SB 12.1.39-40 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.1.39-40

स्त्रीबालगोद्विजघ्नाश्च परदारधनाद‍ृता: । उदितास्तमितप्राया अल्पसत्त्वाल्पकायुष: ॥ ३९ ॥ असंस्कृता: क्रियाहीना रजसा तमसावृता: । प्रजास्ते भक्षयिष्यन्ति म्‍लेच्छा राजन्यरूपिण: ॥ ४० ॥

strī-bāla-go-dvija-ghnāś ca

[stree-baala-go-dvija-ghnaash cha]

para-dāra-dhanādṛtāḥ

[para-daara-dhanaadritaah]

uditāsta-mita-prāyā

[uditaasta-mita-praayaa]

alpa-sattvālpakāyuṣaḥ

[alpa-sattvaalpakaayushah]

asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnā

[asamskritaah kriyaa-heenaa]

rajasā tamasāvṛtāḥ

[rajasaa tamasaavritaah]

prajās te bhakṣayiṣyanti

[prajaas te bhakshayishyanti]

mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ

[mlechchaa raajanya-roopinah]

Word-for-word

strī — of women bāla — children go — cows dvija — and brāhmaṇas ghnāḥ — the murderers ca — and para — of other men dāra — the wives dhana — and money ādṛtāḥ — showing interest in udita-asta-mita — switching their moods from elated to depressed and then to moderate prāyāḥ — for the most part alpa-sattva — having little strength alpaka-āyuṣaḥ — and short life spans asaṁskṛtāḥ — not purified by Vedic rituals kriyā-hīnāḥ — devoid of regulative principles rajasā — by the mode of passion tamasā — and by the mode of ignorance āvṛtāḥ — covered over prajāḥ — the citizens te — they bhakṣayiṣyanti — will virtually devour mlecchāḥ — outcastes rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ — appearing as kings.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

strī-bāla-go-dvija-ghnāś ca

strī

of women

bāla

children

cows

dvija

and brāhmaṇas

ghnāḥ

the murderers

and

para-dāra-dhanādṛtāḥ

para

of other men

dāra

the wives

dhana

and money

ādṛtāḥ

showing interest in

uditāsta-mita-prāyā

udita-asta-mita

switching their moods from elated to depressed and then to moderate

prāyāḥ

for the most part

alpa-sattvālpakāyuṣaḥ

alpa-sattva

having little strength

alpaka-āyuṣaḥ

and short life spans

asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnā

asaṁskṛtāḥ

not purified by Vedic rituals

kriyā-hīnāḥ

devoid of regulative principles

rajasā tamasāvṛtāḥ

rajasā

by the mode of passion

tamasā

and by the mode of ignorance

āvṛtāḥ

covered over

prajās te bhakṣayiṣyanti

prajāḥ

the citizens

they

bhakṣayiṣyanti

will virtually devour

mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ

mlecchāḥ

outcastes

rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ

appearing as kings.

These barbarians in the guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering innocent women, children, cows and brāhmaṇas and coveting the wives and property of other men. They will be erratic in their moods, have little strength of character and be very short-lived. Indeed, not purified by any Vedic rituals and lacking in the practice of regulative principles, they will be completely covered by the modes of passion and ignorance.

Purport

These verses give a concise, accurate description of the fallen leaders of this age.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

These barbarians in the guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering innocent women, children, cows and brāhmaṇas, and coveting the wives and property of other men. They will be erratic in their moods, have little strength of character and be very short-lived. Devoid of Vedic rituals saṁskāras, they will be completely covered by the modes of passion and ignorance.

Personal Guidance

The unmistakable signs: violence against women, children, cows and brāhmaṇas; coveting others' wives and wealth; erratic moods; short lives; no purification. Knowing the symptoms helps the reader stop normalizing them and choose a deliberately different life.

Reflection Questions

Which of these symptoms have I quietly stopped noticing because they are so common?
Where in my own conduct do small versions of these tendencies appear?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io