Text 12] The Harinsa-guhya Prayers 201
TEXT 12
areata fragt ty ca: Tem fee: Teas
Gta: Tatat Peto Paat TA: Eq 22
tokanam pitarau bandhi
drsah paksma striyah patih
patih prajanam bhiksinam
grhy ajnanam budhah suhrt

tokandm—of children; pitarau—the two parents; bandhi—the
friends; drsah—of the eye; paksma—the eyelid; striyah—of the
woman; patih—the husband; patih—the protector; prajandm—of
the subjects; bhiksiindm—of the beggars; grhi—the householder;
ajnandm—of the ignorant; budhah—the learned; su-hrt—the friend.

TRANSLATION

As the father and mother are the friends and maintainers of
their children, as the eyelid is the protector of the eye, as the hus-
band is the maintainer and protector of a woman, as the house-
holder is the maintainer and protector of beggars, and as the
learned is the friend of the ignorant, so the king is the protector
and giver of life to all his subjects. The trees are also subjects of
the king. Therefore they should be given protection.

PURPORT

By the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead, there are various
protectors and maintainers for helpless living entities. The trees are also
considered prajds, subjects of the king, and therefore the duty of the
monarch is to protect even the trees, not to speak of others. The king is
duty-bound to protect the living entities in his kingdom. Thus although
the parents are directly responsible for the protection and maintenance
of their children, the duty of the king is to see that all parents do their
duty properly. Similarly, the king is also responsible for overseeing the
other protectors mentioned in this verse. It may also be noted that the
beggars who should be maintained by the householders are not
