons; ca—and; api—although; nrpah—the King; na—not; lebhe—obtained; tasu—in them; santatim—a son.

TRANSLATION

This Citraketu had ten million wives, but although he was capable of producing children, he did not receive a child from any of them. By chance, all the wives were barren.

SB6.14.12

TEXT 12

rupaudarya-vayo-janma-

vidyaisvarya-sriyadibhih

sampannasya gunaih sarvais

cinta bandhya-pater abhut

SYNONYMS

rupa—with beauty; audarya—magnanimity; vayah—youth; janma—aristocratic birth; vidya—education; aisvarya—opulence; sriya-adibhih—wealth and so on; sampannasya—endowed; gunaih—with good qualities; sarvaih—all; cinta—anxiety; bandhya-pateh—of Citraketu, the husband of so many sterile wives; abhut—there was.

TRANSLATION

Citraketu, the husband of these millions of wives, was endowed with a beautiful form, magnanimity and youth. He was born in a high family, he had a complete education, and he was wealthy and opulent. Nevertheless, in spite of being endowed with all these assets, he was full of anxiety because he did not have a son.

PURPORT

It appears that the King first married one wife, but she could not bear a child. Then he married a second, a third, a fourth and so on, but none of the wives could bear children. In spite of the material assets of janmaisvarya-sruta-sri—birth in an aristocratic family with full opulence, wealth, education and beauty—he was very much aggrieved because in spite of having so many wives, he had no son. Certainly his grief was natural. Grhastha life does not mean having a wife and no children. Canakya Pandita says, putra-hinam grham sunyam: if a family man has no son, his home is no better than a desert. The King was certainly most unhappy that he could not get a son, and this is why he had married so many times. Ksatriyas especially are allowed to marry more than one wife, and this King did so. Nonetheless, he had no issue.

SB6.14.13

TEXT 13

na tasya sampadah sarva

mahisyo vama-locanah

sarvabhaumasya bhus ceyam

abhavan priti-hetavah

SYNONYMS

na—not; tasya—of him (Citraketu); sampadah—the great opulences; sarvah—all; mahisyah—the queens; vama-locanah—having very attractive eyes; sarva-bhaumasya—of the emperor; bhuh—land; ca—also; iyam—this; abhavan—were; priti-hetavah—sources of pleasure.

TRANSLATION

His queens all had beautiful faces and attractive eyes, yet neither his opulences, his hundreds and thousands of queens, nor the lands of which he was the supreme proprietor were sources of happiness for him.

SB6.14.14

TEXT 14

tasyaikada tu bhavanam

angira bhagavan rsih

lokan anucarann etan

upagacchad yadrcchaya

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him; ekada—once upon a time; tu—but; bhavanam—to the palace; angirah—Angira; bhagavan—very powerful; rsih—sage; lokan—planets; anucaran—traveling around; etan—these; upagacchat—came; yadrcchaya—suddenly.

TRANSLATION

Once upon a time, when the powerful sage named Angira was traveling all over the universe without engagement, by his sweet will he came to the palace of King Citraketu.

SB6.14.15

TEXT 15

tam pujayitva vidhivat

pratyutthanarhanadibhih

krtatithyam upasidat

sukhasinam samahitah

SYNONYMS

tam—him; pujayitva—after worshiping; vidhi-vat—according to the rules and regulations for receiving exalted guests; pratyutthana—by standing from the throne; arhana-adibhih—offering worship and so on; krta-atithyam—who was given hospitality; upasidat—sat down near; sukha-asinam—who was seated very comfortably; samahitah—controlling his mind and senses.

TRANSLATION

Citraketu immediately stood up from his throne and offered him worship. He offered drinking water and eatables and in this way performed his duty as a host to a great guest. When the rsi was seated very comfortably, the King, restraining his mind and senses, sat on the ground at the side of the rsi’s feet.

SB6.14.16

TEXT 16

maharsis tam upasinam

prasrayavanatam ksitau

pratipujya maharaja

samabhasyedam abravit

SYNONYMS

maha-rsih—the great sage; tam—unto him (the King); upasinam—sitting near; prasraya-avanatam—bowing in humility; ksitau—on the ground; pratipujya—congratulating; maharaja—O King Pariksit; samabhasya—addressing; idam—this; abravit—said.

TRANSLATION

O King Pariksit, when Citraketu, bent low in humility, was seated at the lotus feet of the great sage, the sage congratulated him for his humility and hospitality. The sage addressed him in the following words.

