Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.14.11
निरूपित: प्रजापाल: स जिघांसति वै प्रजा: ।
तथापि सान्त्वयेमामुं नास्मांस्तत्पातकं स्पृशेत् ॥ ११ ॥
nirūpitaḥ prajā-pālaḥ
[niroopitah prajaa-paalah]
sa jighāṁsati vai prajāḥ
[sa jighaamsati vai prajaah]
tathāpi sāntvayemāmuṁ
[tathaapi saantvayemaamum]
nāsmāṁs tat-pātakaṁ spṛśet
[naasmaams tat-paatakam sprishet]
Word-for-word
nirūpitaḥ
—
appointed
prajā-pālaḥ
—
the king
saḥ
—
he
jighāṁsati
—
desires to harm
vai
—
certainly
prajāḥ
—
the citizens
tathā api
—
nevertheless
sāntvayema
—
we should pacify
amum
—
him
na
—
not
asmān
—
us
tat
—
his
pātakam
—
sinful result
spṛśet
—
may touch.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nirūpitaḥ prajā-pālaḥ
nirūpitaḥ
appointed
prajā-pālaḥ
the king
sa jighāṁsati vai prajāḥ
saḥ
he
jighāṁsati
desires to harm
vai
certainly
prajāḥ
the citizens
tathāpi sāntvayemāmuṁ
tathā api
nevertheless
sāntvayema
we should pacify
amum
him
nāsmāṁs tat-pātakaṁ spṛśet
na
not
asmān
us
tat
his
pātakam
sinful result
spṛśet
may touch.
We appointed this Vena king of the state in order to give protection to the citizens, but now he has become the enemy of the citizens. Despite all these discrepancies, we should at once try to pacify him. By doing so, we may not be touched by the sinful results caused by him.
Purport
The saintly sages elected King Vena to become king, but he proved to be mischievous; therefore the sages were very much afraid of incurring sinful reaction. The law of karma prohibits a person even to associate with a mischievous individual. By electing Vena to the throne, the saintly sages certainly associated with him. Ultimately King Vena became so mischievous that the saintly sages actually became afraid of becoming contaminated by his activities. Thus before taking any action against him, the sages tried to pacify and correct him so that he might turn from his mischief.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Appointed as the King, he desires to harm the citizens. Nevertheless, we should conciliate him so that his sins do not affect us.
By arguments we will enlighten him. Doing this, we will not be touched by sin. Otherwise we will become sinful.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
We must at once try to pacify him so we aren't touched by his sin. There's a karmic stake in not just abandoning the malefactor we elevated; first, you try.
Reflection Questions
- Whom I have elevated to my own harm, and have I made a real attempt to pacify them?
- Where am I avoiding the conversation that would establish what was tried before harder action?
My note
Source: vedabase.io