652
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 16]
within the body, which is exhibited internally and externally but is always neutral to all affairs.
TEXT 13
नादण्ड्यं दण्डयत्येष सुतमात्मद्विषामपि । दण्डयत्यात्मजमपि दण्ड्यं धर्मपथे स्थितः ॥१३॥
nādaṇḍyam daṇḍayaty eṣa sutam ātma-dviṣām api daṇḍayaty ātma-jam api daṇḍyam dharma-pathe sthitaḥ
na—not; adaṇḍyam—not punishable; daṇḍayati—punishes; eṣaḥ—this King; sutam—the son; ātma-dviṣām—of his enemies; api—even; daṇḍayati—he punishes; ātma-jam—his own son; api—even; daṇḍyan—punishable; dharma-pathe—on the path of piety; sthitaḥ—being situated.
TRANSLATION
Since this King will always remain on the path of piety, he will be neutral to both his son and the son of his enemy. If the son of his enemy is not punishable, he will not punish him, but if his son is punishable, he will immediately punish him.
PURPORT
These are the characteristics of an impartial ruler. It is the duty of a ruler to punish the criminal and give protection to the innocent. King Pṛthu was so neutral that if his own son were punishable, he would not hesitate to punish him. On the other hand, if the son of his enemy were innocent, he would not engage in some intrigue in order to punish him.
TEXT 14
अस्याप्रतिहतं चक्रं पृथोरामानसाचलात् । वर्तते भगवानको यावत्तपति गोगणैः ॥१४॥
asyāpratihatam cakram pṛthor āmānasācalāt vartate bhagavān arko yāvat tapati go-gaṇaiḥ