SB 4.14.3 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.14.3

श्रुत्वा नृपासनगतं वेनमत्युग्रशासनम् । निलिल्युर्दस्यव: सद्य: सर्पत्रस्ता इवाखव: ॥ ३ ॥

śrutvā nṛpāsana-gataṁ

[shrutvaa nripaasana-gatam]

venam atyugra-śāsanam

[venam atyugra-shaasanam]

nililyur dasyavaḥ sadyaḥ

[nililyur dasyavah sadyah]

sarpa-trastā ivākhavaḥ

[sarpa-trastaa ivaakhavah]

Word-for-word

śrutvā — after hearing nṛpa — of the King āsana-gatam — ascended to the throne venam — Vena ati — very ugra — severe śāsanam — punisher nililyuḥ — hid themselves dasyavaḥ — all the thieves sadyaḥ — immediately sarpa — from snakes trastāḥ — being afraid iva — like ākhavaḥ — rats.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

śrutvā nṛpāsana-gataṁ

śrutvā

after hearing

nṛpa

of the King

āsana-gatam

ascended to the throne

venam atyugra-śāsanam

venam

Vena

ati

very

ugra

severe

śāsanam

punisher

nililyur dasyavaḥ sadyaḥ

nililyuḥ

hid themselves

dasyavaḥ

all the thieves

sadyaḥ

immediately

sarpa-trastā ivākhavaḥ

sarpa

from snakes

trastāḥ

being afraid

iva

ākhavaḥ

rats.

It was already known that Vena was very severe and cruel; therefore, as soon as all the thieves and rogues in the state heard of his ascendance to the royal throne, they became very much afraid of him. Indeed, they hid themselves here and there as rats hide themselves from snakes.

Purport

When the government is very weak, rogues and thieves flourish. Similarly, when the government is very strong, all the thieves and rogues disappear or hide themselves. Of course Vena was not a very good king, but he was known to be cruel and severe. Thus the state at least became freed from thieves and rogues.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Hearing that Vena, a terrible punisher, has assumed the throne, sinful men hid themselves immediately, like rats which are afraid of snakes.

Personal Guidance

Vena's reputation for cruelty alone scared the thieves into hiding. Strong governance, even when unjust, intimidates wrongdoers; absence of authority is genuinely worse than imperfect authority.

Reflection Questions

Where am I tolerating chaos because I'm waiting for a perfectly just authority instead of using imperfect order?
What does my own presence intimidate in others — toward good or ill?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io