92
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 2]
cannot properly judge who is to be punished and who is not. It is said that in the Kali-yuga if one cannot spend money in court, one cannot get justice. Indeed, in courts of justice it is often found that magistrates are bribed for favorable judgments. Sometimes religious men who preach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for the benefit of the entire populace are arrested and harassed by the police and courts. The Viṣṇudūtas, who are Vaiṣṇavas, lamented for these very regrettable facts. Because of their spiritual compassion for all the fallen souls, Vaiṣṇavas go out to preach according to the standard method of all religious principles, but unfortunately, because of the influence of Kali-yuga, Vaiṣṇavas who have dedicated their lives to preaching the glories of the Lord are sometimes harassed and punished by courts on false charges of disturbing the peace.
TEXT 3
प्रजानां पितरो ये च शास्तारः साधवः समाः । यदि स्यात्तेषु वैषम्यं कं यान्ति शरणं प्रजाः ॥ ३ ॥
prajānām pitaro ye ca śāstāraḥ sādhavaḥ samāḥ yadi syāt teṣu vaiṣamyam kam yānti śaraṇam prajāḥ
prajānām —of the citizens;  pitaraḥ —protectors, guardians (kings or government servants);  ye —they who;  ca —and;  śāstāraḥ —give instructions concerning law and order;  sādhavaḥ —endowed with all good qualities;  samāḥ —equal to everyone;  yadi —if;  syāt —there is;  teṣu —among them;  vaiṣamyam —partiality;  kam —what;  yānti —will go to;  śaraṇam —shelter;  prajāḥ —the citizens.
TRANSLATION
A king or governmental official should be so well qualified that he acts as a father, maintainer and protector of the citizens because of affection and love. He should give the citizens good advice and instructions according to the standard scriptures and should be equal to everyone. Yamarāja does this, for he is the supreme master of justice, and so do those who follow in his footsteps.