Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 18
King Vena’s Tyranny, the Sages’ Counsel, and the Birth of Niṣāda
यस्य राष्ट्रे पुरे चैव भगवान् यज्ञपूरुष: । इज्यते स्वेन धर्मेण जनैर्वर्णाश्रमान्वितै: ॥ १८ ॥
yasya rāṣṭre pure caiva bhagavān yajña-pūruṣaḥ ijyate svena dharmeṇa janair varṇāśramānvitaiḥ
यस्य राष्ट्रे पुरे चैव भगवान् यज्ञपूरुषः स्वेन धर्मेण वर्णाश्रमान्वितैर्जनैरिज्यते, स राजा धर्मात्मा॥
The state’s duty and the citizen’s duty are very nicely explained in this verse. The activities of the government head, or king, as well as the activities of the citizens, should be so directed that ultimately everyone engages in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The king, or government head, is supposed to be the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is therefore supposed to see that things go on nicely and that the citizens are situated in the scientific social order comprised of four varṇas and four āśramas. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is stated that unless people are educated or situated in the scientific social order comprised of four varṇas ( brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra ) and four āśramas ( brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa ), society can never be considered real human society, nor can it make any advancement towards the ultimate goal of human life. It is the duty of the government to see that things go on in terms of varṇa and āśrama. As stated herein, bhagavān yajña-pūruṣaḥ: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the yajña-pūruṣa. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) : bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām. Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate purpose of all sacrifice. He is also the enjoyer of all sacrifices; therefore He is known as yajña-pūruṣa. The word yajña-pūruṣa indicates Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa, or any Personality of Godhead in the category of viṣṇu-tattva. In perfect human society, people are situated in the orders of varṇa and āśrama and are engaged in worshiping Lord Viṣṇu by their respective activities. Every citizen engaged in an occupation renders service by the resultant actions of his activities. That is the perfection of life. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.46) :
FAQs
This verse teaches that an ideal society worships Bhagavān as Yajña-puruṣa by performing one’s prescribed duties in a God-centered way, aligning social order (varṇa-āśrama) with devotion.
In the narrative about righteous and unrighteous rulership (around King Vena), Śukadeva highlights that true prosperity and dharma rest on recognizing the Lord as the ultimate beneficiary of sacrifice and religious acts.
Do your responsibilities ethically and offer the results to God—through prayer, service, and devotion—so work becomes worship and society becomes spiritually grounded.