Shloka 17
The Sūtas Foretell the Glories and Future Deeds of King Pṛthu
मातृभक्ति: परस्त्रीषु पत्न्यामर्ध इवात्मन: । प्रजासु पितृवत्स्निग्ध: किङ्करो ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७ ॥
mātṛ-bhaktiḥ para-strīṣu patnyām ardha ivātmanaḥ prajāsu pitṛvat snigdhaḥ kiṅkaro brahma-vādinām
That king will honor all other women as mothers and regard his own wife as the other half of his body. To the citizens he will be like an affectionate father, and he will deem himself the obedient servant of the Lord’s devotees who proclaim His glories.
A learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother, looks on others’ property as garbage in the street, and treats others as he would treat his own self. These are the symptoms of a learned person as described by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. This should be the standard for education. Education does not mean having academic degrees only. One should execute what he has learned in his personal life. These learned characteristics were verily manifest in the life of King Pṛthu. Although he was the king, he treated himself as a servant of the Lord’s devotees. According to Vedic etiquette, if a devotee came to a king’s palace, the king would immediately offer his own seat to him. The word brahma-vādinām is very significant. Brahma-vādī refers to the devotees of the Lord. Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān are different terms for the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman is Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is accepted in Bhagavad-gītā (10.12) by Arjuna ( paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma ). Thus the word brahma-vādinām refers to the devotees of the Lord. The state should always serve the devotees of the Lord, and the ideal state should conduct itself according to the instructions of the devotee. Because King Pṛthu followed this principle, he is highly praised.
FAQs
This verse highlights Pṛthu Mahārāja’s exemplary character: devotion to his mother, strict respect toward other men’s wives, faithful unity with his own wife, fatherly care for citizens, and humble service to Vedic sages.
Because Pṛthu’s reign is presented as a model of rājadhrama—self-controlled personal conduct and compassionate governance—showing that a ruler’s purity and humility uphold social order and spiritual well-being.
Practice respect and boundaries in relationships, cultivate loyalty and responsibility in marriage, care for dependents with protective affection, and seek guidance from spiritually grounded teachers rather than acting from ego.