SB 10.89.24 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

हिंसाविहारं नृपतिं दु:शीलमजितेन्द्रियम् । प्रजा भजन्त्य: सीदन्ति दरिद्रा नित्यदु:खिता: ॥ २४ ॥

Verse text

hiṁsā-vihāraṁ nṛpatiṁ duḥśīlam ajitendriyam prajā bhajantyaḥ sīdanti daridrā nitya-duḥkhitāḥ

Synonyms

hiṁsā — violence ; vihāram — whose sport ; nṛ — patim — this King ; duḥśīlam — wicked ; ajita — unconquered ; indriyam — whose senses ; prajāḥ — the citizens ; bhajantyaḥ — serving ; sīdanti — suffer distress ; daridrāḥ — poverty-stricken ; nitya — always ; duḥkhitāḥ — unhappy .

Translation

Citizens serving such a wicked king, who takes pleasure in violence and cannot control his senses, are doomed to suffer poverty and constant misery.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Citizens serving such a wicked king, who takes pleasure in violence and cannot control his senses, are doomed to suffer poverty and constant misery. KB 10.89.24 The brāhmaṇa therefore said, “No one should offer respects or worship to a king whose only business is envy. Such a king spends his time either hunting and killing animals in the forest or killing citizens for criminal acts. He has no self-control and possesses bad character. If such a king is worshiped or honored by the citizens, the citizens will never be happy. They will always remain poor, full of anxieties and aggrievement, and always unhappy.” In modern politics the post of monarch has been abolished, and the president is not held responsible for the comforts of the citizens. In this Age of Kali, the executive head of a state somehow or other gets votes and is elected to an exalted post, but the condition of the citizens continues to be full of anxiety, distress, unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

He gives scriptural evidence for the death of his son because of the king’s negligence. The king takes pleasure in violence because of his wicked nature, which is caused by uncontrolled senses. Those who serve such a king suffer. How do they suffer? They become poor and always feel pain from various lamentations.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

He explained the cause for the death of his infant by blaming the king. The king kills animals or torments the citizens for play. This is beause of his wicked nature, caued by uncontrolled senses. Citizens who seve such a king by giving taxes decline. They become poor and always suffer. They experience various types of suffering.