Text 50] Instructions by Maharaja Prthu 881

all living entities, the king or the executive head of the government must
be a representative of the Supreme Person. Then he can claim honor
exactly like the Lord’s. How a king or leader of society can become the
representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also indicated
in this verse by the statement that because Prthu Maharaja was preaching
the supremacy and the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Visnu, he was therefore a proper representative of the Lord, To remain
under the jurisdiction or administration of such a king or leader is the
perfect status for human society. The primary responsibility of such a
king or leader is to protect the brahminical culture and the cows in his
state.

TEXT 50

AAA AT TANTRA |
TAG Rea Hla: ReMETANT 11% ofl

natyadbhutam idam natha
tavajivyanusasanam

prajanurago mahatam
prakrtih karunatmanam

na—not; ati—very great; adbhutam—wonderful; idam—this; natha—®
lord; tava—your; ajivya—source of income; anusasanam-ruling over the
citizens; praja—citizens; anuragah—affection; mahatam—of the great;
prakrtih—nature; karuna—merciful; atmanam—of the living entities.

TRANSLATION

Our dear lord, it is your occupational duty to rule over your citizens.
That is not a very wonderful task for a personality like you, who are so
affectionate in seeing to the interests of the citizens, because you are
full of mercy. That is the greatness of your character.

PURPORT

A king’s duty is to give protection to his citizens and levy taxes from
them for his livelihood. Since the -Vedic society is divided into four
classes of men—the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaigyas and sudras—their means
of livelihood are also mentioned in the scriptures. The brahmanas should
live by spreading knowledge and therefore should take contributions from
their disciples, whereas a king should give protection to the citizens for
their development to the highest standard of life, and he can therefore
