26
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 9, Ch. 9]
( paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān ). Because this  brāhmaṇa  was actually qualified and was also engaged in brahminical activities ( brahma-karma ), killing him would be a greatly sinful act, and the  brāhmaṇa 's wife requested that he not be killed.
TEXT 30
सोऽयं ब्रह्मर्षिवर्यस्ते राजर्षिप्रवराद् विभो । कथमर्हति धर्मज्ञ वधं पितुरिवात्मजः ॥३०॥
so 'yaṁ brahmarṣi-varyas te rājarṣi-pravarād vibho katham arhati dharma-jña vadhaṁ pitur ivātmajaḥ
saḥ —he, the  brāhmaṇa ;  ayam —this;  brahma-ṛṣi-varyaḥ —not only a  brāhmaṇa  but the best of great sages, or  brahmarṣis ;  te —also from you;  rāja-ṛṣi-pravarāt —who are the best of all saintly kings, or  rājarṣis ;  vibho —O master of the state;  katham —how;  arhati —he deserves;  dharma-jña —O you, who are quite aware of religious principles;  vadham —killing;  pituḥ —from the father;  iva —like;  ātmajaḥ —the son.
TRANSLATION
My lord, you are completely aware of the religious principles. As a son never deserves to be killed by his father, here is a  brāhmaṇa  who should be protected by the king, and never killed. How does he deserve to be killed by a  rājarṣi  like you?
PURPORT
The word  rājarṣi  refers to a king who behaves like a  ṛṣi , or sage. Such a king is also called  naradeva  because he is considered a representative of the Supreme Lord. Because his duty is to rule the kingdom to maintain brahminical culture, he never desires to kill a  brāhmaṇa . Generally, a  brāhmaṇa , woman, child, old man or cow is never regarded as punishable. Thus the wife of the  brāhmaṇa  requested the King to refrain from this sinful act.