TEXT 19
maitreya uvaca
pracetasah pitur vakyam
sirasadaya sadhavah
disam praticim prayayus
tapasy adrta-cetasah
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvacathe great sage Maitreya continued to speak; pracetasahall the sons of King Pracinabarhi; pituhof the father; vakyamwords; sirasaon the head; adayaaccepting; sadhavahall pious; disamdirection; praticimwestern; prayayuhwent away; tapasiin austerities; adrtaaccepting seriously; cetasahin the heart.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, because of their pious nature, all the sons of Pracinabarhi very seriously accepted the words of their father with heart and soul, and with these words on their heads, they went toward the west to execute their fathers order.
PURPORT
In this verse sadhavah (meaning pious or well behaved) is very important, especially at the present moment. It is derived from the word sadhu. A perfect sadhu is one who is always engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pracinabarhis sons are described as sadhavah because of their complete obedience to their father. The father, king and spiritual master are supposed to be representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such they have to be respected as the Supreme Lord. It is the duty of the father, the spiritual master and the king to regulate their subordinates in such a way that they ultimately become fully unalloyed devotees of the Supreme Lord. That is the duty of the superiors, and it is the duty of the subordinates to obey their orders perfectly and in a disciplined way. The word sirasa (on their heads) is also significant, for the Pracetas accepted the orders of their father and carried them on their heads, which means they accepted them in complete surrender.

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