978
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 18]
zation's destination is to go back to Godhead, back home, where there is no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. The  Vedas  direct everyone not to remain in the darkness of the material world but to go towards the light of the spiritual kingdom far beyond the material sky. The qualitative caste system and the orders of life are scientifically planned by the Lord and His representatives, the great  ṛṣis . The perfect way of life gives all sorts of instruction in the things both material and spiritual. The Vedic way of life does not allow any man to be like the monkeys and dogs. A degraded civilization of sense gratification and economic development is the by-product of a godless or kingless government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people should not, therefore, begrudge the poor administrations they themselves elect.
TEXT 46
धर्मपालो नरपतिः स तु सम्राड् बृहच्छ्रवाः ।  
 साक्षान्महाभागवतो राजर्षिर्हयमेधयाट् ।  
 क्षुत्तृट्श्रमयुतो दीनो नैवासच्छापमर्हति ॥४६॥
dharma-pālo nara-patiḥ  
 sa tu samrāḍ bṛhac-chravāḥ  
 sākṣān mahā-bhāgavato  
 rājarṣir haya-medhayāṭ  
 kṣut-tṛṭ-śrama-yuto dīno  
 naivāsmac chāpam arhati
dharma-pālaḥ —the protector of religion;  nara-patiḥ —the King;  saḥ —he;  tu —but;  samrāṭ —Emperor;  bṛhat —highly;  śravāḥ —celebrated;  sākṣāt —directly;  mahā-bhāgavataḥ —the first-class devotee of the Lord;  rājarṣiḥ —saint amongst the royal order;  haya-medhayāṭ —great performer of horse sacrifices;  kṣut —hunger;  tṛṭ —thirst;  śrama-yutaḥ —tired and fatigued;  dīnaḥ —stricken;  na —never;  eva —thus;  asmat —by us;  śāpam —curse;  arhati —deserves.
TRANSLATION
The Emperor Parīkṣit is a pious king. He is highly celebrated and is a first-class devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a saint amongst royalty, and he has performed many horse sacrifices. When such a king is tired and fatigued, being stricken with hunger and thirst, he does not at all deserve to be cursed.