976 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 18

TEXT 44

qa at TIAIeTaad
TANITA «= - TalaTTEN |
qe Aha Viet gd
Tae Paasul FETA TAIL BIUI

tad adya nah papam upaity ananvayam
yan nasta-nathasya vasor vilumpakat

parasparam ghnanti Sapanti vriijate
pasin striyo’rthan puru-dasyavo janah

tat—for this reason;adya—from this day ;nak—upon us; papam—reaction
of sin; upaiti—will overtake; ananvayam—disruption; yat—because; nasta—
abolished; na@thasya—of the monarchy; vasoh—of wealth; vilumpakat—
being plundered; parasparam—between one another; ghnanti—will kill;
Sapanti—will do harm; vriijate—will steal; pasiin—animals; striyah—women;
arthan—riches; puru— greatly ;dasyavah—thieves; janah—the mass of people.

TRANSLATION

Due to the termination of the monarchical regimes and the plundering
of the people’s wealth by rogues and thieves, there will be great social
disruptions. People will be killed and injured, and animals and women will
be stolen. And for all these sins we shall be responsible.

PURPORT

The word nah (we) is very significant in this verse. The sage rightly
takes the responsibility of the brahmanas as a community for killing
monarchical government and thus giving an opportunity to the so-called
democrats, who are generally plunderers of the wealth of the state subjects.
The so-called democrats capture the administrative machine without as-
suming responsibility for the prosperous condition of the citizens. Every-
one captures the post for personal gratification, and thus instead of one
king, a number of irresponsible kings grow up to tax the citizens. It is
foretold herein that in the absence of good monarchical government,
everyone will be the cause of disturbance for others by plundering riches,
animals, women, etc.
