View source for Praja refers not only to human beings but also to animals, trees and every other living entity. It is the duty of the king to give all living entities protection

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"praja"|"prajas"|"protection"}}
{{notes|(1) VedaBase research query: animal* praja protect*  (2) duplicate transcripts: Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970 and Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973}}
{{compiler|Labangalatika}}
{{complete|ALL}}
{{first|07Apr12}}
{{last|07Apr12}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=6|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=5|Con=1|Let=0}}
{{total|12}}
{{toc right}}
[[Category:Praja]]
[[Category:Refers to (Sanskrit)]]
[[Category:Not Only]]
[[Category:Human Beings]]
[[Category:But]]
[[Category:Also]]
[[Category:Animal]]
[[Category:Tree]]
[[Category:Every Living Entity]]
[[Category:Other Living Entities]]
[[Category:It Is]]
[[Category:Duty Of...]]
[[Category:King]]
[[Category:Giving Protection]]
[[Category:All]]
[[Category:Leadership Giving Protection]]
</div>
<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_1" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 1"><h3>SB Canto 1</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB1124_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="439" link="SB 1.12.4" link_text="SB 1.12.4">
<div class="heading">Prajā is used in a broader sense than it is now used. The king represents all living beings, the aquatics, plants, trees, reptiles, birds, animals and man. Every one of them is a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and the king, being the representative of the Supreme Lord, is duty-bound to give proper protection to every one of them.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.12.4|SB 1.12.4, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">In India the people hanker after Rāma-rājya because the Personality of Godhead was the ideal king and all other kings or emperors in India controlled the destiny of the world for the prosperity of every living being who took birth on the earth. Herein the word prajāḥ is significant. The etymological import of the word is "that which is born." On the earth there are many species of life, from the aquatics up to the perfect human beings, and all are known as prajās. Lord Brahmā, the creator of this particular universe, is known as the prajāpati because he is the grandfather of all who have taken birth. Thus prajā is used in a broader sense than it is now used. The king represents all living beings, the aquatics, plants, trees, reptiles, birds, animals and man. Every one of them is a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord ([[Vanisource:BG 14.4|BG 14.4]]), and the king, being the representative of the Supreme Lord, is duty-bound to give proper protection to every one of them. This is not the case with the presidents and dictators of this demoralized system of administration, where the lower animals are given no protection while the higher animals are given so-called protection. But this is a great science which can be learned only by one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. By knowing the science of Kṛṣṇa, one can become the most perfect man in the world, and unless one has knowledge in this science, all qualifications and doctorate diplomas acquired by academic education are spoiled and useless.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB11219_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="454" link="SB 1.12.19" link_text="SB 1.12.19">
<div class="heading">These saintly kings give protection to all the prajās, or living beings, to live and to fulfill their terms of imprisonment.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.12.19|SB 1.12.19, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">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.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB1171011_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="658" link="SB 1.17.10-11" link_text="SB 1.17.10-11">
<div class="heading">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.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.17.10-11|SB 1.17.10-11, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">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.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_3" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB3631_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="225" link="SB 3.6.31" link_text="SB 3.6.31">
<div class="heading">The kṣatriyas are expected to represent the puruṣa Lord in giving protection to the prajās, or all those who are born in the land and water. Protection is therefore meant for both man and the animals.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.6.31|SB 3.6.31, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Lord has the power to protect. Of the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, the first has the power to create, the second has the power to protect, and the third has the power to destroy. The word puruṣa is significant in this verse because the kṣatriyas are expected to represent the puruṣa Lord in giving protection to the prajās, or all those who are born in the land and water. Protection is therefore meant for both man and the animals. in modern society the prajās are not protected from the hands of thieves and miscreants. The modern democratic state, which has no kṣatriyas, is a government of the vaiśyas and śūdras, and not of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas as formerly. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and his grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, were typical kṣatriya kings, for they gave protection to all men and animals. When the personification of Kali attempted to kill a cow, Mahārāja Parīkṣit at once prepared himself to kill the miscreant, and the personification of Kali was banished from his kingdom. That is the sign of puruṣa, or the representative of Lord Viṣṇu. According to Vedic civilization, a qualified kṣatriya monarch is given the respect of the Lord because he represents the Lord by giving protection to the prajās. Modern elected presidents cannot even give protection from theft cases, and therefore one has to take protection from an insurance company. The problems of modern human society are due to the lack of qualified brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas and the overinfluence of the vaiśyas and śūdras by so-called general franchise.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_4" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 4"><h3>SB Canto 4</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB42122_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="852" link="SB 4.21.22" link_text="SB 4.21.22">
