680 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 17
dictate that a woman, a cow, a child, a brahmana and an old man must be
given all protection by the king or anyone else. Consequently mother
earth took the shape of a cow. She was also a woman. Thus she appealed
to the King as one who knows the principles of religion. Religious
principles also dictate that one is not to be killed if he surrenders. She
reminded King Prthu that not only was he an incarnation of God, but he
was situated as the King of the earth as well. Therefore his duty was to
excuse her.
TEXT 19
aed frataa Tenctarapals ferry |
sefaoreri att wig ef at wa: 8n
sa tvam jighdmsase kasmad
dindm akrta-kilbisam
ahanisyat katham yosam
dharma-jiia iti yo matah

sah—that very person; tvam—you; jighadmsase—want to kill; kasmat—
why; dindm—poor; akrta—without having done; kilbisam—any sinful
activities; ahanisyat—would kill; katham—how; yosam—a woman; dharma-
jiah—the knower of religious principles; iti—thus; yah—one who; matah—
is considered.

TRANSLATION

The cow-shaped earth continued to appeal to the King: I am very poor
and have not committed any sinful activities. | do not know why you
want to kill me. Since you are supposed to be the knower of all religious
principles, why are you so envious of me, and why are you so anxious to
kill a woman?

PURPORT

The earth appealed to the King in two ways. A king who knows religious
principles cannot kill anyone who has not committed sinful activities.
Apart from this, a woman is not to be killed, even if she does commit some
sinful activities. Since the earth was innocent and was also a woman, the
King should not kill her.

TEXT 20
aaa 79 aity SATA Tay: |
fra cafien Ta SEM MATA | Roll
