962 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 18

abhuta-purvah sahasa
ksut-trdbhyam arditatmanah

brahmanam praty abhud brahman
matsaro‘manyur eva ca

abhiita-piirvah—unprecedented; sahasd—circumstantially; ksuwt—hunger;
trdbhyam—as well as by thirst; ardita—being distressed; atmanah—of his
self; brahmanam—unto a brahmana; prati—against; abhit—became;
brahman—O brahmanas; matsarah—envious; manyuh—angry; eva—thus;
ca—and.

TRANSLATION

O brahmanas, the King’s anger and envy, directed toward the brahmana
sage, were unprecedented, being that circumstances had made him hungry
and thirsty.

PURPORT

For a king like Maharaja Pariksit to become angry and envious, espe-
cially at a sage and brahmana, was undoubtedly unprecedented. The King
knew well that brahmanas, sages, children, women and old men are always
beyond the jurisdiction of punishment. Similarly, the king, even though
he commits a great mistake, is never to be considered a wrongdoer. But in
this case, Maharaja Pariksit became angry and envious at the sage due to
his thirst and hunger, by the will of the Lord. The King was right to punish
his subject for coldly receiving him or neglecting him, but because the
culprit was a sage and a brahmana, it was unprecedented. As the Lord is
never envious of anyone, so also the Lord’s devotee is never envious of
anyone. The only justification for Maharaja Pariksit’s behavior is that it
was ordained by the Lord.

TEXT 30

ag waa WNIT VT!

Rftrorrarara Pra GeanTd: Roll

sa tu brahma-rser amse
gatasum uragam rusa

vinirgacchan dhanuskotya
nidhaya puram agatah
