FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.27

ये त्विह वै दस्यवोऽग्निदा गरदा ग्रामान् सार्थान् वा विलुम्पन्ति राजानो राजभटा वा तांश्चापि हि परेत्य यमदूता वज्रदंष्ट्रा: श्वान: सप्तशतानि विंशतिश्च सरभसं खादन्ति ॥ २७ ॥
ye tv iha vai dasyavo ’gnidā garadā grāmān sārthān vā vilumpanti rājāno rāja-bhaṭā vā tāṁś cāpi hi paretya yamadūtā vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ śvānaḥ sapta-śatāni viṁśatiś ca sarabhasaṁ khādanti.
[ye tv iha vai dasyavo ’gnidaa garadaa graamaan saarthaan vaa vilumpanti raajaano raaja-bhataa vaa taamsh chaapi hi paretya yamadootaa vajra-damshtraah shvaanah sapta-shataani vimshatish cha sarabhasam khaadanti.]
ye — persons who tu — but iha — in this life vai — indeed dasyavaḥ — thieves and plunderers agni-dāḥ — who set fire garadāḥ — who administer poison grāmān — villages sārthān — the mercantile class of men vā — or vilumpanti — plunder rājānaḥ — kings rāja-bhaṭāḥ — government officials vā — or tān — them ca — also api — indeed hi — certainly paretya — having died yamadūtāḥ — the assistants of Yamarāja vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ — having mighty teeth śvānaḥ — dogs sapta-śatāni — seven hundred viṁśatiḥ — twenty ca — and sarabhasam — voraciously khādanti — devour.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ye tv iha vai dasyavo ’gnidā garadā grāmān sārthān vā vilumpanti rājāno rāja-bhaṭā vā tāṁś cāpi hi paretya yamadūtā vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ śvānaḥ sapta-śatāni viṁśatiś ca sarabhasaṁ khādanti.
ye
persons who
tu
but
iha
in this life
vai
indeed
dasyavaḥ
thieves and plunderers
agni-dāḥ
who set fire
garadāḥ
who administer poison
grāmān
villages
sārthān
the mercantile class of men
vā
or
vilumpanti
plunder
rājānaḥ
kings
rāja-bhaṭāḥ
government officials
vā
or
tān
them
ca
also
api
indeed
hi
certainly
paretya
having died
yamadūtāḥ
the assistants of Yamarāja
vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ
having mighty teeth
śvānaḥ
dogs
sapta-śatāni
seven hundred
viṁśatiḥ
twenty
ca
and
sarabhasam
voraciously
khādanti
devour.
In this world, some persons are professional plunderers who set fire to others’ houses or administer poison to them. Also, members of the royalty or government officials sometimes plunder mercantile men by forcing them to pay income tax and by other methods. After death such demons are put into the hell known as Sārameyādana. On that planet there are 720 dogs with teeth as strong as thunderbolts. Under the orders of the agents of Yamarāja, these dogs voraciously devour such sinful people.

In the Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is said that in this Age of Kali everyone will be extremely disturbed by three kinds of tribulations: scarcity of rain, famine, and heavy taxation by the government. Because human beings are becoming more and more sinful, there will be a scarcity of rain, and naturally no food grains will be produced. On the plea of relieving the suffering caused by the ensuing famine, the government will impose heavy taxes, especially on the wealthy mercantile community. In this verse, the members of such a government are described as dasyu, thieves. Their main activity will be to plunder the wealth of the people. Whether a highway robber or a government thief, such a man will be punished in his next life by being thrown into the hell known as Sārameyādana, where he will suffer greatly from the bites of ferocious dogs.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In this world, persons who are thieves, arsonists, or poisoners, and also, members of the royalty or government officials who plunder mercantile men and villages are put into the hell known as Sārameyādana after death. There, 720 dogs (sārameyas) with teeth as strong as thunderbolts, the agents of Yamarāja, voraciously devour those sinful people.
Plunderers — including governments that loot through unjust taxation — land in Sārameyādana, devoured by 720 thunderbolt-fanged dogs. Institutional theft is not exempt from karma; the system's sins land on its agents.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I participating in or benefiting from institutional taking that I would condemn as personal theft?
  • What conscientious choice could I make about my role in such systems?
📝 My note

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