Shloka 23
Bhṛgu Tests the Trimūrti; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Visit Mahā-Viṣṇu and Recover the Brāhmaṇa’s Sons
ब्रह्मद्विष: शठधियो लुब्धस्य विषयात्मन: । क्षत्रबन्धो: कर्मदोषात् पञ्चत्वं मे गतोऽर्भक: ॥ २३ ॥
brahma-dviṣaḥ śaṭha-dhiyo lubdhasya viṣayātmanaḥ kṣatra-bandhoḥ karma-doṣāt pañcatvaṁ me gato ’rbhakaḥ
This unfit kṣatriya—an enemy of the brāhmaṇas, duplicitous in mind, greedy and addicted to sense pleasure—by faults in his duty has brought my child to death.
Presuming that he himself had done nothing to cause his son’s death, the brāhmaṇa thought it reasonable to blame King Ugrasena. In the Vedic social system, the monarch is considered responsible for everything occurring in his kingdom, good or bad. Even in a democracy, a manager who takes charge of some group or project should accept personal responsibility for any failure rather than, as is so common today, trying to place the blame on his subordinates or superiors.
FAQs
This verse condemns brahma-dveṣa—hostility toward brāhmaṇas—as a grave moral fault, associating it with crookedness, greed, and sense-absorption, and presenting it as destructive for society and governance.
In the narrative, the brāhmaṇa’s children repeatedly died, and he blamed the ruler’s failure of dharma—portraying the king as unfit and spiritually blameworthy—for allowing such misfortune to occur under his protection.
It warns against greed, deceit, and contempt for spiritual learning; it also highlights accountability in leadership—those in power should protect, act ethically, and avoid policies driven by sense-gratification.