FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.19.26

तदभिज्ञाय भगवान्पृथु: पृथुपराक्रम: । इन्द्राय कुपितो बाणमादत्तोद्यतकार्मुक: ॥ २६ ॥
tad abhijñāya bhagavān
[tad abhijnaaya bhagavaan]
pṛthuḥ pṛthu-parākramaḥ
[prithuh prithu-paraakramah]
indrāya kupito bāṇam
[indraaya kupito baanam]
ādattodyata-kārmukaḥ
[aadattodyata-kaarmukah]
tat — that abhijñāya — understanding bhagavān — the incarnation of Godhead pṛthuḥ — King Pṛthu pṛthu-parākramaḥ — celebrated as very powerful indrāya — upon Indra kupitaḥ — being very angry bāṇam — an arrow ādatta — took up udyata — having taken up kārmukaḥ — the bow.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tad abhijñāya bhagavān
tat
that
abhijñāya
understanding
bhagavān
the incarnation of Godhead
pṛthuḥ pṛthu-parākramaḥ
pṛthuḥ
King Pṛthu
pṛthu-parākramaḥ
celebrated as very powerful
indrāya kupito bāṇam
indrāya
upon Indra
kupitaḥ
being very angry
bāṇam
an arrow
ādattodyata-kārmukaḥ
ādatta
took up
udyata
having taken up
kārmukaḥ
the bow.
Mahārāja Pṛthu, who was celebrated as very powerful, immediately took up his bow and arrows and prepared to kill Indra himself, because Indra had introduced such irregular sannyāsa orders.

It is the duty of the king not to tolerate the introduction of any irreligious systems. Since King Pṛthu was an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, certainly his duty was to cut down all kinds of irreligious systems. Following in his footsteps, all heads of state should themselves be bona fide representatives of God and should cut down all irreligious systems. Unfortunately they are cowards who declare a secular state. Such a mentality is a way of compromising religious and irreligious systems, but because of this citizens are generally becoming uninterested in spiritual advancement. Thus the situation deteriorates to such an extent that human society becomes hellish.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Understanding this, Pṛthu, greatly courageous and angry at Indra, took up his bow and aimed his arrow.
Powerful Pṛthu took up his bow to kill Indra himself for introducing irregular sannyāsa. Some founders of bad orders must be stopped; the king's job includes structural reform.
Reflection Questions
  • Which bad order in my domain am I letting propagate that someone with my authority should stop?
  • Where do I refrain from structural action because it feels personal?
📝 My note

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