Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.7.4

sa bahuvin mahī-patih pitri-pitāmahavad uru-vatsalatayā sve sve karmani vartamānāh prajāh sva-dharmam anuvartamānah paryapālayat

SYNONYMS

sah — that King (Mahārāja Bharata); bahu-vit — being very advanced in knowledge; mahī-patih — the ruler of the earth; pitri — father; pitāmaha — grandfather; vat — exactly like; uru-vatsalatayā — with the quality of being very affectionate to the citizens; sve sve — in their own respective; karmani — duties; vartamānāh — remaining; prajāh — the citizens; sva-dharmam anuvartamānah — being perfectly situated in his own occupational duty; paryapālayat — ruled.

TRANSLATION

Mahārāja Bharata was a very learned and experienced king on this earth. He perfectly ruled the citizens, being himself engaged in his own respective duties. Mahārāja Bharata was as affectionate to the citizens as his father and grandfather had been. Keeping them engaged in their occupational duties, he ruled the earth.

PURPORT

It is most important that the chief executive rule the citizens by keeping them fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. Some of the citizens were brāhmanas, some were kshatriyas, and some were vaiśyas and śūdras. It is the duty of the government to see that the citizens act according to these material divisions for their spiritual advancement. No one should remain unemployed or unoccupied in any way. One must work as a brāhmana, kshatriya, vaiśya or śūdra on the material path. and on the spiritual path, everyone should act as a brahmacārī, grihastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Although formerly the government was a monarchy, all the kings were very affectionate toward the citizens, and they strictly kept them engaged in their respective duties. Therefore society was very smoothly conducted.

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