Devanagari
उदहृष्यन् वारिजानि सूर्योत्थाने कुमुद् विना ।
राज्ञा तु निर्भया लोका यथा दस्यून् विना नृप ॥ ४७ ॥
Verse text
udahṛṣyan vārijāni
sūryotthāne kumud vinā
rājṣā tu nirbhayā lokā
yathā dasyūn vinā nṛpa
Synonyms
udahṛṣyan
—
blossomed abundantly
;
vāri
—
jāni — the lotuses
;
sūrya
—
the sun
;
utthāne
—
when it had arisen
;
kumut
—
the night-blooming kumut lotus
;
vinā
—
except
;
rājṣā
—
because of the presence of a king
;
tu
—
indeed
;
nirbhayāḥ
—
fearless
;
lokāḥ
—
the populace
;
yathā
—
as
;
dasyūn
—
the thieves
;
vinā
—
except for
;
nṛpa
—
O King .
Translation
O King Parīkṣit, when the autumn sun rose, all the lotus flowers blossomed happily, except the night-blooming kumut, just as in the presence of a strong ruler everyone becomes fearless, except the thieves.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O King Parīkṣit, when the autumn sun rose, all the lotus flowers blossomed happily, except the night-blooming kumut, just as in the presence of a strong ruler everyone becomes fearless, except the thieves.
KB 10.20.47
During the autumn, the lotus flowers in the lakes grow in large numbers because of the absence of lilies; both the lilies and the lotus flowers grow by sunshine, but during the autumn season the scorching sunshine helps only the lotus. This example is compared to a country where the king or the government is strong: the unwanted elements like thieves and robbers cannot prosper. When the citizens become confident that they will not be attacked by robbers, they develop with great satisfaction. A strong government is compared to the scorching sunshine in the autumn season, the lilies are compared to unwanted persons like robbers, and the lotus flowers are compared to the satisfied citizens.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Kumut means kumuda, the night blooming lotus. These lotuses are compared to the thieves (dasyu), and this is suggest by the sound ku (low class), mut (joy) , joyful among the fallen. Just as all except the thieves are happy when the king sits on the throne, when the sun rises up, all lotuses except the night blooming lotus open up.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The word vārijāni indicates any flower that grows in the water, not only the lotus. It is a general term, since the kumuda is included among the water growing flowers. Since the kumuda blooms at night it compared to thieves who flourish at night. When the king ascends the throne, or becomes active, all are fearless. Instead of yathā dasyūn sometimes dasyūn āsan is seen. Śukadeva addresses Parīkṣit as an example of such a king.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
There is enmity between the lotuses which blossom by the sun’s rays and their enemy, the kumudas which blossom during the night. Without the enemy there is beauty by the blossoming of lotuses. Thus the lotuses experience great joy in blossoming during the day. Because of the king there is enmity between the people and the thieves. Without the thieves, the people are fearless and joyful. The rising of the sun creates the joy but (tu) the existence of the king gives fearlessness. Or the word tu can mean “and.” And when the king appears, the people have no fear. When there is no king the thieves are rampant, as after the killing of King Vena. When Pṛthu appeared, the thieves were restrained.
Or when the sun rises the lotuses rejoice and the kumudas do not. Similarly when there is a king the citizens are fearless but the thieves have fear. Or Parīkṣit, you are such a king (nṛpa)! Or because you are also a king you can understand this.