FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.17.22

राजोवाच धर्मं ब्रवीषि धर्मज्ञ धर्मोऽसि वृषरूपधृक् । यदधर्मकृत: स्थानं सूचकस्यापि तद्भवेत् ॥ २२ ॥
rājovāca
[raajovaacha]
dharmaṁ bravīṣi dharma-jña
[dharmam braveeshi dharma-jna]
dharmo ’si vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk
[dharmo ’si vrisha-roopa-dhrik]
yad adharma-kṛtaḥ sthānaṁ
[yad adharma-kritah sthaanam]
sūcakasyāpi tad bhavet
[soochakasyaapi tad bhavet]
rājā uvāca — the King said dharmam — religion bravīṣi — as you speak dharma-jña — O one who knows the codes of religion dharmaḥ — the personality of religion asi — you are vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk — in the disguise of a bull yat — whatever adharma-kṛtaḥ — one who acts irreligiously sthānam — place sūcakasya — of the identifier api — also tat — that bhavet — becomes.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rājovāca
rājā uvāca
the King said
dharmaṁ bravīṣi dharma-jña
dharmam
religion
bravīṣi
as you speak
dharma-jña
O one who knows the codes of religion
dharmo ’si vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk
dharmaḥ
the personality of religion
yad adharma-kṛtaḥ sthānaṁ
sūcakasyāpi tad bhavet
asi
you are
vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk
in the disguise of a bull
yat
whatever
adharma-kṛtaḥ
one who acts irreligiously
sthānam
place
sūcakasya
of the identifier
api
also
tat
that
bhavet
becomes.
The King said: O you, who are in the form of a bull! You know the truth of religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who identifies the perpetrator. You are no other than the personality of religion.

A devotee’s conclusion is that no one is directly responsible for being a benefactor or mischief-monger without the sanction of the Lord; therefore he does not consider anyone to be directly responsible for such action. But in both the cases he takes it for granted that either benefit or loss is God-sent, and thus it is His grace. In case of benefit, no one will deny that it is God-sent, but in case of loss or reverses one becomes doubtful about how the Lord could be so unkind to His devotee as to put him in great difficulty. Jesus Christ was seemingly put into such great difficulty, being crucified by the ignorant, but he was never angry at the mischief-mongers. That is the way of accepting a thing, either favorable or unfavorable. Thus for a devotee the identifier is equally a sinner, like the mischief-monger. By God’s grace, the devotee tolerates all reverses. Mahārāja Parīkṣit observed this, and therefore he could understand that the bull was no other than the personality of religion himself. In other words, a devotee has no suffering at all because so-called suffering is also God’s grace for a devotee who sees God in everything. The cow and bull never placed any complaint before the King for being tortured by the personality of Kali, although everyone lodges such complaints before the state authorities. The extraordinary behavior of the bull made the King conclude that the bull was certainly the personality of religion, for no one else could understand the finer intricacies of the codes of religion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The King said: O knower of dharma! You speak dharma (by not telling me the identity of your aggressor), because the person who points out the sinner attains the same place as the sinner. You are dharma in the form of a bull.
Commentary

Though you should tell me, the king, who has beat you, you do not say, because the person who points out the sinner also goes to the same place as the sinner. I can guess that you are dharma himself.

You, in the form of a bull, know the truth of religion and speak according to the principle that the destination of irreligion's perpetrator is also for one who identifies the perpetrator. Even identifying wrongdoers must be done dharmically.
Reflection Questions
  • Where could I name a wrongdoer in a way that doesn't bind me to their fate?
  • How do I 'identify' without becoming entangled?
📝 My note

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