FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.13.11

मत्वा तं जडमुन्मत्तं कुलवृद्धा: समन्त्रिण: । वत्सरं भूपतिं चक्रुर्यवीयांसं भ्रमे: सुतम् ॥ ११ ॥
matvā taṁ jaḍam unmattaṁ
[matvaa tam jadam unmattam]
kula-vṛddhāḥ samantriṇaḥ
[kula-vriddhaah samantrinah]
vatsaraṁ bhūpatiṁ cakrur
[vatsaram bhoopatim chakrur]
yavīyāṁsaṁ bhrameḥ sutam
[yaveeyaamsam bhrameh sutam]
Word-for-word
matvā — thinking tam — Utkala jaḍam — without intelligence unmattam — mad kula-vṛddhāḥ — the elderly members of the family samantriṇaḥ — with the ministers vatsaram — Vatsara bhū-patim — ruler of the world cakruḥ — they made yavīyāṁsam — younger bhrameḥ — of Bhrami sutam — son.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
matvā taṁ jaḍam unmattaṁ
matvā
thinking
tam
Utkala
jaḍam
without intelligence
unmattam
mad
kula-vṛddhāḥ samantriṇaḥ
kula-vṛddhāḥ
the elderly members of the family
samantriṇaḥ
with the ministers
vatsaraṁ bhūpatiṁ cakrur
vatsaram
Vatsara
bhū-patim
ruler of the world
cakruḥ
they made
yavīyāṁsaṁ bhrameḥ sutam
yavīyāṁsam
younger
bhrameḥ
of Bhrami
sutam
son.
For this reason the ministers and all the elderly members of the family thought Utkala to be without intelligence and, in fact, mad. Thus his younger brother, named Vatsara, the son of Bhrami, was elevated to the royal throne, and he became king of the world.
Purport

It appears that although there was monarchy, it was not at all an autocracy. There were senior family members and ministers who could make changes and elect the proper person to the throne, although the throne could be occupied only by the royal family. In modern days also, wherever there is monarchy, sometimes the ministers and elderly members of the family select one member from the royal family to occupy the throne in preference to another.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Thinking that Utkala was retarded or mad, the elders of the dynasty along with the ministers enthroned Vatsara, his younger brother, the son of Bhrami, as the King.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Ministers and elders considered Utkala mad, so Vatsara was enthroned instead. The political will to recognize hidden greatness is rare; bureaucracies pick the convenient candidate.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do my own systems pick the convenient person over the truly suited one?
  • Whom have I overlooked because their depth didn't read as 'qualifications'?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 13