96 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 16
PURPORT

In this verse the word bala-hatya-hata-prabhah is to be particularly
noted. The practice of killing children has existed in human society for a
long time—since time immemorial—but in the days of yore it was very
rarely performed. At the present moment, however, in this age of Kali,
abortion—killing of the child within the womb—has become very com-
mon, and sometimes a child is even killed after birth. If a woman per-
forms such an abominable act, she gradually loses all her bodily luster
(bala-hatya-hata-prabhah). It is also to be noted that the ladies who had
committed the sinful act of administering poison to the child were very
much ashamed, and according to the directions of the brahmanas, they
had to undergo atonement for killing the child. Any woman who has ever
performed such an infamously sinful act must atone for it, but no one
now is doing that. Under the circumstances, the women responsible must
suffer in this life and the next. Those who are sincere souls, after hearing
this incident, should refrain from such child-killing and should atone for
their sinful activities by taking to Krsna consciousness very seriously. If
one chants the Hare Krsna mahd-mantra without offenses, all of one’s
sinful actions are surely atoned for immediately, but one should not com-
mit such deeds again, for that is an offense.

TEXT 15
a red afrgarem Reraafaanteata: |
TTR: TUTETRT FET LEI
sa ittham pratibuddhatma
citraketur dvyoktibhih
grhandha-kipan niskrantah
sarah-pankad iva dvipah

sah—he; ittham—in this way; pratibuddha-atma —being fully aware
of spiritual knowledge; citraketuh—King Citraketu; dvija-uktibhih—by
the instructions of the perfect brahmanas (Angira and Narada Muni);
grha-andha-kiipat—from the dark well of family life; niskrantah—
came out; sarah—of a lake or reservoir of water; parkat—from the
mud; iva—like; dvipah—an elephant.
