592
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 14]
sometimes have to come down to the political field and take steps to correct the misguided government or royalty. However, in Kali-yuga, saintly persons are not as powerful as they previously were. They used to be able to burn any sinful man to ashes by virtue of their spiritual prowess. Now saintly persons have no such power due to the influence of the age of Kali. Indeed, the  brāhmaṇas  do not even have the power to perform sacrifices in which animals are put into a fire to attain a new life. Under these circumstances, instead of actively taking part in politics, saintly persons should engage in chanting the  mahā-mantra , Hare Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Lord Caitanya, by simply chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa  mahā-mantra , the general populace can derive all benefits without political implications.
TEXT 13
एवमन्यवसायेनं मुनयो गूढमन्यवः । उपमन्यामुत्पन्नेनं सान्त्वयित्वा च सामग्रिः ॥१३॥
evam adhyavasāyainam munayo gūḍha-manyavaḥ upavrajyābruvan venam sāntvayitvā ca sāmabhiḥ
evam—thus; adhyavasāya—having decided; enam—him; munayaḥ—the great sages; gūḍha-manyavaḥ—concealing their anger; upavrajya—having approached; abruvan—spoke; venam—to King Vena; sāntvayitvā—after pacifying; ca—also; sāmabhiḥ—with sweet words.
TRANSLATION
The great sages, having thus decided, approached King Vena. Concealing their real anger, they pacified him with sweet words and then spoke as follows.
TEXT 14
मुनय उच्चः
नृपवर्यं निवोधेतघरे विज्ञापयाम भोः । आयुः श्रीवरुणीर्तनां तव तात विवर्धनम् ॥१४॥
munaya ūcuḥ nṛpa-varya nibodhaitad yat te vijñāpayāma bhoḥ āyuḥ-śrī-bala-kīrtīnām tava tāta vivardhanam