Shloka 28

Devanagari script

धनदारात्मजापृक्ता यत्र शोचन्ति ब्राह्मणा: । ते वै राजन्यवेषेण नटा जीवन्त्यसुम्भरा: ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

dhana-dārātmajāpṛktā yatra śocanti brāhmaṇāḥ te vai rājanya-veṣeṇa naṭā jīvanty asum-bharāḥ

Translation

The rulers of a kingdom in which brāhmaṇas lament over lost wealth, wives and children are merely imposters playing the role of kings just to earn their livelihood.

Synonyms

• धन-दार-आत्मजा-अपृक्ताः: deprived of wealth, wife, and sons
• धन-दार-आत्मजा-अपृक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक) + अपृक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √पृच्/पृक् ‘to mix’ + a- neg.)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘धनेन दारैः आत्मजैः च अपृक्ताः’ (deprived of wealth, wife, and sons)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• शोचन्ति: lament/grieve
• शोचन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणाः: brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• राजन्य-वेषेण: by the guise of a kṣatriya
• राजन्य-वेषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतुवाचक (instrumental: by/with the guise of a kṣatriya)

• नटाः: actors/mountebanks
• नटाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जीवन्ति: live
• जीवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• असुम्भराः: barely alive / wretched
• असुम्भराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असु (प्रातिपदिक) + भर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘असुं न भरन्ति’ = barely sustaining life

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Kṣatriyas (rājanya)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kali Yuga rulers who only appear righteous?

This verse describes such leaders as ‘actors’ in royal dress—externally posing as kṣatriyas while lacking the real capacity and dharma needed to protect society, resulting in the suffering of brāhmaṇas.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī highlight the suffering of brāhmaṇas in this verse?

Because in the Bhagavatam, the protection and honoring of brāhmaṇas is a key measure of dharmic governance; when rulers become hypocritical, brāhmaṇas are deprived and the social order collapses.

What is a practical modern lesson from this Bhagavatam shloka?

Real leadership means responsibility and service, not mere appearance or title; when authority is disconnected from integrity and protection of the virtuous, society’s most principled people suffer.