Government should give security of life and property. That is government. Not only for the human being, but even for the ant. This is government. Not that I give protection to my brother, and not to others. That is not... Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he was giving protection to the animals also. When he was on his tour, as soon as he saw that a black man was trying to kill one cow, oh, immediately he took his sword, "Who are you? You are trying to kill?" So this is good government. Unless the government is equal to everyone... Just like God is equal to everyone. The king or the government must be representative of God. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, king is offered as good respect as to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. King is called nara-deva, nara-deva. That means "God in human form." King is given... Why? Because he acts as the representative of God. He cannot be jealous to any living entity, at least, born in his kingdom. That is called praja. Praja means one who has taken birth, or, in other words, national, national.
Praja means
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
Prajā means the living being who has taken his birth in the material world. Actually the living being has no birth and no death, but because of his separation from the service of the Lord and due to his desire to lord it over material nature, he is offered a suitable body to satisfy his material desires. In doing so, one becomes conditioned by the laws of material nature, and the material body is changed in terms of his own work. The living entity thus transmigrates from one body to another in 8,400,000 species of life. But due to his being the part and parcel of the Lord, he not only is maintained with all necessaries of life by the Lord, but also is protected by the Lord and His representatives, the saintly kings. These saintly kings give protection to all the prajās, or living beings, to live and to fulfill their terms of imprisonment. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was actually an ideal saintly king because while touring his kingdom he happened to see that a poor cow was about to be killed by the personified Kali, whom he at once took to task as a murderer. This means that even the animals were given protection by the saintly administrators, not from any sentimental point of view, but because those who have taken their birth in the material world have the right to live. All the saintly kings, beginning from the King of the sun globe down to the King of the earth, are so inclined by the influence of the Vedic literatures.
When there is some disturbance caused by wild animals in a village or town, the police or others take action to kill them. Similarly, it is the duty of the government to kill at once all bad social elements such as thieves, dacoits and murderers. The same punishment is also due to animal-killers because the animals of the state are also the prajā. Prajā means one who has taken birth in the state, and this includes both men and animals. Any living being who takes birth in a state has the primary right to live under the protection of the king. The jungle animals are also subject to the king, and they also have a right to live. So what to speak of domestic animals like the cows and bulls.
SB Canto 4
Materialistic persons who are very fond of money and great families worship different demigods to attain their desires, especially goddess Durgā, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. Such materialistic persons are called śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. Śrī means "beauty," aiśvarya means "riches," prajā means "children," and īpsavaḥ means "desiring." As described in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one has to worship various demigods for different types of benedictions.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance, this creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement. And the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities, after being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice, for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That will..." Anena, "By this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment." Prasaviṣyadhvam. "And whatever you want, that will be satisfied by this yajña." Devān yajña. That sacrifice.
The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance. This creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement, and the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities. After being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu." That will... Anena, "by this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment." Prasaviṣyadhvam. "And whatever you want, that will be satisfied by this yajña." Devān... Yajña, that sacrifice.
Praja means those who have taken birth, they are called praja. Ja means birth. Janma, janma. And praja, prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ja. Anyone, praja... Just like in a state it is called praja, or citizens, who have taken the birth in that particular place. So similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "If I do not set example in My life, then there will be unwanted population." Unwanted population. And actually that has become now in the present world. By not following the principles of God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have got now unwanted population.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means riches, opulence, and praja means progeny, sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. In Bengal there is a proverb, nāti nāti sagye bhati(?): "If one can see grandson of the grandson, his life is successful." His door to heaven is open now. Nāti means grandson, and nāti's nāti, grandson. That means six generations. So people like this—good family and full of beautiful women and very good bank balance, motorcars—then life is successful. Śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. But who are after this śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ? That is explained: rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ. Rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ, those who are influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance.
Translation: "All the ṛṣis, Manus, demigods and descendants of Manu, who are especially powerful, are plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord. This also includes the Prajāpatis."
