Shloka 23
The Lord’s Apology to the Kumāras and the Fall of Jaya and Vijaya
न त्वं द्विजोत्तमकुलं यदिहात्मगोपं गोप्ता वृष: स्वर्हणेन ससूनृतेन । तर्ह्येव नङ्क्ष्यति शिवस्तव देव पन्था लोकोऽग्रहीष्यदृषभस्य हितत्प्रमाणम् ॥ २३ ॥
na tvaṁ dvijottama-kulaṁ yadi hātma-gopaṁ goptā vṛṣaḥ svarhaṇena sa-sūnṛtena tarhy eva naṅkṣyati śivas tava deva panthā loko ’grahīṣyad ṛṣabhasya hi tat pramāṇam
O Lord, if You do not protect the highest line of the twice-born, who are under Your own guardianship, by accepting their worship and gentle words, then Your auspicious path of devotion will be cast aside. People in general, relying on Your authority, will abandon that way.
In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated by the Lord Himself that the acts and character of great authorities are followed by people in general. Leaders of ideal character are therefore needed in society. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in this material world just to show the example of perfect authority, and people have to follow His path. The Vedic injunction is that one cannot understand the Absolute Truth simply by mental speculation or logical argument. One has to follow the authorities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Great authorities should be followed; otherwise, if we simply depend on the scriptures, we are sometimes misled by rascals, or else we cannot understand or follow the different spiritual injunctions. The best path is to follow the authorities. The four brāhmaṇa sages stated that Kṛṣṇa is naturally the protector of the cows and brāhmaṇas: go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. When Kṛṣṇa was on this planet, He set a practical example. He was a cowherd boy, and He was very respectful to the brāhmaṇas and devotees.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord personally protects the most exalted brāhmaṇas as His own; without that protection, the auspicious path of dharma would be destroyed and society would follow irreligious standards.
After being obstructed by Jaya and Vijaya at Vaikuṇṭha, the sages offered prayers acknowledging that the Lord safeguards dharma and the saintly; they emphasize that His protection prevents society from being led by adharma.
Support and learn from genuinely principled, self-controlled spiritual teachers, and measure “progress” by dharma and truth rather than flattering rhetoric or trends that erode virtue.