Shloka 56
Pṛthu Mahārāja Meets the Four Kumāras: Bhakti as the Boat Across Saṁsāra
राजेत्यधान्नामधेयं सोमराज इवापर: । सूर्यवद्विसृजन् गृह्णन् प्रतपंश्च भुवो वसु ॥ ५६ ॥
rājety adhān nāmadheyaṁ soma-rāja ivāparaḥ sūryavad visṛjan gṛhṇan pratapaṁś ca bhuvo vasu
Mahārāja Pṛthu became renowned as a king like Soma-rāja, the lord of the moon. He was also powerful and exacting like the sun-god, who bestows heat and light while at the same time drawing up the waters of the worlds.
In this verse Mahārāja Pṛthu is compared to the kings of the moon and sun. The king of the moon and the king of the sun serve as examples of how the Lord desires the universe to be ruled. The sun distributes heat and light and at the same time exacts water from all planets. The moon is very pleasing at night, and when one becomes fatigued after a day’s labor in the sun, he can enjoy the moonshine. Like the sun-god, Pṛthu Mahārāja distributed his heat and light to give protection to his kingdom, for without heat and light no one can exist. Similarly, Pṛthu Mahārāja exacted taxes and gave such strong orders to the citizens and government that no one had the power to disobey him. On the other hand, he pleased everyone just like the moonshine. Both the sun and the moon have particular influences by which they maintain order in the universe, and modern scientists and philosophers should become familiar with the Supreme Lord’s perfect plan for universal maintenance.
FAQs
This verse portrays the ideal king as moonlike in bestowing honor and nourishment, and sunlike in fairly distributing and also withdrawing resources—maintaining order through disciplined governance.
The Moon symbolizes gentle bestowal and nurturing influence, while the Sun symbolizes regulated giving and taking; together they describe balanced leadership—kind yet firm, generous yet accountable.
Leadership—at home, work, or society—should combine compassion with responsibility: give support and recognition, but also set limits, enforce fairness, and manage resources without exploitation.