ŚB 4.17.18
Devanagari
उवाच च महाभागं धर्मज्ञापन्नवत्सल । त्राहि मामपि भूतानां पालनेऽवस्थितो भवान् ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
uvāca ca mahā-bhāgaṁ
dharma-jñāpanna-vatsala
trāhi mām api bhūtānāṁ
pālane ’vasthito bhavān
dharma-jñāpanna-vatsala
trāhi mām api bhūtānāṁ
pālane ’vasthito bhavān
Synonyms
uvāca — she said; ca — and; mahā-bhāgam — unto the great, fortunate King; dharma-jña — O knower of the principles of religion; āpanna-vatsala — O shelter of the surrendered; trāhi — save; mām — me; api — indeed; bhūtānām — of living entities; pālane — in protection; avasthitaḥ — situated; bhavān — Your Majesty.
Translation
Addressing the great, opulent King Pṛthu as the knower of religious principles and shelter of the surrendered, she said: Please save me. You are the protector of all living entities. Now you are situated as the King of this planet.
Purport
The cow-shaped earth addressed King Pṛthu as dharma-jña, which refers to one who knows the principles of religion. The principles of religion dictate that a woman, a cow, a child, a brāhmaṇa and an old man must be given all protection by the king or anyone else. Consequently mother earth took the shape of a cow. She was also a woman. Thus she appealed to the King as one who knows the principles of religion. Religious principles also dictate that one is not to be killed if he surrenders. She reminded King Pṛthu that not only was he an incarnation of God, but he was situated as the King of the earth as well. Therefore his duty was to excuse her.