Text 21]
Mahārāja Pṛthu Becomes Angry at the Earth
681
praharanti na vai strīṣu
kṛtāgaḥsv api jantavaḥ
kim uta tvad-vidhā rājan
karuṇā dīna-vatsalāḥ
praharanti —strike;  na —never;  vai —certainly;  strīṣu —women;  kṛta-āgaḥsu —having committed sinful activities;  api —although;  jantavaḥ —human beings;  kim uta —then what to speak of;  tvat-vidhāḥ —personalities like you;  rājan —O King;  karuṇāḥ —merciful;  dīna-vatsalāḥ —affectionate to the poor.
TRANSLATION
Even if a woman does commit some sinful activity, no one should place his hand upon her. And what to speak of you, dear King, who are so merciful. You are a protector, and you are affectionate to the poor.
TEXT 21
मां विपाट्याजरां नावं यत्र विश्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ।
अत्मानं च प्रजाश्वेमाः कथमम्भसि धास्यसि ॥२१॥
mām vipāṭyājarām nāvam
yatra viśvam pratiṣṭhitam
ātmānam ca prajāś cemāḥ
katham ambhasi dhāsyasi
mām —me;  vipāṭya —breaking to pieces;  ajarām —very strong;  nāvam —boat;  yatra —where;  viśvam —all worldly paraphernalia;  pratiṣṭhitam —standing;  ātmānam —yourself;  ca —and;  prajāḥ —your subjects;  ca —also;  imāḥ —all these;  katham —how;  ambhasi —in the water;  dhāsyasi —you will hold.
TRANSLATION
The cow-shaped earth continued: My dear King, I am just like a strong boat, and all the paraphernalia of the world is standing upon me. If you break me to pieces, how can you protect yourself and your subjects from drowning?
PURPORT
Beneath the entire planetary system is the  garbha  water. Lord Viṣṇu lies on this  garbha  water, and from His abdomen a lotus stem grows, and all the planets within the universe are floating in the air being supported by this lotus stem. If a planet is destroyed, it must fall into the water of