FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.14.42

नाङ्गस्य वंशो राजर्षेरेष संस्थातुमर्हति । अमोघवीर्या हि नृपा वंशेऽस्मिन् केशवाश्रया: ॥ ४२ ॥
nāṅgasya vaṁśo rājarṣer
[naangasya vamsho raajarsher]
eṣa saṁsthātum arhati
[esha samsthaatum arhati]
amogha-vīryā hi nṛpā
[amogha-veeryaa hi nripaa]
vaṁśe ’smin keśavāśrayāḥ
[vamshe ’smin keshavaashrayaah]
na — not aṅgasya — of King Aṅga vaṁśaḥ — family line rāja-ṛṣeḥ — of the saintly King eṣaḥ — this saṁsthātum — to be stopped arhati — ought amogha — without sin, powerful vīryāḥ — their semen hi — because nṛpāḥ — kings vaṁśe — in the family asmin — this keśava — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead āśrayāḥ — under the shelter.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nāṅgasya vaṁśo rājarṣer
na
not
aṅgasya
of King Aṅga
vaṁśaḥ
family line
rāja-ṛṣeḥ
of the saintly King
eṣa saṁsthātum arhati
eṣaḥ
this
saṁsthātum
to be stopped
arhati
ought
amogha-vīryā hi nṛpā
amogha
without sin, powerful
vīryāḥ
their semen
hi
because
nṛpāḥ
kings
vaṁśe ’smin keśavāśrayāḥ
vaṁśe
in the family
asmin
this
keśava
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
āśrayāḥ
under the shelter.
The sages decided that the descendants of the family of the saintly King Aṅga should not be stopped, for in this family the semen was very powerful and the children were prone to become devotees of the Lord.

The purity of hereditary succession is called amogha-vīrya. The pious seminal succession in the twice-born families of the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas especially, as well as in the families of vaiśyas also, must be kept very pure by the observation of the purificatory processes beginning with garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, which is observed before conceiving a child. Unless this purificatory process is strictly observed, especially by the brāhmaṇas, the family descendants become impure, and gradually sinful activities become visible in the family. Mahārāja Aṅga was very pure because of the purification of semen in the family of Mahārāja Dhruva. However, his semen became contaminated in association with his wife, Sunīthā, who happened to be the daughter of death personified. Because of this polluted semen, King Vena was produced. This was a catastrophe in the family of Dhruva Mahārāja. All the saintly persons and sages considered this point, and they decided to take action in this matter, as described in the following verses.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The dynasty of Aṅga, a saintly King, should not be destroyed. Kings of unfailing strength, who took shelter of Viṣṇu, had appeared in this dynasty. If that is so, why did the sages headed by Bhṛgu remain unconcerned? Seeing that they could prevent destruction of their austerity by killing the thieves and protecting the population, they concluded that some King was necessary. Samṣthātum means “to be destroyed.”
The sages decided not to end the line of Aṅga, as the family's seminal succession was pious and produced devotees. The hereditary line of the Lord's devotees deserves protection even when one member fails badly.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'line' am I tempted to write off because of one bad fruit, when the lineage still carries promise?
  • Where could I patiently invest in the next generation of a family I'm currently disappointed with?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 14