Text 17]
The Descendants of Ajamīḍha
157
TRANSLATION
Because the King was able to make everyone happy for sense gratification, primarily by the touch of his hand, his name was Sāntanu. Once, when there was no rainfall in the kingdom for twelve years and the King consulted his learned brahminical advisors, they said, “You are faulty for enjoying the property of your elder brother. For the elevation of your kingdom and home, you should return the kingdom to him.”
PURPORT
One cannot enjoy sovereignty or perform an  agnihotra-yajña  in the presence of one’s elder brother, or else one becomes a usurper, known as  parivettā .
TEXTS 16–17
एवमुक्तो द्विजैर्येष्ठं छन्दयामास सोऽब्रवीत् । तन्मन्त्रिप्रहितैर्विप्रैर्वेदाद् विभ्रंशितो गिरा ॥१६॥ वेदवादातिवादान् वै तदा देवो ववर्ष ह । देवापिर्योगमास्थाय कलापग्राममाश्रितः ॥१७॥
evam ukto dvijair jyeṣṭham chandayām āsa so 'bravīt tan-mantri-prahitair viprair vedād vibhramśito girā
veda-vādātivādān vai tadā devo vavarṣa ha devāpir yogam āsthāya kalāpa-grāmam āśritaḥ
evam—thus (as above mentioned); uktaḥ—being advised; dvijaiḥ—by the brāhmaṇas; jyeṣṭham—unto his eldest brother, Devāpi; chandayām āsa—requested to take charge of the kingdom; saḥ—he (Devāpi); abravīt—said; tat-mantri—by Śāntanu’s minister; prahitaiḥ—instigated; vipraiḥ—by the brāhmaṇas; vedāt—from the