SB6.14.17

TEXT 17

angira uvaca

api te ’namayam svasti

prakrtinam tathatmanah

yatha prakrtibhir guptah

puman raja ca saptabhih

SYNONYMS

angirah uvaca—the great sage Angira said; api—whether; te—of you; anamayam—health; svasti—auspiciousness; prakrtinam—of your royal elements (associates and paraphernalia); tatha—as well as; atmanah—of your own body, mind and soul; yatha—like; prakrtibhih—by the elements of material nature; guptah—protected; puman—the living being; raja—the king; ca—also; saptabhih—by seven.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Angira said: My dear King, I hope that your body and mind and your royal associates and paraphernalia are well. When the seven properties of material nature [the total material energy, the ego and the five objects of sense gratification] are in proper order, the living entity within the material elements is happy. Without these seven elements one cannot exist. Similarly, a king is always protected by seven elements—his instructor (svami or guru), his ministers, his kingdom, his fort, his treasury, his royal order and his friends.

PURPORT

As it is quoted by Sridhara Svami in his Bhagavatam commentary:

svamy-amatyau janapada
durga-dravina-sancayah
dando mitram ca tasyaitah
sapta-prakrtayo matah

A king is not alone. He first has his spiritual master, the supreme guide. Then come his ministers, his kingdom, his fortifications, his treasury, his system of law and order, and his friends or allies. If these seven are properly maintained, the king is happy. Similarly, as explained in Bhagavad-gita (dehino ’smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]), the living entity, the soul, is within the material covering of the mahat-tattva, ego and panca-tanmatra, the five objects of sense gratification. When these seven are in proper order, the living entity is in a mood of pleasure. Generally when the associates of the king are quiet and obedient, the king can be happy. Therefore the great sage Angira Rsi inquired about the King’s personal health and the good fortune of his seven associates. When we inquire from a friend whether everything is well, we are concerned not only with his personal self but also with his family, his source of income, and his assistants or servants. All of them must be well, and then a person can be happy.

SB6.14.18

TEXT 18

atmanam prakrtisv addha

nidhaya sreya apnuyat

rajna tatha prakrtayo

naradevahitadhayah

SYNONYMS

atmanam—himself; prakrtisu—under these seven royal elements; addha—directly; nidhaya—placing; sreyah—ultimate happiness; apnuyat—may obtain; rajna—by the king; tatha—so also; prakrtayah—the dependent royal elements; nara-deva—O King; ahita-adhayah—offering wealth and other items.

TRANSLATION

O King, O lord of humanity, when a king directly depends upon his associates and follows their instructions, he is happy. Similarly, when his associates offer their gifts and activities to the king and follow his orders, they are also happy.

PURPORT

The actual happiness of a king and his dependents is described in this verse. A king should not simply give orders to his dependents because he is supreme; sometimes he must follow their instructions. Similarly, the dependents should depend on the king. This mutual dependence will make everyone happy.

SB6.14.19

TEXT 19

api darah prajamatya

bhrtyah srenyo ’tha mantrinah

paura janapada bhupa

atmaja vasa-vartinah

SYNONYMS

api—whether; darah—wives; praja—citizens; amatyah—and secretaries; bhrtyah—servants; srenyah—merchants; atha—as well as; mantrinah—ministers; paurah—inmates of the palace; janapadah—the provincial governors; bhupah—landholders; atma-jah—sons; vasa-vartinah—under your full control.

TRANSLATION

O King, are your wives, citizens, secretaries and servants and the merchants who sell spices and oil under your control? Are you also in full control of ministers, the inhabitants of your palace, your provincial governors, your sons and your other dependents?

PURPORT

The master or king and his subordinates should be interdependent. Through cooperation, both of them can be happy.

SB6.14.20

TEXT 20

yasyatmanuvasas cet syat

sarve tad-vasaga ime

lokah sapala yacchanti

sarve balim atandritah

SYNONYMS

yasya—of whom; atma—mind; anuvasah—under control; cet—if; syat—may be; sarve—all; tat-vasa-gah—under the control of him; ime—these; lokah—the worlds; sa-palah—with their governors; yacchanti—offer; sarve—all; balim—contribution; atandritah—becoming free from laziness.

TRANSLATION

If the king’s mind is fully controlled, all his family members and governmental officers are subordinate to him. His provincial governors present taxes on time, without resistance, and what to speak of lesser servants?

PURPORT

Angira Rsi asked the King whether his mind was also under control. This is most essential for happiness.

Next verse (SB6.14.21)