Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.9.30

so 'yam brahmarshi-varyas te

rājarshi-pravarād vibho

katham arhati dharma-jña

vadham pitur ivātmajah

SYNONYMS

sah — he, the brāhmana; ayam — this; brahma-rishi-varyah — not only a brāhmana but the best of great sages, or brahmarshis; te — also from you; rāja-rishi-pravarāt — who are the best of all saintly kings, or rājarshis; vibho — O master of the state; katham — how; arhati — he deserves; dharma-jña — O you, who are quite aware of religious principles; vadham — killing; pituh — from the father; iva — like; ātmajah — the son.

TRANSLATION

My lord, you are completely aware of the religious principles. As a son never deserves to be killed by his father, here is a brāhmana who should be protected by the king, and never killed. How does he deserve to be killed by a rājarshi like you?

PURPORT

The word rājarshi refers to a king who behaves like a rishi, or sage. Such a king is also called naradeva because he is considered a representative of the Supreme Lord. Because his duty is to rule the kingdom to maintain brahminical culture, he never desires to kill a brāhmana. Generally, a brāhmana, woman, child, old man or cow is never regarded as punishable. Thus the wife of the brāhmana requested the King to refrain from this sinful act.

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