Text 56] Pṛthu Mahārāja's Meeting with the Four Kumāras
965
Even in this fallen age if the rulers, governors and presidents take advantage of Pṛthu Mahārāja's example, there will certainly be a reign of peace and prosperity throughout the world.
TEXT 56
राजेत्यधात्रामधेयं सोमराज इवापरः । 
    सूर्यवद्विसृजन् गृह्णन् प्रतपंश्च भुवो वसु ॥५६॥
rājety adhān nāma-dheyam 
    soma-rāja ivāparaḥ 
    sūrya-vad visṛjan gṛhṇan 
    pratapamś ca bhuvo vasu
rājā—the King; iti—thus; adhāt—took up; nāma-dheyam—of the name; soma-rājaḥ—the king of the moon planet; iva—like; aparaḥ—on the other hand; sūrya-vat—like the sun-god; visṛjan—distributing; gṛhṇan—exacting; pratapan—by strong ruling; ca—also; bhuvaḥ—of the world; vasu—revenue.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Pṛthu became as celebrated a king as Somarāja, the king of the moon. He was also powerful and exacting, just like the sun-god who distributes heat and light and at the same time exacts all the planetary waters.
PURPORT
In this verse Mahārāja Pṛthu is compared to the kings of the moon and sun. The king of the moon and the king of the sun serve as examples of how the Lord desires the universe to be ruled. The sun distributes heat and light and at the same time exacts water from all planets. The moon is very pleasing at night, and when one becomes fatigued after a day's labor in the sun, he can enjoy the moonshine. Like the sun-god, Pṛthu Mahārāja distributed his heat and light to give protection to his kingdom, for without heat and light no one can exist. Similarly, Pṛthu Mahārāja exacted taxes and gave such strong orders to the citizens and government that no one had the power to disobey him. On the other hand, he pleased everyone just like the moonshine. Both the sun and the moon have particular influences by which they maintain order in the universe, and modern scientists and philosophers should become familiar with the Supreme Lord's perfect plan for universal maintenance.