FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.1.20

हत्वा काण्वं सुशर्माणं तद् भृत्यो वृषलो बली । गां भोक्ष्यत्यन्ध्रजातीय: कञ्चित् कालमसत्तम: ॥ २० ॥
hatvā kāṇvaṁ suśarmāṇaṁ
[hatvaa kaanvam susharmaanam]
tad-bhṛtyo vṛṣalo balī
[tad-bhrityo vrishalo balee]
gāṁ bhokṣyaty andhra-jātīyaḥ
[gaam bhokshyaty andhra-jaateeyah]
kañcit kālam asattamaḥ
[kanchit kaalam asattamah]
Word-for-word
hatvā — killing kāṇvam — the Kāṇva king suśarmāṇam — named Suśarmā tat-bhṛtyaḥ — his own servant vṛṣalaḥ — a low-class śūdra balī — named Balī gām — the earth bhokṣyati — will rule andhra-jātīyaḥ — of the Andhra race kañcit — for some kālam — time asattamaḥ — most degraded.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hatvā kāṇvaṁ suśarmāṇaṁ
hatvā
killing
kāṇvam
the Kāṇva king
suśarmāṇam
named Suśarmā
tad-bhṛtyo vṛṣalo balī
tat-bhṛtyaḥ
his own servant
vṛṣalaḥ
a low-class śūdra
balī
named Balī
gāṁ bhokṣyaty andhra-jātīyaḥ
gām
the earth
bhokṣyati
will rule
andhra-jātīyaḥ
of the Andhra race
kañcit kālam asattamaḥ
kañcit
for some
kālam
time
asattamaḥ
most degraded.
The last of the Kāṇvas, Suśarmā, will be murdered by his own servant, Balī, a low-class śūdra of the Andhra race. This most degraded Mahārāja Balī will have control over the earth for some time.
Purport

Here is a further description of how uncultured men infiltrated government administration. The so-called king named Balī is described as asattama, a most impious, uncultured man.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The last of the Kānvas, Suśarmā, will be murdered by his own servant, Balī, a śūdra of the Andhra race. This most degraded person will rule the earth for some time. Suśarmā was the last king of the Kānva dynasty. Balī was the name of the person who killed him.
Personal Guidance
A servant kills the king, takes the throne, and is described as 'most degraded.' Kali-yuga inverts authority: title comes without character. A reader stays steady by holding to dharma and inner qualities, not by lamenting the surrounding mess.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I more disturbed by external degradation than by my own inner slippage?
  • What one practice keeps me anchored when surrounding leadership disappoints?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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