Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.29

abhuta-purvah sahasa

kshut-tridbhyam arditatmanah

brahmanam praty abhud brahman

matsaro manyur eva ca

SYNONYMS

abhuta-purvah -- unprecedented; sahasa -- circumstantially; kshut -- hunger; tridbhyam -- as well as by thirst; ardita -- being distressed; atmanah -- of his self; brahmanam -- unto a brahmana; prati -- against; abhut -- became; brahman -- O brahmanas; matsarah -- envious; manyuh -- angry; eva -- thus; ca -- and.

TRANSLATION

O brahmanas, the King's anger and envy, directed toward the brahmana sage, were unprecedented, being that circumstances had made him hungry and thirsty.

PURPORT

For a king like Maharaja Parikshit to become angry and envious, especially at a sage and brahmana, was undoubtedly unprecedented. The King knew well that brahmanas, sages, children, women and old men are always beyond the jurisdiction of punishment. Similarly, the king, even though he commits a great mistake, is never to be considered a wrongdoer. But in this case, Maharaja Parikshit became angry and envious at the sage due to his thirst and hunger, by the will of the Lord. The King was right to punish his subject for coldly receiving him or neglecting him, but because the culprit was a sage and a brahmana, it was unprecedented. As the Lord is never envious of anyone, so also the Lord's devotee is never envious of anyone. The only justification for Maharaja Parikshit's behavior is that it was ordained by the Lord.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness