A king must ensure those claiming high status actually embody the virtues required of their class.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.4 — January 1, 1974, Los Angeles 740101SB-LOS ANGELES [42:58 Minutes] SB-01.16.04_740101SB-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
[devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ kaliṁ digvijaye kvacit nṛpa-liṅga-dharaṁ śūdraṁ ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā [SB 1.16.4] [break] [leads synonyms] [break] [03:25] Translation: "Once, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on his way to conquer the world, he saw the master of Kali-yuga, who was lower than a śūdra, disguised as a king and hurting a cow and a bull by his leg. The King at once caught hold of him to deal sufficient punishment." Prabhupāda: So it was the duty of the king to go on tour and see persons who are actually not abiding by the laws of Vedic principles. This is the duty of king. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]: "In the human society I have divided four classes of men." Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam.
Kṛṣṇa says, "I have done it." So by nature, there are four classes of men. Anywhere you go you'll find four classes of men. First class: intelligent men. In whichever you take, you'll find not all of them of the same category.
First class, second class, third class and fourth class. First class means the most intelligent class, scientists, philosophers, like that; mathematicians, great religionists. They're first-class men. The second class, administrator, to see that the government is going nicely, people are not unhappy, people are not suffering from thieves and rogues.
That is the first business. Good government means that people will think that they're secure, their property and person is secure. There will be no harm. Not very many years ago, say about hundred years ago, in India the native states, the rule was that if something is lying on the streets, valuable or invaluable, so nobody should touch it.
The person who has lost or who has left that thing there, he would come and pick it up. You cannot touch. That was the law. And if one was caught, a thief, his hands will be cut off.
In Kashmir state this was the rule. As soon as a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, the only punishment is cut his throat, ah, cut his hands. Bās. Exemplary punishment so that nobody will dare to steal.