FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.43.33

प्रियं राज्ञ: प्रकुर्वत्य: श्रेयो विन्दन्ति वै प्रजा: । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा विपरीतमतोऽन्यथा ॥ ३३ ॥
priyaṁ rājñaḥ prakurvatyaḥ
[priyam raajnah prakurvatyah]
śreyo vindanti vai prajāḥ
[shreyo vindanti vai prajaah]
manasā karmaṇā vācā
[manasaa karmanaa vaachaa]
viparītam ato ’nyathā
[vipareetam ato ’nyathaa]
priyam — the pleasure rājñaḥ — of the King prakurvatyaḥ — executing śreyaḥ — good fortune vindanti — acquire vai — indeed prajāḥ — citizens manasā — with their minds karmaṇā — with their deeds vācā — with their words viparītam — opposite ataḥ — to this anyathā — otherwise .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
priyaṁ rājñaḥ prakurvatyaḥ
priyam
the pleasure
rājñaḥ
of the King
prakurvatyaḥ
executing
śreyo vindanti vai prajāḥ
śreyaḥ
good fortune
vindanti
acquire
vai
indeed
prajāḥ
citizens
manasā karmaṇā vācā
manasā
with their minds
karmaṇā
with their deeds
vācā
with their words
viparītam ato ’nyathā
viparītam
opposite
ataḥ
to this
anyathā
otherwise .
  • priyam — the pleasure
    'Pleasing' the king. Kṛṣṇa will play this very word back in 43.37 — yes, We will perform the king's priyam — but Bhagavān's priyam-doing is Yamaraja's work in disguise. Bhāgavata reversal: the asura's keyword becomes the Lord's blade.
  • manasā-karmaṇā-vācā — with mind, deed, and word
    The classical tri-karaṇa formula. Gauḍīya note: surrender to Bhagavān is also tri-karaṇa-śuddha (BG 18.66). The asura applies the formula to a tyrant; bhakti applies it to Bhagavān. Three contiguous-token joins of single-token synonyms 'manasā', 'karmaṇā', and 'vācā'.
  • śreyaḥ — good fortune
    The Upaniṣadic key-word — śreyas vs. preyas (Kaṭha 1.2). Cāṇūra promises śreyas through pleasing Kaṁsa, inverting the entire dharma-tradition (śreyas comes from pleasing Bhagavān, not a king). The Bhāgavatam quietly notes the inversion.
  • viparītam — opposite
    The threat — failure to please brings the opposite. Bhāgavata reading: viparīta-jñāna is itself the asura's condition (BG 18.32 places it in tamo-guṇa). Cāṇūra is offering viparīta-dharma as if it were dharma.
Subjects of the King who try to please him with their thoughts, acts and words are sure to achieve good fortune, but those who fail to do so will suffer the opposite fate.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Subjects of the King who try to please him with their thoughts, acts and words are sure to achieve good fortune, but those who fail to do so will suffer the opposite fate.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

You should not refuse this. The scriptures speak of the proper conduct. Prakurvantyaḥ is poetic license. The citizens attain material benefit or artha (śreyaḥ) in pleasing the king.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

To do the opposite is not proper. Pleasing the king by mind, acts and words brings the best results (śreyaḥ). The citizens must please the king. Vai means well known. Or because (vai) pleasing the king brings the best results, you have been called. Not pleasing the king (anyathā) brings opposite results.

Related values
Svadhyaya (Self-study & Scripture Study)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)
Related verses
Concepts
KarmaJiva
Subjects who please the king with thoughts, acts and words gain fortune; those who don't suffer the opposite. Threats are dressed up as common sense; the enemy invokes 'reason' to mask coercion.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are 'reasonable' arguments coercing you toward something your conscience resists?
  • How do you tell the difference between practical wisdom and pressure?

Cāṇūra preaches loyalty: please the king with thoughts, deeds, words, and prosper; fail to please him and suffer. The whole gospel of asura-tantra in one sentence — fear and reward bind the soul to the wrong sovereign. The Gauḍīya reply: there is one king worth pleasing, and He is not on Kaṁsa's throne.

📝 My note

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