FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.29

अभूतपूर्व: सहसा क्षुत्तृड्भ्यामर्दितात्मन: । ब्राह्मणं प्रत्यभूद् ब्रह्मन् मत्सरो मन्युरेव च ॥ २९ ॥
abhūta-pūrvaḥ sahasā
[abhoota-poorvah sahasaa]
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām arditātmanaḥ
[kshut-tridbhyaam arditaatmanah]
brāhmaṇaṁ praty abhūd brahman
[braahmanam praty abhood brahman]
matsaro manyur eva ca
[matsaro manyur eva cha]
abhūta-pūrvaḥ — unprecedented sahasā — circumstantially kṣut — hunger tṛḍbhyām — as well as by thirst ardita — being distressed ātmanaḥ — of his self brāhmaṇam — unto a brāhmaṇa prati — against abhūt — became brahman — O brāhmaṇas matsaraḥ — envious manyuḥ — angry eva — thus ca — and.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
abhūta-pūrvaḥ sahasā
abhūta-pūrvaḥ
unprecedented
sahasā
circumstantially
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām arditātmanaḥ
kṣut
hunger
tṛḍbhyām
as well as by thirst
ardita
being distressed
ātmanaḥ
of his self
brāhmaṇaṁ praty abhūd brahman
brāhmaṇam
unto a brāhmaṇa
prati
against
abhūt
became
brahman
O brāhmaṇas
matsaro manyur eva ca
matsaraḥ
envious
manyuḥ
angry
eva
thus
ca
and.
O brāhmaṇas, the circumstances having distressed him with extreme hunger and thirst, the King directed toward the sage his anger and envy, which he had never before directed toward a brāhmaṇa.

For a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit to become angry and envious, especially at a sage and brāhmaṇa, was undoubtedly unprecedented. The King knew well that brāhmaṇas, sages, children, women and old men are always beyond the jurisdiction of punishment. Similarly, the king, even though he commits a great mistake, is never to be considered a wrongdoer. But in this case, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became angry and envious at the sage due to his thirst and hunger, by the will of the Lord. The King was right to punish his subject for coldly receiving him or neglecting him, but because the culprit was a sage and a brāhmaṇa, it was unprecedented. As the Lord is never envious of anyone, so also the Lord’s devotee is never envious of anyone. The only justification for Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s behavior is that it was ordained by the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O brāhmaṇa! Afflicted by hungry and thirst, he suddenly became angry and spiteful towards the brāhmaṇa as never before.
Commentary

He could not tolerate the sage’s sense of pride.

Distressed with extreme hunger and thirst, the King directed his anger and envy — never before directed at a brāhmaṇa — toward the sage. Hunger reaches into our highest principles and breaks them. Tend the body.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has my hunger or fatigue produced behavior I would not normally allow?
  • What body care would protect my principles today?
📝 My note

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