Text-09-13

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prthuh pururava gadhir

 nahuso bharato ’rjunah

mandhata sagaro ramah

 khatvango dhundhuha raghuh

 

trnabindur yayatis ca

 saryatih santanur gayah

bhagirathah kuvalayasvah

 kakutstho naisadho nrgah

 

hiranyakasipur vrtro

 ravano loka-ravanah

namucih sambaro bhaumo

 hiranyakso ’tha tarakah

 

anye ca bahavo daitya

 rajano ye mahesvarah

sarve sarva-vidah surah

 sarve sarva-jito ’jitah

 

mamatam mayy avartanta

 krtvoccair martya-dharminah

kathavasesah kalena

 hy akrtarthah krta vibho

 

Translation: 

 

“Such kings as Prthu, Pururava, Gadhi, Nahusa, Bharata, Kartavirya Arjuna, Mandhata, Sagara, Rama, Khatvanga, Dhundhuha, Raghu, Trnabindu, Yayati, Saryati, Santanu, Gaya, Bhagiratha, Kuvalayasva, Kakutstha, Naisadha, Nrga, Hiranyakasipu, Vrtra, Ravana, who made the whole world lament, Namuci, Sambara, Bhauma, Hiranyaksa and Taraka, as well as many other demons and kings who possessed great powers of control over others, were all full of knowledge, heroic, all-conquering and unconquerable. Nevertheless, O almighty Lord, although they lived their lives intensely trying to possess me, these kings were subject to the passage of time, which reduced them all to mere historical accounts. None of them could permanently establish their rule.”

 

Purport: 

 

According to Srila Sridhara Svami, and as confirmed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, the King Rama mentioned here is not the incarnation of Godhead Ramacandra. Prthu Maharaja is understood to be an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who completely exhibited the characteristics of an earthly king, claiming proprietorship over the entire earth. A saintly king like Prthu Maharaja, however, controls the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas a demon such as Hiranyakasipu or Ravana tries to exploit the earth for his personal sense gratification. Nevertheless, both saintly kings and demons must leave the earth. In this way their political supremacy is ultimately neutralized by the force of time.

 

Modern political leaders cannot even temporarily control the entire earth, nor are their opulences and intelligence unlimited. Possessing hopelessly fragmented power, enjoying a minuscule life span, and lacking deep existential intelligence, modern leaders inevitably are symbols of frustration and misdirected ambition.