Text 23] The Doorkeepers Cursed by the Sages * 659

TEXT 23

ad faaraage afterennd
Ta I aaa aaaaa |

aaa Teeata foaera 2a eT
araISTRTETTE fe TerATETTNIR3 II

na tvam dvijottama-kulam yadi hatma-gopam
gopta ursah svarhanena sa-siinrtena

tarhy eva nanksyati sivas tava deva pantha
loko ’grahisyad rsabhasya hi tat pramanam

na—not; tuam—You; dvija—of the twice-born;uttama-kulam—the highest
class; yadi—if; ha—indeed; atma-gopam—worthy to be protected by You;
gopta—the protector; vrsah—the best; svarhanena—by worship; sa-siinrtena
—along with mild words; tarhi—then; eva—certainly; nanksyati—
will be lost; sivah —auspicious; tava— Y our; deva—O Lord; panthah—the path;
lokah—the people in general; agrahisyat—would accept; rsabhasya—of the
best; hi—because; tat—that; pramanam—authority.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, You are the protector of the highest of the twice-born, and if
You do not protect them by offering worship and mild words, then
certainly the auspicious path of worship will be rejected by people in
general, who act on the strength and authority of Your Lordship.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita it is stated by the Lord Himself that the acts and
character of great authorities are followed by people in general. Leaders
of ideal character are therefore needed in society. Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, appeared in this material world just to show the
example of perfect authority, and people have to follow His path. The
Vedic injunction is that one cannot understand the Absolute Truth
simply by mental speculation or logical argument. One has to follow the
authorities. Mahdajano yena gatah sa panthah. Great authorities should be
followed; otherwise, if we simply depend on the scriptures, we are some-
times misled by rascals, or else we cannot understand or follow the
different spiritual injunctions. The best path is to follow the authorities.