Prabhupāda: So prajāpati, the beginning there was only Lord Brahmā. The whole planetary system was to be populated. Therefore first of all Brahmā, and then the seven ṛṣis, then the Kumāras, then Rudras. In this way... Manus. Then Manu's son, his son, his son. In this way the... (aside:) What is that sound? The whole universe is populated. It is not the rascal Darwin's theory that "There was no human being. It came out of a stone, the life." The first is the most intelligent person, Lord Brahmā. So they are called prajāpati. Prajā means generation. Pati means master, husband. So all these prajāpatis, as we learn from Bhagavad-gītā... Manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. Vivasvān manave prāha.
In the Kali-yuga everyone is śūdra. And how you can have good government by the śūdras? Kṣatriya required. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was touring. As soon as he saw one man is killing cow, "Who are you, rascal, killing cow in my kingdom?" Kṣatriya. Give protection. Even to the cows. Prajā means one who has taken birth in that land. Why he should not be given protection? But because they are śūdras, they do not know what is the kṣatriya's duty, what is the government's duty. This is the position. Am I right or wrong?
Prajā means living entities. Prajāyate: one who takes his birth. So in the three worlds... Three worlds means these upper, middle, and lower planetary systems in this universe. Trīl loka. Trīl lokān. So everywhere there is prajā, there is living entities. Otherwise, how it is said trīl lokān? It is a foolish theory that there is no life in other planets. A rascal theory. It has no meaning. Trīl lokān. We have got many evidences. I do not know why these rascal scientists say that there is no life in other planet. Why? The other planet is also made of the pañca-bhūta, pṛthvī-ap-tejas-vāyu-ākāśa. They are not different. Maybe something is very prominent. Just like in the sun globe, the fire is prominent. Fire is also one of the five elements: pṛthvī-ap-tejas. That does not mean there is no life. There must be. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa talked with the sun-god, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1)? And the living entity, nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. The living entity is not burned by the fire. It is not dried up, it is not moistened. This is stated. So why there will be no life in the sun globe? There must be.
Prajā means offspring, son, daughter also. Prajāyate. One who is born of the father. Without father, there is no possibility, son or daughter. Therefore prajāyate. One who gives birth. And the prajā... Prajā is the product of the body of the father. A son or daughter, they may be different persons, but they belong to the body of the father. Yathā yoni yathā bījam. Father is the bījam. Just like bījam, the seed. The seed is the tree later on. Similarly, the bījam, the seed, is put by the father in the womb of the mother, and as the seed implanted in the earth and taken care of with watering, sprinkling, it grows to a big tree, similarly, the seed is sown in the womb of the mother, and the mother takes care of the seed, and it comes to a big body later on and comes out. This is the process of birth. So in one sense, between the seed and the tree there is no difference. Similarly, the seed of the father and the father, there is no difference. Here it is, prajā-rūpeṇa vartate.
So the king's business is as soon as he sees one undesirable element, immediately he would kill him. That is real protection. Just like when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you." He immediately took out his sword. This is king, that... Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Prajā. Prajā means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called prajā. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there. Equal right. Your country says equality given. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect.
So the most important point is that the king was, he so responsible, he became afraid, that "I have killed so many prajā." Prajā. It is not said there, "human being." No. Prajā. Prajā means... Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, and jā means jāyate. Just like every living entity takes somewhere birth. So considering nationalism... Just like American nation. What is the meaning of these people, American nation or Indian nation? The human being is the same—two hands, two legs, and they also eat. Everything is the same. Why this nationality? Nationality is only for the sake that that particular human being has taken birth in that particular land. That is called prajā.
Prajā means many children. They are spending their whole time earning money, amass money, huge bank balance. Then his sons are married, the same thing. He begotten so many children by sex. So he's giving indulgence to his sons, "All right, you also take this sex indulgence and produce many children." Prajepsavaḥ. And then, grandchildren are also, "You also take another. You also produce children." So they are called prajepsavaḥ. They want, they are happy to see that he has got many children.
