SB 12.1.41
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 41
- tan-nāthās te janapadās
- tac-chīlācāra-vādinaḥ
- anyonyato rājabhiś ca
- kṣayaṁ yāsyanti pīḍitāḥ
SYNONYMS
tat-nāthāḥ — the subjects having these kings as rulers; te — they; jana-padāḥ — the residents of the cities; tat — of these kings; śīla — (imitating) the character; ācāra — behavior; vādinaḥ — and speech; anyonyataḥ — one another; rājabhiḥ — by the kings; ca — and; kṣayam yāsyanti — they will become ruined; pīḍitāḥ — tormented.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
The citizens governed by these low-class kings will imitate the character, behavior and speech of their rulers. Harassed by their leaders and by each other, they will all suffer ruination.
PURPORT
At the end of the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated that Ripuñjaya, or Purañjaya, the first king mentioned in this chapter, ended his rule about one thousand years after the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared approximately five thousand years ago, Purañjaya must have appeared about four thousand years ago. That would mean that Viśvasphūrji, the last king mentioned, would have appeared approximately in the twelfth century of the Christian era.
Modern Western scholars have made the false accusation that Indian religious literature has no sense of chronological history. But the elaborate historical chronology described in this chapter certainly refutes that naive assessment.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Twelfth Canto, First Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Degraded Dynasties of Kali-yuga."