ŚB 9.9.30
Devanagari
कथमर्हति धर्मज्ञ वधं पितुरिवात्मज: ॥ ३० ॥
Text
rājarṣi-pravarād vibho
katham arhati dharma-jña
vadhaṁ pitur ivātmajaḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — he, the brāhmaṇa; ayam — this; brahma-ṛṣi-varyaḥ — not only a brāhmaṇa but the best of great sages, or brahmarṣis; te — also from you; rāja-ṛṣi-pravarāt — who are the best of all saintly kings, or rājarṣis; vibho — O master of the state; katham — how; arhati — he deserves; dharma-jña — O you, who are quite aware of religious principles; vadham — killing; pituḥ — from the father; iva — like; ātmajaḥ — the son.
Translation
My lord, you are completely aware of the religious principles. As a son never deserves to be killed by his father, here is a brāhmaṇa who should be protected by the king, and never killed. How does he deserve to be killed by a rājarṣi like you?
Purport
The word rājarṣi refers to a king who behaves like a ṛṣi, or sage. Such a king is also called naradeva because he is considered a representative of the Supreme Lord. Because his duty is to rule the kingdom to maintain brahminical culture, he never desires to kill a brāhmaṇa. Generally, a brāhmaṇa, woman, child, old man or cow is never regarded as punishable. Thus the wife of the brāhmaṇa requested the King to refrain from this sinful act.