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TEXTS 10–11
vayam rajan jatharenabhitapta
yathagnina kotara-sthena vrksah
tvam adya yatah saranam saranyam
yah sadhito vrtti-karah patir nah
tan no bhavan ihatu ratave ’nnam
ksudharditanam naradeva-deva
yavan na nanksyamaha ujjhitorja
varta-patis tvam kila loka-palah
SYNONYMS
vayam—we; rajan—O King; jatharena—by the fire of hunger; abhitaptah—very much aggrieved; yatha—just as; agnina—by the fire; kotara-sthena—in the hollow of a tree; vrksah—trees; tvam—unto you; adya—today; yatah—we have come; saranam—shelter; saranyam—worth taking shelter of; yah—who; sadhitah—appointed; vrtti-karah—one who gives employment; patih—master; nah—our; tat—therefore; nah—to us; bhavan—Your Majesty; ihatu—please try; ratave—to give; annam—food grains; ksudha—with hunger; arditanam—suffering; nara-deva-deva—O supreme master of all kings; yavat na—lest; nanksyamahe—we will perish; ujjhita—being bereft of; urjah—food grains; varta—of occupational engagements; patih—bestower; tvam—you; kila—indeed; loka-palah—the protector of the citizens.
TRANSLATION
Dear King, just as a tree with a fire burning in the hollow of the trunk gradually dries up, we are drying up due to the fire of hunger in our stomachs. You are the protector of surrendered souls, and you have been appointed to give employment to us. Therefore we have all come to you for protection. You are not only a king, but the incarnation of God as well. Indeed, you are the king of all kings. You can give us all kinds of occupational engagements, for you are the master of our livelihood. Therefore, O king of all kings, please arrange to satisfy our hunger by the proper distribution of food grains. Please take care of us, lest we soon die for want of food.
PURPORT
It is the duty of the king to see that everyone in the social orders—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—is fully employed in the state. Just as it is the duty of the brahmanas to elect a proper king, it is the duty of the king to see that all the varnas—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—are fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. It is here indicated that although the people were allowed to perform their duties, they were still unemployed. Although they were not lazy, they still could not produce sufficient food to satisfy their hunger. When the people are perplexed in this way, they should approach the head of government, and the president or king should take immediate action to mitigate the distress of the people.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/17/10-11 Previous: SB 4.17.9 Next: SB 4.17.12
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