Canto 1: CreationChapter 18: Maharaja Parikshit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.44

tad adya nah papam upaity ananvayam

yan nashta-nathasya vasor vilumpakat

parasparam ghnanti sapanti vrinjate

pasun striyo 'rthan puru-dasyavo janah

SYNONYMS

tat -- for this reason; adya -- from this day; nah -- upon us; papam -- reaction of sin; upaiti -- will overtake; ananvayam -- disruption; yat -- because; nashta -- abolished; nathasya -- of the monarch; vasoh -- of wealth; vilumpakat -- being plundered; parasparam -- between one another; ghnanti -- will kill; sapanti -- will do harm; vrinjate -- will steal; pasun -- animals; striyah -- women; arthan -- riches; puru -- greatly; dasyavah -- thieves; janah -- the mass of people.

TRANSLATION

Due to the termination of the monarchical regimes and the plundering of the people's wealth by rogues and thieves, there will be great social disruptions. People will be killed and injured, and animals and women will be stolen. And for all these sins we shall be responsible.

PURPORT

The word nah (we) is very significant in this verse. The sage rightly takes the responsibility of the brahmanas as a community for killing monarchical government and thus giving an opportunity to the so-called democrats, who are generally plunderers of the wealth of the state subjects. The so-called democrats capture the administrative machine without assuming responsibility for the prosperous condition of the citizens. Everyone captures the post for personal gratification, and thus instead of one king, a number of irresponsible kings grow up to tax the citizens. It is foretold herein that in the absence of good monarchical government, everyone will be the cause of disturbance for others by plundering riches, animals, women, etc.

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