FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.1

मैत्रेय उवाच विजिताश्वोऽधिराजासीत्पृथुपुत्र: पृथुश्रवा: । यवीयोभ्योऽददात्काष्ठा भ्रातृभ्यो भ्रातृवत्सल: ॥ १ ॥
maitreya uvāca
[maitreya uvaacha]
vijitāśvo ’dhirājāsīt
[vijitaashvo ’dhiraajaaseet]
pṛthu-putraḥ pṛthu-śravāḥ
[prithu-putrah prithu-shravaah]
yavīyobhyo ’dadāt kāṣṭhā
[yaveeyobhyo ’dadaat kaashthaa]
bhrātṛbhyo bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ
[bhraatribhyo bhraatri-vatsalah]
Word-for-word
maitreyaḥ uvāca — Maitreya continued to speak vijitāśvaḥ — of the name Vijitāśva adhirājā — the emperor āsīt — became pṛthu-putraḥ — the son of Mahārāja Pṛthu pṛthu-śravāḥ — of great activities yavīyobhyaḥ — unto the younger brothers adadāt — offered kāṣṭhāḥ — different directions bhrātṛbhyaḥ — unto the brothers bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ — very affectionate to the brothers.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
maitreya uvāca
maitreyaḥ uvāca
Maitreya continued to speak
vijitāśvo ’dhirājāsīt
vijitāśvaḥ
of the name Vijitāśva
pṛthu-putraḥ pṛthu-śravāḥ
yavīyobhyo ’dadāt kāṣṭhā
adhirājā
the emperor
āsīt
became
pṛthu-putraḥ
the son of Mahārāja Pṛthu
pṛthu-śravāḥ
of great activities
yavīyobhyaḥ
unto the younger brothers
adadāt
offered
kāṣṭhāḥ
different directions
bhrātṛbhyo bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ
bhrātṛbhyaḥ
unto the brothers
bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ
very affectionate to the brothers.
The great sage Maitreya continued: Vijitāśva, the eldest son of Mahārāja Pṛthu, who had a reputation like his father’s, became emperor and gave his younger brothers different directions of the world to govern, for he was very affectionate toward his brothers.
Purport

After describing the life and character of Mahārāja Pṛthu in the previous chapter, the great sage Maitreya began to speak about the sons and grandsons in the genealogical line of the Pṛthu dynasty. After the death of Mahārāja Pṛthu, his eldest son, Vijitāśva, became emperor of the world. King Vijitāśva was very affectionate toward his younger brothers, and therefore he wanted them to rule different directions of the world. From time immemorial the eldest son generally becomes king after the death of the previous king. When the Pāṇḍavas ruled the earth, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the eldest son of King Pāṇḍu, became emperor, and his younger brothers assisted him. Similarly, King Vijitāśva’s younger brothers were appointed to govern the different directions of the world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Maitreya said: Vijitāśva, the eldest son of Mahārāja Pṛthu, [Note: How he got his name is related in SB 4.19.18.] who had a reputation like his father's, became the King and gave his younger brothers different regions of the world, being affectionate to his brothers. In the Twenty-fourth Chapter, the Pracetās, sons of Pracīnabarhi, the grandson of Pṛthu, receive the prayers of Śiva. Adhirājā stands for adhirājaḥ. Yavīyobhyaḥ means his younger brothers.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Vijitāśva became emperor and lovingly gave his brothers different directions to govern. Power, when held with affection toward siblings, is the seed of harmony; share authority, don't hoard it.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'direction of the world' should I be entrusting to a brother or peer rather than ruling myself?
  • Where does my affection toward family translate into shared authority in practice?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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