Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 12
Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow
Bhūmi as Gauḥ
मैत्रेय उवाच पृथु: प्रजानां करुणं निशम्य परिदेवितम् । दीर्घं दध्यौ कुरुश्रेष्ठ निमित्तं सोऽन्वपद्यत ॥ १२ ॥
maitreya uvāca pṛthuḥ prajānāṁ karuṇaṁ niśamya paridevitam dīrghaṁ dadhyau kuruśreṣṭha nimittaṁ so ’nvapadyata
Maitreya sprach: Als König Pṛthu das klagende Weh der Bürger hörte und ihren erbarmungswürdigen Zustand sah, sann er lange nach, um die zugrunde liegende Ursache zu erkennen.
FAQs
It shows that an ideal ruler first listens to the suffering of the people with compassion, then reflects deeply to find the real cause before acting.
Because Pṛthu did not react impulsively; he carefully discerned the root reason behind the citizens’ lamentation, reflecting a dharmic, responsible ruler.
When facing problems, listen empathetically, pause to think clearly, and identify the true cause—then respond with measured, purposeful action.