Shloka 21
Purañjana Goes Hunting — The Chariot of the Body, Violence of Passion, and Return to Conjugal Bondage
पुरञ्जन उवाच नूनं त्वकृतपुण्यास्ते भृत्या येष्वीश्वरा: शुभे । कृताग:स्वात्मसात्कृत्वा शिक्षादण्डं न युञ्जते ॥ २१ ॥
purañjana uvāca nūnaṁ tv akṛta-puṇyās te bhṛtyā yeṣv īśvarāḥ śubhe kṛtāgaḥsv ātmasāt kṛtvā śikṣā-daṇḍaṁ na yuñjate
King Purañjana said: “My auspicious, beautiful wife, when a master accepts a servant as his own, yet does not administer a corrective punishment for the servant’s offenses, that servant must be deemed unfortunate—poor in merit.”
According to Vedic civilization, domestic animals and servants are treated exactly like one’s own children. Animals and children are sometimes punished not out of vengeance but out of love. Similarly, a master sometimes punishes his servant, not out of vengeance but out of love, to correct him and bring him to the right point. Thus King Purañjana took his punishment dealt by his wife, the Queen, as mercy upon him. He considered himself the most obedient servant of the Queen. She was angry at him for his sinful activities, namely hunting in the forest and leaving her at home. King Purañjana accepted the punishment as actual love and affection from his wife. In the same way, when a person is punished by the laws of nature, by the will of God, he should not be disturbed. A real devotee thinks in this way. When a devotee is put into an awkward position, he takes it as the mercy of the Supreme Lord:
FAQs
This verse teaches that when offenses occur, responsible authorities should accept accountability and apply corrective discipline (śikṣā-daṇḍa) rather than neglecting moral correction.
Within the Purañjana narrative, he addresses his queen about mismanagement and lack of proper correction among attendants, highlighting the duty of those in authority to restrain wrongdoing.
It encourages responsible leadership—owning problems, setting clear standards, and using fair, corrective measures rather than ignoring faults that later grow into larger harm.