Prajā-kāmaḥ, those who want children, great-grandchildren... In Bengali there is a proverb, nāti nāti svarge vati(?). Nāti means grandson, and grandson's grandson. Therefore, "I am living, my son is living, my grandson is living, his son is living, his son is living," in this way, up to seventh generation, if one sees, then immediately he goes to heaven. These are the conception of the materialistic person, that "If I can see a grandson of a grandson, then my life is successful." (laughter) And he's working hard for that purpose. They are called prajā-kāmaḥ. Prajā means many sons in the family. That is considered very aristocrat.
Prajā means who has taken birth, national. Prajānāṁ pitaro. Pitaro means father or anyone who takes the care of the children or the citizen like father. The government or the king—formerly there was king, now government—their position is just like father. As the father's duty is to see that the children, the son, is raised very nicely so that in future he may be very happy. This is the duty of the father, to see, not that simply to feed him and make him fatty. No. In the śāstra it is said, pitā na sa syāt. One should not become a father. This is contraceptive. Pitā na sa syāt jananī na sā syāt: "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a guru, one should not become a relative, one should not become a caretaker, one should not become the king..." Who? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "One who cannot protect the dependent from the clutches of death." This is sastric injunction. So how much the father and the government or the guru should be strong so that he can save his dependents from the clutches of death.
Just like a child is sleeping on the lap of his mother, feeling secure, completely secure, that "I am on the lap of my mother..." Naturally a child, when it is on the lap of it's mother, he is quite comfortable, silent, feeling very secure. So in that position if the mother kills the child... It is like that, that prajā and the king... The prajās... Prajā means the citizens, subjects. They should be feeling so much secure that "We are under good government. There is no disturbance." Just like during the government of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they were so secure that even they had no very much anxieties. "Our king is there." The world is full of anxieties, miseries, and difficulties. So the good government means when the subjects, citizens, feel secure from all such things.
So at the present moment people are very much fond of śrī, money. Śrī-aiśvaryā. Śrī-aiśvaryā. Śrī-aiśvaryā prajepsavaḥ. General people, they want śrī, money, or beauty, beautiful woman. Śrī-aiśvaryā, money, riches. Śrī aiśvaryā prajepsavaḥ. Prajā. Prajā means family, society, money. They want. So Śrī is always hankered after, searched after. But do not try to keep Śrī alone. Then you'll be ruined. This is the instruction. You do not try to keep Śrī alone. Keep always with Nārāyaṇa. Then you'll be happy. Keep Nārāyaṇa. So those are riches, those who have got riches, rich, they should worship Nārāyaṇa also with that money. Spend money. Money is meant for service of Nārāyaṇa. So if you have got money, don't spoil it like Rāvaṇa, but engage it in Kṛṣṇa's service.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Just like at the present moment, every country, they are national, they consider the human being as national, not the animals. But actual meaning of "national" means anyone who takes birth in that country. In Sanskrit word it is called prajā. King, and..., the, the rāja, and prajā. Prajā means who takes birth, prajāyate. Anyone who takes birth in that country, in that kingdom, he's called prajā. So it is the duty of the king to give protection all prajās. Not that only human beings or my brother or my sister, and not the animals—not the cows, not the goats, not the chickens. No. They're also prajā. But because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they think that prajā means only the human beings. That's all. Imperfect knowledge.
Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means wealth, and prajā means generation. So generally, people, they like it—good family, good bank balance and good wife, good daughter, daughter-in-law. If one family is consisting of beautiful women and riches and grea..., many children, he is supposed to be successful. He's supposed to be most successful man.
General Lectures
Vedic civilization is very liberal. According to Vedic civilization, the king has to give protection to all the prajās. Prajā means one who has taken birth in his kingdom. Prajāyate. So the animal is also prajā of the government. The trees are also prajā of the government. So formerly, nobody could slaughter an animal, nobody can cut even a tree without reason, without sanction by the Vedic injunctions.
| Page Title: | Praja means |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Tugomera, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 20 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=3, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=19, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 22 |