FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.16.21

अस्मै नृपाला: किल तत्र तत्रबलिं हरिष्यन्ति सलोकपाला: मंस्यन्त एषां स्त्रिय आदिराजंचक्रायुधं तद्यश उद्धरन्त्य: ॥ २१ ॥
asmai nṛ-pālāḥ kila tatra tatra
[asmai nri-paalaah kila tatra tatra]
baliṁ hariṣyanti saloka-pālāḥ
[balim harishyanti saloka-paalaah]
maṁsyanta eṣāṁ striya ādi-rājaṁ
[mamsyanta eshaam striya aadi-raajam]
cakrāyudhaṁ tad-yaśa uddharantyaḥ
[chakraayudham tad-yasha uddharantyah]
Word-for-word
asmai — unto him nṛ-pālāḥ — all the kings kila — certainly tatra tatra — here and there balim — presentations hariṣyanti — will offer sa — with loka-pālāḥ — the demigods maṁsyante — will consider eṣām — of these kings striyaḥ — wives ādi-rājam — the original king cakra-āyudham — bearing the disc weapon tat — his yaśaḥ — reputation uddharantyaḥ — carrying on.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
asmai nṛ-pālāḥ kila tatra tatra
asmai
unto him
nṛ-pālāḥ
all the kings
kila
certainly
tatra tatra
here and there
baliṁ hariṣyanti saloka-pālāḥ
balim
presentations
hariṣyanti
will offer
sa
with
loka-pālāḥ
the demigods
maṁsyanta eṣāṁ striya ādi-rājaṁ
maṁsyante
will consider
eṣām
of these kings
striyaḥ
wives
ādi-rājam
the original king
cakrāyudhaṁ tad-yaśa uddharantyaḥ
cakra-āyudham
bearing the disc weapon
tat
his
yaśaḥ
reputation
uddharantyaḥ
carrying on.
When the King travels all over the world, other kings, as well as the demigods, will offer him all kinds of presentations. Their queens will also consider him the original king, who carries in His hands the emblems of club and disc, and will sing of his fame, for he will be as reputable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport

As far as reputation is concerned, King Pṛthu is already known as the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word ādi-rājam means “the original king.” The original king is Nārāyaṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu. People do not know that the original king, or Nārāyaṇa, is actually the protector of all living entities. As confirmed in the Vedas, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān ( Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13): the Supreme Personality of Godhead is maintaining all living entities. The king, or naradeva, is His representative. As such, the king’s duty is to personally supervise the distribution of wealth for the maintenance of all living entities. If he does so, he will be as reputable as Nārāyaṇa. As mentioned in this verse ( tad-yaśaḥ ), Pṛthu Mahārāja was actually carrying with him the reputation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he was actually reigning over the world in that capacity.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Everywhere, the kings along with the devatās will offer tribute, and their wives, glorifying his fame, will understand that Pṛthu with his cakra is the first king. The wives, glorifying him, will know him as the first king.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Kings and demigods will offer gifts; their queens will sing of him as the original Lord. When a soul is truly aligned, even those above offer; nobody is too high to honor real character.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose honoring have I been disqualifying because I think they're above me?
  • Where could my real character become unmistakable enough that hierarchy reorganizes around it?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 16