FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.12.26

राजर्षीणां जनयिता शास्ता चोत्पथगामिनाम् । निग्रहीता कलेरेष भुवो धर्मस्य कारणात् ॥ २६ ॥
rājarṣīṇāṁ janayitā
[raajarsheenaam janayitaa]
śāstā cotpatha-gāminām
[shaastaa chotpatha-gaaminaam]
nigrahītā kaler eṣa
[nigraheetaa kaler esha]
bhuvo dharmasya kāraṇāt
[bhuvo dharmasya kaaranaat]
rāja-ṛṣīṇām — of kings as good as sages janayitā — producer śāstā — chastiser ca — and utpatha-gāminām — of the upstarts nigrahītā — molester kaleḥ — of the quarrelsome eṣaḥ — this bhuvaḥ — of the world dharmasya — of religion kāraṇāt — on account of.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rājarṣīṇāṁ janayitā
rāja-ṛṣīṇām
of kings as good as sages
janayitā
producer
śāstā cotpatha-gāminām
śāstā
chastiser
ca
and
utpatha-gāminām
of the upstarts
nigrahītā kaler eṣa
nigrahītā
molester
kaleḥ
of the quarrelsome
eṣaḥ
this
bhuvo dharmasya kāraṇāt
bhuvaḥ
of the world
dharmasya
of religion
kāraṇāt
on account of.
This child will be the father of kings who will be like sages. For world peace and for the sake of religion, he will be the chastiser of the upstarts and the quarrelsome.

The wisest man in the world is a devotee of the Lord. The sages are called wise men, and there are different types of wise men for different branches of knowledge. Unless, therefore, the king or the head of the state is the wisest man, he cannot control all types of wise men in the state. In the line of royal succession in the family of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the kings, without exception, were the wisest men of their times, and so also it is foretold about Mahārāja Parīkṣit and his son Mahārāja Janamejaya, who was yet to be born. Such wise kings can become chastisers of upstarts and uprooters of Kali, or quarrelsome elements. As will be clear in the chapters ahead, Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to kill the personified Kali, who was attempting to kill a cow, the emblem of peace and religion. The symptoms of Kali are (1) wine, (2) women, (3) gambling and (4) slaughterhouses. Wise rulers of all states should take lessons from Mahārāja Parīkṣit in how to maintain peace and morality by subduing the upstarts and quarrelsome people who indulge in wine, illicit connection with women, gambling and meat-eating supplied by regularly maintained slaughterhouses. In this Age of Kali, regular license is issued for maintaining all of these different departments of quarrel. So how can they expect peace and morality in the state? The state fathers, therefore, must follow the principles of becoming wiser by devotion to the Lord, by chastising the breaker of discipline and by uprooting the symptoms of quarrel, as mentioned above. If we want blazing fire, we must use dry fuel. Blazing fire and moist fuel go ill together. Peace and morality can prosper only by the principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and his followers.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He is as determined as Bali, is absorbed in the most excellent Kṛṣṇa, like Prahlāda. He will perform horse sacrifices and respect elders. He will have wise kings for descendents, will punish those who deviate from the law, and will punish Kali in order to produce dharma on the earth.
Commentary

Sad-grahaḥ means “he accepts most excellent.” Having spoken of Parīkṣit’s qualities, they then describe his activities.

He will be father of sage-like kings, for world peace and dharma will chastise the upstart and quarrelsome. Leadership for peace must also discipline. Boundaries serve the larger good.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I avoiding necessary chastisement out of niceness?
  • What 'upstart' in my domain needs my firm word?
📝 My note

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