966 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 22

TEXT 57
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durdharsas tejasevagnir
mahendra iva durjayah
titiksaya dharitriva
dyaur ivabhista-do nrnam

durdharsah—unconquerable; tejasa—by prowess; iva—like; agnih—fire;
mahendrah—the king of heaven; iva—likened; durjayah—insuperable;
titiksaya—by tolerance; dharitri—the earth; iva—like; dyauh—the heavenly
planets; iva—like;abhista-dah—fulfilling desires; nrnam—of human society.

TRANSLATION

Maharaja Prthu was so strong and powerful that no one could disobey
his orders any more than one could conquer fire itself. He was so strong
that he was compared to Indra, the king of heaven, whose power is
insuperable. On the other hand, Maharaja Prthu was also as tolerant as
the earth, and in fulfilling various desires of human society, he was like
heaven itself.

PURPORT

It is the duty of a king to give protection to the citizens and to fulfill
their desires. At the same time, the citizens must obey the laws of the
state. Maharaja Prthu maintained all the standards of good government,
and he was so invincible that no one could disobey his orders any more
than a person could stop heat and light emanating from a fire. He was so
strong and powerful that he was compared to the king of heaven, Indra.
In this age modern scientists have been experimenting with nuclear
weapons, and in a former age they used to release brahmastras, but all
these brahmastras and nuclear weapons are insignificant compared to
the thunderbolt of the king of heaven. When Indra releases a thunderbolt,
even the biggest hills and mountains crack. On the other hand, Maharaja
Prthu was as tolerant as the earth itself, and he fulfilled all the desires of
his citizens, just as torrents of rain from the sky fulfill the need of the
earth for water. Without rainfall, it is not possible to survive on this
planet. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (parjanyad anna-sambhavah, Bg. 3.14),
food grains are produced only because rain falls from the sky, and without
