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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[ Canto 3, Ch. 16 ]
of the sun-god. Just as children are taken care of by the parents, women as a class should be taken care of by the father, husband or grown-up son. Those who are helpless must be taken care of by their respective guardians, otherwise the guardians will be subjected to the punishment of Yamarāja, who is appointed by the Lord to supervise the activities of sinful living creatures. The assistants or messengers of Yamarāja are likened here to vultures; and those who do not execute their respective duties in protecting their wards are compared to serpents. Vultures deal very seriously with serpents, and similarly the messengers will deal very seriously with neglectful guardians.
TEXT 11
ये ब्राह्मणान्मयि धिया क्षिपतोऽर्चयन्त-
स्तुष्यद्धृदः सितसुधोक्षितपद्मवक्त्राः।
वाष्पानुरागकल्याऽऽत्मजवद् गृणन्तः
सम्बोधयन्त्यहमिवाहमुपाहृतस्तैः ॥११॥
ye brāhmaṇān mayi dhiyā kṣipato 'rcayantas tuṣyad-dhṛdaḥ smita-sudhokṣita-padma-vaktrāḥ vāṇyānurāga-kalayātmajavad gṛṇantaḥ sambodhayanty aham ivāham upāhṛtas taiḥ
ye—which persons; brāhmaṇān—the brāhmaṇas; mayi—in Me; dhiyā—with intelligence; kṣipataḥ—uttering harsh words; arcayantaḥ—respecting; tuṣyat—gladdened; hṛdaḥ—hearts; smita—smiling; sudhā—nectar; ukṣita—wet; padma—lotuslike; vaktrāḥ—faces; vāṇyā—with words; anurāga-kalayā—loving; ātmajavat—like a son; gṛṇantaḥ—praising; sambodhayanti—pacify; aham—I; iva—as; aham—I; upāhṛtaḥ—being controlled; taiḥ—by them.
TRANSLATION
On the other hand, they captivate My heart who are gladdened in heart and who, their lotus faces enlightened by nectarean smiles, respect the brāhmaṇas, even though they utter harsh words. They look upon the brāhmaṇas as My own Self and pacify them by praising them in loving words, even as a son would appease an angry father or as I am pacifying you.