624 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 12

Himalayas, entrusted Krpacarya with Maharaja Pariksit as his disciple, and
he left home satisfied because of Krpacarya’s taking charge of Maharaja
Pariksit. The great administrators, kings and emperors were always under
the guidance of learned brahmanas like Krpacarya and thus were able to
act properly in the discharge of political responsibilities.

TEXT 14

few ani net ra STATA AAT |
ma reaad 3 Fara: ards Arial 2 vl

hiranyam garmm mahim graman
hasty-asvan nrpatir varan

pradat svannam ca viprebhyah
praja-tirthe sa tirthavit

hiranyam—gold; gam—cows; mahim—land; graman—villages; hasti—
elephants; asvén—horses; nrpatih--the King; varén—rewards; pradat—gave
in charity; svannam—good food grains; ca—and; viprebhyah—unto the
brahmanas; praja-tirthe~on the occasion of giving in charity on the
birthday of a son; sah—he; tirtha-vit—one who knows how, when and
where charity is to be given.

TRANSLATION

Upon the birth of a son, the King, who knew how, where and when
charity should be given, gave gold, land, villages, elephants, horses and
good food grains to the brahmanas.

PURPORT

Only the brahmanas and sannyasis are authorized to accept charity from
the householders. In all the different occasions of samskaras, especially
during the time of birth, marriage and death, wealth is distributed to the
brahmanas because the brahmanas give the highest quality of service in
regards to the prime necessity of humankind. The charity was substantial
in the shape of gold, land, villages, horses, elephants and food grains, with
other materials for cooking complete foodstuff. The brahmanas were not,
therefore, poor in the actual sense of the term. On the contrary, because
