Because the government was very lenient, not very strong, a demonic class of men took advantage of it and they began to create atrocities and fearfulness in Calcutta city

Expressions researched:
"Because the government was very lenient, not very strong, a demonic class of men took advantage of it, and they began to create atrocities and fearfulness in Calcutta city"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Paśu means animal, and sāmyatām means equal. So when there is a political, less strong political situation, not very strong government, at that time a class of men take advantage. Just like in Calcutta. Because the government was very lenient, not very strong, a demonic class of men took advantage of it and they began to create atrocities and fearfulness in Calcutta city.

Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 4.13.48 to SB 4.14.11 -- January 18, 1972, Jaipur:

Prabhupāda: Because there was no king, so people became always like . . . almost like animals. Paśu-sāmyatām. Paśu means animal, and sāmyatām means equal. So when there is a political, I mean to say, less strong political situation, not very strong government, at that time a class of men take advantage.

Just like in Calcutta. Because the government was very lenient, not very strong, a demonic class of men took advantage of it, and they began to create atrocities and fearfulness in Calcutta city. We have seen, practically people are not going out after evening, they are always staying in fearful state. Nobody knows whether he will come back home again when he goes out of his home on the street. People are so much disturbed. So in the absence of strong king, these people take advantage and create disturbances. That is always there.

So that happened. The people became paśu-sāmyatām. Therefore, the sages called a meeting of all respectable ministers and saintly persons and Brāhmiṇs and decided, "Let us make this boy king." So he was enthroned. But because he was demonic, he was very strong. So as soon as he became king, all the bad elements of the state, they stopped their nefarious activity. Śrutvā nṛpāsana-gataṁ venam atyugra-śāsanam. They knew that, "This king is very strong, and for any little criminal action, he will strike very severely." So the bad elements, they subsided.

śrutvā nṛpāsana-gataṁ

venam atyugra-śāsanam

nililyur dasyavaḥ sadyaḥ

sarpa-trastā ivākhavaḥ

(SB 4.14.3)

Ivākhavaḥ. Just like on the rats, they understand that the snake is there, so (chuckles) they go inside the ground and they disappear. Sometimes rats, everyone knows, everywhere, as soon as the house is very old, there are many rats.

And as soon as there are rats, the serpent will come, the snake will come. So to keep the rats, that is also very dangerous. So one after another, the nature's arrangement is there. So the example is given that nililyur dasyavaḥ sadyaḥ sarpa-trastā ivākhavaḥ.

sa ārūḍha-nṛpa-sthāna

unnaddho 'ṣṭa-vibhūtibhiḥ

avamene mahā-bhāgān

stabdhaḥ sambhāvitaḥ svataḥ

(SB 4.14.4)

In this way, when he became very much powerful, he began to neglect the orders of the great sages, Brāhmiṇs and respectable gentlemen. He became very much upstart.

evaṁ madāndha utsikto

niraṅkuśa iva dvipaḥ

paryaṭan ratham āsthāya

kampayann iva rodasī

(SB 4.14.5)

So he became so strong that when he was travelling in the state, everyone was trembling. So very strong king. In this way, when he becomes too much powerful, then he began to preach atheism. And that is the way. The rākṣasī, the demonic way is that.

If a demon becomes powerful—just like nowadays it is going on—some way or other if somebody becomes powerful, he doesn't care for the śāstric injunction or religion or God. They don't care for it. Just like there are many instances, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, like that. So he also became like that. Then he began to order:

na yaṣṭavyaṁ na dātavyaṁ

na hotavyaṁ dvijāḥ kvacit

iti nyavārayad dharmaṁ

bherī-ghoṣeṇa sarvaśaḥ

(SB 4.14.6)