Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6 - Chapter 1 - Verse 11


Sanskrit:

आतिष्ठत सतां मार्गं कोपं यच्छत दीपितम् ।पित्रा पितामहेनापि जुष्टं व: प्रपितामहै: ॥ ११ ॥

ITRANS:

ātiṣṭhata satāṁ mārgaṁkopaṁ yacchata dīpitampitrā pitāmahenāpijuṣṭaṁ vaḥ prapitāmahaiḥ

Translation:

The path of goodness traversed by your father, grandfather and great-grandfathers is that of maintaining the subjects [prajās], including the men, animals and trees. That is the path you should follow. Unnecessary anger is contrary to your duty. Therefore I request you to control your anger.

Purport:

Here the words pitrā pitāmahenāpi juṣṭaṁ vaḥ prapitāmahaiḥ depict an honest royal family, consisting of the kings, their father, their grandfather and their great-grandfathers. Such a royal family has a prestigious position because it maintains the citizens, or prajās. The word prajā refers to one who has taken birth within the jurisdiction of the government. The exalted royal families were conscious that all living beings, whether human, animal or lower than animal, should be given protection. The modern democratic system cannot be exalted in this way because the leaders elected strive only for power and have no sense of responsibility. In a monarchy, a king with a prestigious position follows the great deeds of his forefathers. Thus Soma, the king of the moon, here reminds the Pracetās about the glories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfathers.