Shloka 18
The Sūtas Foretell the Glories and Future Deeds of King Pṛthu
देहिनामात्मवत्प्रेष्ठ: सुहृदां नन्दिवर्धन: । मुक्तसङ्गप्रसङ्गोऽयं दण्डपाणिरसाधुषु ॥ १८ ॥
dehinām ātmavat-preṣṭhaḥ suhṛdāṁ nandi-vardhanaḥ mukta-saṅga-prasaṅgo ’yaṁ daṇḍa-pāṇir asādhuṣu
That king will hold all embodied beings as dear as his own self and will ever increase the joy of his friends. He will keep close company with liberated souls, and to the impious he will be a chastising hand.
The word dehinām refers to those who are embodied. The living entities are embodied in different forms, which number 8,400,000 species. All of these were treated by the King in the same way he would treat himself. In this age, however, so-called kings and presidents do not treat all other living entities as their own self. Most of them are meat-eaters, and even though they may not be meat-eaters and may pose themselves to be very religious and pious, they still allow cow slaughter within their state. Such sinful heads of state cannot actually be popular at any time. Another significant word in this verse is mukta-saṅga-prasaṅgaḥ, which indicates that the King was always associating with liberated persons.
FAQs
This verse describes the ideal king as compassionate to all beings, beloved like one who sees others as himself, detached from selfish attachment, yet actively engaged for others’ welfare—and firm in punishing the wicked.
Because Pṛthu’s detachment means he acts without personal motive, while his punishment of wrongdoers is a duty of protection—discipline used to uphold dharma and safeguard innocent citizens.
Cultivate empathy and responsibility: act for others’ welfare without selfish gain, support the virtuous, and set firm boundaries against harmful behavior—balancing compassion with principled discipline.