FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.21

अरक्ष्यमाणा: स्त्रिय उर्वि बालान् शोचस्यथो पुरुषादैरिवार्तान् । वाचं देवीं ब्रह्मकुले कुकर्म- ण्यब्रह्मण्ये राजकुले कुलाग्रयान् ॥ २१ ॥
arakṣyamāṇāḥ striya urvi bālān
[arakshyamaanaah striya urvi baalaan]
śocasy atho puruṣādair ivārtān
[shochasy atho purushaadair ivaartaan]
vācaṁ devīṁ brahma-kule kukarmaṇy
[vaacham deveem brahma-kule kukarmany]
abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān
[abrahmanye raaja-kule kulaagryaan]
arakṣyamāṇāḥ — unprotected striyaḥ — women urvi — on the earth bālān — children śocasi — you are feeling compassion atho — as such puruṣa-ādaiḥ — by cannibals (Rākṣasas) iva — like that ārtān — those who are unhappy vācam — vocabulary devīm — the goddess brahma-kule — in the family of the brāhmaṇa kukarmaṇi — acts against the principles of religion abrahmaṇye — persons against the brahminical culture rāja-kule — in the administrative family kula-agryān — most of all the families (the brāhmaṇas).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
arakṣyamāṇāḥ striya urvi bālān
arakṣyamāṇāḥ
unprotected
striyaḥ
women
urvi
on the earth
bālān
children
śocasy atho puruṣādair ivārtān
śocasi
you are feeling compassion
atho
as such
puruṣa-ādaiḥ
by cannibals (Rākṣasas)
iva
like that
ārtān
those who are unhappy
vācaṁ devīṁ brahma-kule kukarmaṇy
vācam
vocabulary
devīm
the goddess
brahma-kule
in the family of the brāhmaṇa
kukarmaṇi
acts against the principles of religion
abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān
abrahmaṇye
persons against the brahminical culture
rāja-kule
in the administrative family
kula-agryān
most of all the families (the brāhmaṇas).
Are you feeling compunction for the unhappy women and children who are left forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or are you unhappy because the goddess of learning is being handled by brāhmaṇas addicted to acts against the principles of religion? Or are you sorry to see that the brāhmaṇas have taken shelter of administrative families that do not respect brahminical culture?

In the Age of Kali, the women and the children, along with brāhmaṇas and cows, will be grossly neglected and left unprotected. In this age illicit connection with women will render many women and children uncared for. Circumstantially, the women will try to become independent of the protection of men, and marriage will be performed as a matter of formal agreement between man and woman. In most cases, the children will not be taken care of properly. The brāhmaṇas are traditionally intelligent men, and thus they will be able to pick up modern education to the topmost rank, but as far as moral and religious principles are concerned, they shall be the most fallen. Education and bad character go ill together, but such things will run parallel. The administrative heads as a class will condemn the tenets of Vedic wisdom and will prefer to conduct a so-called secular state, and the so-called educated brāhmaṇas will be purchased by such unscrupulous administrators. Even a philosopher and writer of many books on religious principles may also accept an exalted post in a government which denies all the moral codes of the śāstras. The brāhmaṇas are specifically restricted from accepting such service. But in this age they will not only accept service, but they will do so even if it is of the meanest quality. These are some of the symptoms of the Kali age which are harmful to the general welfare of human society.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Do you lament because I am standing on only one leg? Or are you lamenting for yourself being enjoyed by sinners? Or are you lamenting because the devatās have been deprived of their share of the sacrifices? Or are you lamenting for the citizens without rain?
Commentary

Mā means mām. Are you lamenting because you are being enjoyed by sinful persons (vṛṣalaiḥ). It is in the masculine gender in referring to ātmā.

Are you grieving for the women and children left forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or for learning being mishandled by irreligious brāhmaṇas? Each social wound deserves separate naming.
Reflection Questions
  • What social wound around me deserves its own name in my prayers?
  • Where do I lump suffering together and fail to address particular instances?
📝 My note

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