Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 14: The Story of King Vena |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 4.14.41
SYNONYMS
brahmanah -- a brahmana; sama-drik -- equipoised; santah -- peaceful; dinanam -- the poor; samupekshakah -- grossly neglecting; sravate -- diminishes; brahma -- spiritual power; tasya -- his; api -- certainly; bhinna-bhandat -- from a cracked pot; payah -- water; yatha -- just as.
TRANSLATION
The great sages began to think that although a brahmana is peaceful and impartial because he is equal to everyone, it is still not his duty to neglect poor humans. By such neglect, a brahmana's spiritual power diminishes, just as water kept in a cracked pot leaks out.
PURPORT
Brahmanas, the topmost section of human society, are mostly devotees. They are generally unaware of the happenings within the material world because they are always busy in their activities for spiritual advancement. Nonetheless, when there is a calamity in human society, they cannot remain impartial. If they do not do something to relieve the distressed condition of human society, it is said that due to such neglect their spiritual knowledge diminishes. Almost all the sages go to the Himalayas for their personal benefit, but Prahlada Maharaja said that he did not want liberation alone. He decided to wait until he was able to deliver all the fallen souls of the world.
In their elevated condition, the brahmanas are called Vaishnavas. There are two types of brahmanas -- namely, brahmana-pandita and brahmana-vaishnava. A qualified brahmana is naturally very learned, but when his learning is advanced in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes a brahmana-vaishnava. Unless one becomes a Vaishnava, one's perfection of brahminical culture is incomplete.
The saintly persons considered very wisely that although King Vena was very sinful, he was born in a family descending from Dhruva Maharaja. Therefore the semen in the family must be protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kesava. As such, the sages wanted to take some steps to relieve the situation. For want of a king, everything was being disturbed and turned topsy-turvy.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness