TEXT 8
deve varsaty asau devo
naradeva-vapur harih
krcchra-pranah praja hy esa
raksisyaty anjasendravat
SYNONYMS
devewhen the demigod (Indra); avarsatidoes not supply rains; asauthat; devahMaharaja Prthu; nara-devaof the king; vapuhhaving the body; harihthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; krcchra-pranahsuffering living entities; prajahthe citizens; hicertainly; esahthis; raksisyatiwill protect; anjasavery easily; indra-vatlike King Indra.
TRANSLATION
When there is no rainfall and the citizens are in great danger due to the scarcity of water, this royal Personality of Godhead will be able to supply rains exactly like the heavenly King Indra. Thus he will very easily be able to protect the citizens from drought.
PURPORT
King Prthu is very appropriately compared to the sun and the demigod Indra. King Indra of the heavenly planets is in charge of distributing water over the earth and other planetary systems. It is indicated that King Prthu would arrange for the distribution of rainfall personally if Indra failed to discharge his duty properly. Sometimes the King of heaven, Indra, would become angry at the inhabitants of the earth if they did not offer sacrifices to appease him. King Prthu, however, being an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, did not depend on the mercy of the heavenly King. It is foretold herein that if there would be a scarcity of rain, King Prthu would manage to counteract the deficiency by virtue of his godly powers. Such powers were also exhibited by Lord Krsna when He was present in Vrndavana. Indeed, when Indra poured incessant water on Vrndavana for seven days, the inhabitants were protected by Krsna, who raised Govardhana Hill over their heads as a great umbrella. Thus Lord Krsna is also known as Govardhana-dhari.

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