प्रजाः स्वधर्ममनुवर्तमानः पर्यपालयत् ॥४॥
sa bahuvin mahÄ«-patiḥ pitá¹›-pitÄmahavad uru-vatsalatayÄ sve sve karmaṇi vartamÄnÄḥ prajÄḥ sva-dharmam anuvartamÄnaḥ paryapÄlayat
saḥ - that King (MahÄrÄja Bharata); bahu-vit - being very advanced in knowledge; mahÄ«-patiḥ - the ruler of the earth; pitá¹› - father; pitÄmaha - grandfather; vat - exactly like; uru-vatsalatayÄ - with the quality of being very affectionate to the citizens; sve sve - in their own respective; karmaṇi - duties; vartamÄnÄḥ - remaining; prajÄḥ - the citizens; sva-dharmam anuvartamÄnaḥ - being perfectly situated in his own occupational duty; paryapÄlayat - ruled.
MahÄrÄja Bharata was a very learned and experienced king on this earth. He perfectly ruled the citizens, being himself engaged in his own respective duties. MahÄrÄja Bharata was as affectionate to the citizens as his father and grandfather had been. Keeping them engaged in their occupational duties, he ruled the earth.
It is most important that the chief executive rule the citizens by keeping them fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. Some of the citizens were brÄhmaṇas, some were ká¹£atriyas, and some were vaiÅ›yas and śūdras. It is the duty of the government to see that the citizens act according to these material divisions for their spiritual advancement. No one should remain unemployed or unoccupied in any way. One must work as a brÄhmaṇa, ká¹£atriya, vaiÅ›ya or śūdra on the material path, and on the spiritual path, everyone should act as a brahmacÄrÄ«, gá¹›hastha, vÄnaprastha or sannyÄsÄ«. Although formerly the government was a monarchy, all the kings were very affectionate toward the citizens, and they strictly kept them engaged in their respective duties. Therefore society was very smoothly conducted.
