1236 Stimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 26
krtagahsv adtmasat krtva
siksd-dandam na yuiijate

puranjanah uvdca—Purafijana said; ninam—certainly; tu—then; akrta-
punyah—those who are not pious; te—such; bhrtyah—servants; yesu—unto
whom; isvarah—the masters; Subhe—O most auspicious one; krta-agahsu—
having committed an offense; adtmasat—accepting as their own; krtva—
doing so; siksd—instructive; dandam—punishment; na yufijate—do not
give.

TRANSLATION

King Purafijana said: My dear beautiful wife, when a master accepts a
servant as his own man but does not punish him for his offenses, the
servant must be considered unfortunate.

PURPORT

According to Vedic civilization, domestic animals and servants are
treated exactly like one’s own children. Animals and children are some-
times punished not out of vengeance but out of love. Similarly, a master
sometimes punishes his servant, not out of vengeance but out of love, to
correct him and bring him to the right point. Thus King Purafijana took
his punishment dealt by his wife, the Queen, as mercy upon him. He
considered himself the most obedient servant of the Queen. She was angry
at him for his sinful activities—namely, hunting in the forest and leaving
her at home. King Purafjana accepted the punishment as actual love and
affection from his wife. In the same way, when a person is punished by
the laws of nature, by the will of God, he should not be disturbed. A real
devotee thinks in this way. When a devotee is put into an awkward
position, he takes it as the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

tat te ‘nukampam su-samiksamano
bhufijdna evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
Jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak (Bhag. 10.14.8)

This verse states that the devotee accepts a reversal of his position in
life as a benediction by the Lord and consequently offers the Lord more
obeisances and prayers, thinking that the punishment is due to his past
misdeeds and that the Lord is punishing him very mildly. The punishment
