abhūta-pūrvaḥ sahasā kṣut-tṛḍbhyām arditātmanaḥ brāhmaṇaṁ praty abhūd brahman matsaro 'manyur eva ca
Synonyms
abhūta-pūrvaḥ—unprecedental; sahasā—circumstantially; kṣut—hunger; tṛḍbhyām—as well as by thirst; ardita—being distressed; ātmanaḥ—of his self; brāhmaṇam—unto a Brahmin; prati—counter; abhūt—became; brahman—oh the Brahmins; matsaraḥ—envious; manyuḥ—angry; eva—thus; ca—and.
Translation
Oh the Brahmins, thus unprecedently the King became counter angry and envious upon a Brahmin (the sage) circumstantially being pressed by too much hunger and thirst.
Purport
To become angry and envious by king like Maharaj Parikshit especially upon a sage and Brahmin was undoubtedly unprecedential. The king knew it well that the Brahmins and the sages like children, women and old men are always beyond the jurisdiction of punishment of the king. Similarly the king even though he may commit a great mistake he is never to be considered as wrong doer. But in this case Maharaj Parikshit became unprecedently as angry and envious upon the sage due to his so called thirst and hunger by the will of the Lord. The king was right to punish his subject for coldly receiving him or neglecting him but because the culprit was a Sage and Brahmin it was unprecedential for him. As the Lord is never envious to any one so also the Lord's devotee is never envious upon anyone. The only justification for Maharaj Parikshit's becoming angry and envious upon the sage is therefore explained as ordained by the Lord.