TEXT 22
prthur uvaca
bhoh suta he magadha saumya vandil
loke dhunaspasta-gunasya me syat
kim asrayo me stava esa yojyatam
ma mayy abhuvan vitatha giro vah
SYNONYMS
prthuh uvacaKing Prthu said; bhoh sutaO suta; he magadhaO magadha; saumyagentle; vandinO devotee offering prayers; lokein this world; adhunajust now; aspastanot distinct; gunasyawhose qualities; meof me; syatthere may be; kimwhy; asrayahshelter; meof me; stavahpraise; esahthis; yojyatammay be applied; manever; mayiunto me; abhuvanwere; vitathahin vain; girahwords; vahyour.
TRANSLATION
King Prthu said: O gentle suta, magadha and other devotee offering prayers, the qualities of which you have spoken are not distinct in me. Why then should you praise me for all these qualities when I do not shelter these features? I do not wish for these words meant for me to go in vain, but it is better that they be offered to someone else.
PURPORT
The prayers and praises by the suta, magadha and vandi all explained the godly qualities of Maharaja Prthu, for he was a saktyavesa incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because the qualities were not yet manifest, however, King Prthu very humbly asked why the devotees should praise him with such exalted words. He did not want anyone to offer him prayers or glorify him unless he possessed the real qualities of which they spoke. The offering of prayers was certainly appropriate, for he was an incarnation of Godhead, but he warned that one should not be accepted as an incarnation of the Personality of Godhead without having the godly qualities. At the present moment there are many so-called incarnations of the Personality of Godhead, but these are merely fools and rascals whom people accept as incarnations of God although they have no godly qualities. King Prthu desired that his real characteristics in the future might justify such words of praise. Although there was no fault in the prayers offered, Prthu Maharaja indicated that such prayers should not be offered to an unfit person who pretends to be an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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