SB 12.1.11 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

नव नन्दान् द्विज: कश्चित् प्रपन्नानुद्धरिष्यति । तेषामभावे जगतीं मौर्या भोक्ष्यन्ति वै कलौ ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

nava nandān dvijaḥ kaścit prapannān uddhariṣyati teṣām abhāve jagatīṁ mauryā bhokṣyanti vai kalau

Synonyms

nava — nine ; nandān — the Nandas (King Nanda and his eight sons) ; dvijaḥ — brāhmaṇa ; kaścit — a certain ; prapannān — trusting ; uddhariṣyati — will uproot ; teṣām — of them ; abhāve — in the absence ; jagatīm — the earth ; mauryāḥ — the Maurya dynasty ; bhokṣyanti — will rule over ; vai — indeed ; kalau — in this age, Kali-yuga .

Translation

A certain brāhmaṇa [Cāṇakya] will betray the trust of King Nanda and his eight sons and will destroy their dynasty. In their absence the Mauryas will rule the world as the Age of Kali continues.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

A certain brāhmaṇa will overthrow King Nanda and his eight sons, though they trusted him. In their absence, the Mauryas will rule the world as the age of Kali continues. Nava-nandān means Nanda and his eight sons. The brāhmaṇa named Cānakya will uproot them, though they trusted him (prannanān). The Maurya dynasty will rule after that.

Purport

Śrīdhara Svāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura both confirm that the brāhmaṇa mentioned here is Cāṇakya, also known as Kauṭilya or Vātsyāyana. The great historical narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which began with the events prior to the cosmic manifestation, now reaches into the realm of modern recorded history. Modern historians recognize both the Maurya dynasty and Candragupta, the king mentioned in the following verse.