<div class="heading">Prajā refers not only to human beings but also to animals, trees and every other living entity. It is the duty of the king to give all living entities protection and food.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.21.22|SB 4.21.22, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Prajāyate iti prajā. The word prajā refers to one who takes birth. Therefore Pṛthu Mahārāja guaranteed protection for prajānām—all living entities who took birth in his kingdom. Prajā refers not only to human beings but also to animals, trees and every other living entity. It is the duty of the king to give all living entities protection and food. The fools and rascals of modern society have no knowledge of the extent of the responsibility of the government. Animals are also citizens of the land in which they happen to be born, and they also have the right to continue their existence at the cost of the Supreme Lord. The disturbance of the animal population by wholesale slaughter produces a catastrophic future reaction for the butcher, his land and his government.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB6411_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="151" link="SB 6.4.11" link_text="SB 6.4.11">
<div class="heading">The word prajā refers to one who has taken birth within the jurisdiction of the government. The exalted royal families were conscious that all living beings, whether human, animal or lower than animal, should be given protection.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.4.11|SB 6.4.11, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Here the words pitrā pitāmahenāpi juṣṭaṁ vaḥ prapitāmahaiḥ depict an honest royal family, consisting of the kings, their father, their grandfather and their great-grandfathers. Such a royal family has a prestigious position because it maintains the citizens, or prajās. The word prajā refers to one who has taken birth within the jurisdiction of the government. The exalted royal families were conscious that all living beings, whether human, animal or lower than animal, should be given protection. The modern democratic system cannot be exalted in this way because the leaders elected strive only for power and have no sense of responsibility. In a monarchy, a king with a prestigious position follows the great deeds of his forefathers. Thus Soma, the king of the moon, here reminds the Pracetās about the glories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfathers.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
</div>
<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
</div>
<div id="LectureonSB1846LosAngelesMay81973_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="252" link="Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973">
<div class="heading">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.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">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. It is due to, I mean to say, absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not distinguish like that. For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul. Even a small ant has got soul. But they have to kill. They have to eat. They are philosophizing different way. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill," and now they are interpreting, "Killing means murdering human being." But that is not in the Bible.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="LectureonSB191LosAngelesMay151973_1" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="262" link="Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973">
<div class="heading">If this fact is to be accepted, that anyone who takes birth on the land of America, he becomes immediately American, and the American government takes charge for his protection, so why this is restricted only for the human child? If this is definition, prajā, "one who takes birth," so the animals also take birth. The trees also take birth. So many other animals, other living entities, they also take birth. So yes, therefore, they are all prajās.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now jāyate, one who takes birth... Just like the other day I was speaking... One Indian girl, she has given birth to a child in America. So because that child is born in America, she becomes naturally American national. So if this fact is to be accepted, that anyone who takes birth on the land of America, he becomes immediately American, and the American government takes charge for his protection, so why this is restricted only for the human child? If this is definition, prajā, "one who takes birth," so the animals also take birth. The trees also take birth. So many other animals, other living entities, they also take birth. So yes, therefore, they are all prajās. Not only... Miserly, you limit your prajā conception, national conception, within the human society only, you expand it. Even it is taken nationally, anyone who takes birth in this land, he is national. Either human being or animal or tree or plant. That is the definition of prajā. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa jāyate. Any living entity who has taken birth. Just like in America, there are so many jungles and trees. If outsider like me comes and begins to cut the trees, so will the American government tolerate? Immediately I shall be prosecuted. I can say, "What is the harm? It is a tree. I am cutting." "No, you cannot cut this tree because they are on the American land." So this conception should be prayed.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Lectures" text="Nectar of Devotion Lectures"><h3>Nectar of Devotion Lectures</h3>
