FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.32

तस्य पुत्रोऽतितेजस्वी विहरन् बालकोऽर्भकै: । राज्ञाघं प्रापितं तातं श्रुत्वा तत्रेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ३२ ॥
tasya putro ’titejasvī
[tasya putro ’titejasvee]
viharan bālako ’rbhakaiḥ
[viharan baalako ’rbhakaih]
rājñāghaṁ prāpitaṁ tātaṁ
[raajnaagham praapitam taatam]
śrutvā tatredam abravīt
[shrutvaa tatredam abraveet]
tasya — his (the sage’s) putraḥ — son ati — extremely tejasvī — powerful viharan — while playing bālakaḥ — with boys arbhakaiḥ — who were all childish rājñā — by the King agham — distress prāpitam — made to have tātam — the father śrutvā — by hearing tatra — then and there idam — this abravīt — spoke.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasya putro ’titejasvī
tasya
his (the sage’s)
putraḥ
son
viharan bālako ’rbhakaiḥ
rājñāghaṁ prāpitaṁ tātaṁ
ati
extremely
tejasvī
powerful
śrutvā tatredam abravīt
viharan
while playing
bālakaḥ
with boys
arbhakaiḥ
who were all childish
rājñā
by the King
agham
distress
prāpitam
made to have
tātam
the father
śrutvā
by hearing
tatra
then and there
idam
this
abravīt
spoke.
The sage had a son who was very powerful, being a brāhmaṇa’s son. While he was playing with inexperienced boys, he heard of his father’s distress, which was occasioned by the King. Then and there the boy spoke as follows.

Due to Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s good government, even a boy of tender age, who was playing with other inexperienced boys, could become as powerful as a qualified brāhmaṇa. This boy was known as Śṛṅgi, and he achieved good training in brahmacarya by his father so that he could be as powerful as a brāhmaṇa, even at that age. But because the Age of Kali was seeking an opportunity to spoil the cultural heritage of the four orders of life, the inexperienced boy gave a chance for the Age of Kali to enter into the field of Vedic culture. Hatred of the lower orders of life began from this brāhmaṇa boy, under the influence of Kali, and thus cultural life began to dwindle day after day. The first victim of brahminical injustice was Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and thus the protection given by the King against the onslaught of Kali was slackened.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The sage’s powerful son, playing with other young boys, hearing that the King had offended his father, spoke the following words to them.
Commentary

His son was Śṛṅgī.

The sage had a powerful son. While playing with inexperienced boys, he heard of his father's distress and spoke. Children's reactions to parents' wounds can be disproportionate. Beware whose grief you stir.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'son or daughter' might react to wounds I cause to their parent?
  • Where do my actions ripple beyond the original target?
📝 My note

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