Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 11
Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow
Bhūmi as Gauḥ
वयं राजञ्जाठरेणाभितप्तायथाग्निना कोटरस्थेन वृक्षा: । त्वामद्य याता: शरणं शरण्यंय: साधितो वृत्तिकर: पतिर्न: ॥ १० ॥ तन्नो भवानीहतु रातवेऽन्नंक्षुधार्दितानां नरदेवदेव । यावन्न नङ्क्ष्यामह उज्झितोर्जावार्तापतिस्त्वं किल लोकपाल: ॥ ११ ॥
vayaṁ rājañ jāṭhareṇābhitaptā yathāgninā koṭara-sthena vṛkṣāḥ tvām adya yātāḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ yaḥ sādhito vṛtti-karaḥ patir naḥ
噢，宛如天神的人王啊，请怜悯我们这些被饥饿折磨的人，安排适当分配粮食以平息饥火。趁我们精力未尽之前护佑我们；因为您确是我们生计之主、世间的守护者。
It is the duty of the king to see that everyone in the social orders — brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra — is fully employed in the state. Just as it is the duty of the brāhmaṇas to elect a proper king, it is the duty of the king to see that all the varṇas — brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra — are fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. It is here indicated that although the people were allowed to perform their duties, they were still unemployed. Although they were not lazy, they still could not produce sufficient food to satisfy their hunger. When the people are perplexed in this way, they should approach the head of government, and the president or king should take immediate action to mitigate the distress of the people.
FAQs
This verse shows that an ideal ruler is expected to protect citizens from hunger and collapse of livelihood, acting as a loka-pāla (guardian) and vārtā-pati (maintainer of sustenance).
Because famine and scarcity had left them weakened and starving, they appealed to Pṛthu as the responsible protector-king to arrange food and restore the means of living.
Leaders—at home, work, or government—should see “protection” as ensuring basic well-being (food, security, stability) and taking responsibility when others are vulnerable.