Text 23] Maharaja Rahiigana Meets Jada Bharata 367
nal, but although such relationships are temporary, when a person
takes the position of a king, his duty is to rule the citizens and
punish those who are disobedient to the laws. By punishing them,
he teaches the citizens to obey the laws of the state. Again, you
have said that punishing a person who is deaf and dumb is like
chewing the chewed or grinding the pulp; that is to say, there is no
benefit in it. However, if one is engaged in his own occupational
duty as ordered by the Supreme Lord, his sinful activities are cer-
tainly diminished. Therefore if one is engaged in his occupational
duty by force, he benefits because he can vanquish all his sinful ac-
tivities in that way.
PURPORT

This argument offered by Maharaja Rahigana is certainly very effec-
tive. In his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.4), Srila Ripa Gosvami says,
tasmat kenadpy updyena manah krsne nivesayet: somehow or other, one
should engage in Krsna consciousness. Actually every living being is an
eternal servant of Krsna, but due to forgetfulness, a living entity engages
himself as an eternal servant of mdyd. As long as one is engaged in
maya’s service, he cannot be happy. Our Krsna consciousness movement
aims at engaging people in Lord Krsna’s service. That will help them
become freed from all material contamination and sinful activity. This is
confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.10): vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah. By
becoming detached from material activities, we will be freed from fear
and anger. By austerity, one becomes purified and eligible to return
home, back to Godhead. The duty of the king is to rule his citizens in
such a way that they can become Krsna conscious. This would be very
beneficial for everyone. Unfortunately the king or president engages
people in sense gratification instead of the Lord’s service, and such ac-
tivities are certainly not beneficial for anyone. King Rahigana tried to
engage Jada Bharata in carrying the palanquin, which is a form of sense
gratification for the King. However, if one is engaged as a palanquin car-
rier in the Lord’s service, that is certainly beneficial. In this godless
civilization, if a president engages people somehow or other in devotional
service or the awakening of Krsna consciousness, he renders the very
best service to the citizens.
