838 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 2]

and philosophers, makes life a risky situation in which human beings do
not know whether they are making progress in life. According to Srimad-
Bhagavatam, they are simply progressing to the darkest region of material
existence. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram (Bhag. 7.5.30). The Krsna
consciousness movement has therefore been started to give philosophers,
scientists and people in general the proper knowledge about the destiny of
life. Everyone should take advantage of this movement and learn the real
goal of life.

TEXT 24

Y TAH Tal Tal TAA |
Walat TAS YS at a el Tala a URvill

ya uddharet karam raja
praja dharmesv asiksayan
prajanam samalam bhunkte
bhagam ca svam jahati sah
yah—anyone (king or governor); uddharet—exact; karam—taxes; raja—
king; prajah—the citizens; dharmesu—in executing their respective duties;
asiksayan—without teaching them how to execute their respective duties;
prajanam—of the citizens; samalam—impious; bhunkte—enjoys; bhagam—
fortune; ca—also; svam—own; jahati-gives up; sah—that king.

TRANSLATION

Any king who does not teach his citizens about their respective duties
in terms of varna and asrama but who simply exacts tolls and taxes from
them is liable to suffer for the impious activities which have been
performed by the citizens. In addition to such degradation, the king also
loses his own fortune.

PURPORT

A king, governor or president should not take the opportunity to
occupy his post without also discharging his duty. He must teach the
people within the state how to observe the divisions of varna and asrama.
If a king neglects to give such instructions and is simply satisfied with
levying taxes, then those who share in the collection—namely, all the
government servants and the head of the state—are liable to share in the
impious activities of the general masses. The laws of nature are very subtle.
For example, if one eats in a place which is very sinful, he shares in the
resultant reaction of the sinful activities performed there. (It is a Vedic
