TEXT 23
namo mahadbhyo ’stu namah sisubhyo
namo yuvabhyo nama avatubhyah
ye brahmana gam avadhuta-lingas
caranti tebhyah sivam astu rajnam
SYNONYMS
namah—all obeisances; mahadbhyah—unto the great personalities; astu—let there be; namah—my obeisances; sisubhyah—unto those great personalities who appear as boys; namah—respectful obeisances; yuvabhyah—unto those who appear as young men; namah—respectful obeisances; a-vatubhyah—unto those who appear as children; ye—all those who; brahmanah—self-realized in transcendental knowledge; gam—the earth; avadhuta-lingah—who remain hidden under different bodily guises; caranti—they traverse; tebhyah—from them; sivam astu—let there be all good fortune; rajnam—unto the royal dynasties or kings (who are always very puffed up).
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the great personalities, whether they walk on the earth’s surface as children, young boys, avadhutas or great brahmanas. Even if they are hidden under different guises, I offer my respects to all of them. By their mercy, may there be good fortune in the royal dynasties that are always offending them.
PURPORT
King Rahugana was very repentant because he had forced Jada Bharata to carry his palanquin. He therefore began offering prayers to all kinds of brahmanas and self-realized persons, even though they might be playing like children or hiding in some guises. The four Kumaras walked everywhere in the guise of five-year-old boys, and similarly there are many brahmanas, knowers of Brahman, who traverse the globe either as young men, children or avadhutas. Being puffed up due to their position, the royal dynasties generally offend these great personalities. Therefore King Rahugana began to offer his respectful obeisances unto them so that the offensive royal dynasties might not glide down into a hellish condition. If one offends a great personality. the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not excuse one, although the great personalities themselves might not take offense. Maharaja Ambarisa was offended by Durvasa, who even approached Lord Visnu for pardon. Lord Visnu would not grant him pardon; therefore he had to fall down at the lotus feet of Maharaja Ambarisa, even though Maharaja Ambarisa was a ksatriya-grhastha. One should be very careful not to offend the lotus feet of Vaisnavas and brahmanas.

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