FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.33

अहो अधर्म: पालानां पीव्‍नां बलिभुजामिव । स्वामिन्यघं यद् दासानां द्वारपानां शुनामिव ॥ ३३ ॥
aho adharmaḥ pālānāṁ
[aho adharmah paalaanaam]
pīvnāṁ bali-bhujām iva
[peevnaam bali-bhujaam iva]
svāminy aghaṁ yad dāsānāṁ
[svaaminy agham yad daasaanaam]
dvāra-pānāṁ śunām iva
[dvaara-paanaam shunaam iva]
aho — just look at adharmaḥ — irreligion pālānām — of the rulers pīvnām — of one who is brought up bali-bhujām — like the crows iva — like svāmini — unto the master agham — sin yat — what is dāsānām — of the servants dvāra-pānām — keeping watch at the door śunām — of the dogs iva — like.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho adharmaḥ pālānāṁ
aho
just look at
adharmaḥ
irreligion
pālānām
of the rulers
pīvnāṁ bali-bhujām iva
pīvnām
of one who is brought up
bali-bhujām
like the crows
iva
like
svāminy aghaṁ yad dāsānāṁ
svāmini
unto the master
agham
sin
yat
what is
dāsānām
of the servants
dvāra-pānāṁ śunām iva
dvāra-pānām
keeping watch at the door
śunām
of the dogs
iva
like.
[The brāhmaṇa’s son, Śṛṅgi, said:] O just look at the sins of the rulers who, like crows and watchdogs at the door, perpetrate sins against their masters, contrary to the principles governing servants.

The brāhmaṇas are considered to be the head and brains of the social body, and the kṣatriyas are considered to be the arms of the social body. The arms are required to protect the body from all harm, but the arms must act according to the directions of the head and brain. That is a natural arrangement made by the supreme order, for it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that four social orders or castes, namely the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras, are set up according to quality and work done by them. Naturally the son of a brāhmaṇa has a good chance to become a brāhmaṇa by the direction of his qualified father, as a son of a medical practitioner has a very good chance to become a qualified medical practitioner. So the caste system is quite scientific. The son must take advantage of the father’s qualification and thus become a brāhmaṇa or medical practitioner, and not otherwise. Without being qualified, one cannot become a brāhmaṇa or medical practitioner, and that is the verdict of all scriptures and social orders. Herein Śṛṅgi, a qualified son of a great brāhmaṇa, attained the required brahminical power both by birth and by training, but he was lacking in culture because he was an inexperienced boy. By the influence of Kali, the son of a brāhmaṇa became puffed up with brahminical power and thus wrongly compared Mahārāja Parīkṣit to crows and watchdogs. The King is certainly the watchdog of the state in the sense that he keeps vigilant eyes over the border of the state for its protection and defense, but to address him as a watchdog is the sign of a less-cultured boy. Thus the downfall of the brahminical powers began as they gave importance to birthright without culture. The downfall of the brāhmaṇa caste began in the Age of Kali. And since brāhmaṇas are the heads of the social order, all other orders of society also began to deteriorate. This beginning of brahminical deterioration was highly deplored by the father of Śṛṅgi, as we will find.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
This is the sin of kings who are like fat crows! It is a sin committed by servants or door-keepers, who are like dogs, acting against their masters.
Commentary

Pālānām means kings. Pīvnām means fat. Bali-bhujām means crows

Just look at the sins of the rulers — like crows and watchdogs at the door, perpetrating sins against their masters. The boy's outrage is real, but his framing is severe. Outrage often overshoots.
Reflection Questions
  • When did I framed someone in extreme terms in righteous outrage?
  • Where could measured language have served the same protest better?
📝 My note

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