644
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 16]
PURPORT
The duty of the king or the head of the government is described very nicely in this verse. It is the duty of the governmental head to see that people strictly follow a religious life. A king should also be strict in chastising the atheists. In other words, an atheistic or godless government should never be supported by a king or governmental chief. That is the test of good government. In the name of secular government, the king or governmental head remains neutral and allows people to engage in all sorts of irreligious activities. In such a state people cannot be happy despite all economic development. However, in this age of Kali there are no pious kings. Instead, rogues and thieves are elected to head the government. But how can the people be happy without religion and God consciousness? The rogues exact taxes from the citizens for their own sense enjoyment, and in the future the people will be so much harassed that according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam they will flee from their homes and country and take shelter in the forest. However, in Kali-yuga, democratic government can be captured by Kṛṣṇa conscious people. If this can be done, the general populace can be made very happy.
TEXT 5
एष वै लोकपालानां बिभर्त्येकस्तनौ तनूः । काले काले यथाभागं लोकयोरुभयोर्हितम् ॥ ५ ॥
eṣa vai loka-pālānām bibharty ekas tanau tanūḥ kāle kāle yathā-bhāgam lokayor ubhayor hitam
eṣaḥ—this King; vai—certainly; loka-pālānām—of all the demigods; bibharti—bears; ekaḥ—alone; tanau—in his body; tanūḥ—the bodies; kāle kāle—in due course of time; yathā—according to; bhāgam—proper share; lokayoḥ—of planetary systems; ubhayoḥ—both; hitam—welfare.
TRANSLATION
This King alone, in his own body, will be able in due course of time to maintain all living entities and keep them in a pleasant condition by manifesting himself as different demigods to perform various departmental activities. Thus he will maintain the upper planetary system by inducing