SB 12.2.8 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.2.8

प्रजा हि लुब्धै राजन्यैर्निर्घृणैर्दस्युधर्मभि: । आच्छिन्नदारद्रविणा यास्यन्ति गिरिकाननम् ॥ ८ ॥

prajā hi lubdhai rājanyair

[prajaa hi lubdhai raajanyair]

nirghṛṇair dasyu-dharmabhiḥ

[nirghrinair dasyu-dharmabhih]

ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā

[aachchinna-daara-dravinaa]

yāsyanti giri-kānanam

[yaasyanti giri-kaananam]

Word-for-word

prajāḥ — the citizens hi — indeed lubdhaiḥ — avaricious rājanyaiḥ — by the royal order nirghṛṇaiḥ — merciless dasyu — of ordinary thieves dharmabhiḥ — acting according to the nature ācchinna — taken away dāra — their wives draviṇāḥ — and property yāsyanti — they will go giri — to the mountains kānanam — and forests.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

prajā hi lubdhai rājanyair

prajāḥ

the citizens

indeed

lubdhaiḥ

avaricious

rājanyaiḥ

by the royal order

nirghṛṇair dasyu-dharmabhiḥ

nirghṛṇaiḥ

merciless

dasyu

of ordinary thieves

dharmabhiḥ

acting according to the nature

ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā

ācchinna

taken away

dāra

their wives

draviṇāḥ

and property

yāsyanti giri-kānanam

yāsyanti

they will go

giri

to the mountains

kānanam

and forests.

Losing their wives and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Losing their wives and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers who will behave no better than ordinary thieves the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests.

Personal Guidance

Citizens flee to forests when rulers behave like thieves. Externally we may not flee, but inwardly we can withdraw from the marketplace of greed and take refuge in the 'forest' of nāma, scripture and devotional community.

Reflection Questions

What is my own inner 'forest' I can retreat into when the world becomes coarse?
How often do I actually go there?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io