</div>
<div id="TheNectarofDevotionBombayJanuary41973_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" book="Lec" index="15" link="The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973" link_text="The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973">
<div class="heading">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.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973|The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">It is not possible that we can approach everyone and offer our loving service. Just like people are very much attracted by the humanitarian services. They take it very great, loving service to the human society. But however you may love... Suppose in the beginning one loves his own self, his own body... Just like a child. He loves for himself. Anything he gets, he wants to eat. Own sense gratification. Then, as he grows, he shares his foodstuff with his little brother and sister. Then, as he grows, he loves his mother, his father, then other friends. In this way, as we go, we can love our society, our community, or nation, or internationally, all human beings. But still it is imperfect. Still it is imperfect. It is not all-inclusive. 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.</p>
<p>But when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he loves everyone. Because his connection with Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ: ([[Vanisource:BG 14.4|BG 14.4]]) "All forms of living entities, all species of life, their mother is this material nature, and I am the seed-giving father." That is real humanity. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu.</p>
:brahma-bhutaḥ prasannātmā
:na śocati na kāṅkṣati
:samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
:mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
:([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]])
<p>If one does not see equally to all living entities, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ... ([[Vanisource:BG 5.18|BG 5.18]]). That is paṇḍita. It is not paṇḍita that "Only my brother is good, my father is good, and all are bad." That is not paṇḍita. That is sectarianism. That is sectarianism.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="General_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Lectures" text="General Lectures"><h3>General Lectures</h3>
</div>
<div id="LectureBombayNovember21970_0" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="69" link="Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970" link_text="Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970">
<div class="heading">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.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970|Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Lord Buddha is also accepted as śaktyāveśa avatāra, especially empowered incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Although Buddhism, we do not accept the philosophy of Buddhism, we Vaiṣṇavas, we do not accept, but we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Lord Buddha appeared being very much compassionate on the matter of animal slaughter. As nowadays, animal slaughter is going on without any check, similarly, sometime before about 2,500 years ago in India, the same condition prevailed. 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.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="PandalLectureBombayJanuary141973_1" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="126" link="Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973" link_text="Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973">
<div class="heading">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 injunction.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973|Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Lord Buddha is also accepted as śaktyāveśa avatāra, especially empowered incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Although Buddhism, we do not accept the philosophy of Buddhism, we Vaiṣṇava, we do not accept, but we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Lord Buddha appeared, being very much compassionate on the matter of animal slaughter. As nowadays animal slaughter is going on without any check, similarly, sometime before, about 2,500 years ago, in India the same condition prevailed. 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 injunction.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
</div>
<div id="1971_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1971 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1971 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithDrKaranSinghNovember251971Delhi_0" class="quote" parent="1971_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="29" link="Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi" link_text="Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi">
<div class="heading">King should give protection to all living entities. That is king's duty, state's duty. Everyone should have living right. Why the animals should be killed? They are also prajā. Is it not duty of the king to give protection?
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi|Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the Vedic culture was kept intact. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, while he was going on tour of the Western countries, he saw one black man was trying to kill one cow. He immediately took his sword, ""Who are you? You are killing cow in my kingdom?" So that culture we have lost. Immediately he began, "With this sword I shall kill you."</p>
<p>So king should give protection to all living entities. That is king's duty, state's duty. Everyone should have living right. Why the animals should be killed? They are also prajā. Is it not duty of the king to give protection? And that was being done up to the Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Therefore, there was one kingdom. When they deteriorated, gradually part, part, part. Just like what is this Pakistan problem? These Pakistani Muhammadans, they do not come from Muhammadan country. They are our men, Hindus converted. But we could not keep the culture.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>