590 Stimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 14
aheh—of a snake; iva—like; payah—with milk; posah—the maintaining;
posakasya—of the maintainer; api—even; anartha—against the interest;
bhrt—becomes; venah—King Vena; prakrtya—by nature; eva—certainly;
khalah—mischievous; sunitha—of Sunitha, Vena’s mother; garbha—the
womb; sambhavah—born of.
TRANSLATION
The sages began to think within themselves: Because he was born in the
womb of Sunitha, King Vena is by nature very mischievous. Supporting
this mischievous king is exactly like maintaining a snake with milk. Now
he has become a source of all difficulties.
PURPORT
Saintly persons are generally aloof from social activities and the mate-
rialistic way of life. King Vena was supported by the saintly persons just
to protect the citizens from the hands of rogues and thieves, but after his
ascendance to the throne, he became a source of trouble to the sages.
Saintly people are especially interested in performing sacrifices and
austerities for the advancement of spiritual life, but Vena, instead of being
obliged because of the saints’ mercy, turned out to be their enemy because
he prohibited them from executing their ordinary duties. A serpent who is
maintained with milk and bananas simply stores poison in his teeth and
awaits the day to bite his master.
TEXT 11
Frefta: sarata: a faratafa? san: |
TATE ATTA ATA RTCTTATS CTA 12 VII
niriipitah praja-palah
sa jighamsati vai prajah
tathapi santvayemamum
ndsmams tat-patakam sprset
niripitah—appointed; praja-palah—the king; sah—he; jighamsati—desires
to harm; vai—certainly; prajah—the citizens; tathapi—nevertheless;
santvayema—we should pacify; amum—him; na—not; asman—us; tat—his;
patakam-—sinful result; sprset—may touch.
TRANSLATION
We appointed this Vena king of the state in order to give protection
to the citizens, but now he has become the enemy of the citizens. Despite
