ŚB 4.17.19
Devanagari
स त्वं जिघांससे कस्माद्दीनामकृतकिल्बिषाम् । अहनिष्यत्कथं योषां धर्मज्ञ इति यो मत: ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
sa tvaṁ jighāṁsase kasmād
dīnām akṛta-kilbiṣām
ahaniṣyat kathaṁ yoṣāṁ
dharma-jña iti yo mataḥ
dīnām akṛta-kilbiṣām
ahaniṣyat kathaṁ yoṣāṁ
dharma-jña iti yo mataḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — that very person; tvam — you; jighāṁsase — want to kill; kasmāt — why; dīnām — poor; akṛta — without having done; kilbiṣām — any sinful activities; ahaniṣyat — would kill; katham — how; yoṣām — a woman; dharma-jñaḥ — the knower of religious principles; iti — thus; yaḥ — one who; mataḥ — is considered.
Translation
The cow-shaped earth continued to appeal to the King: I am very poor and have not committed any sinful activities. I do not know why you want to kill me. Since you are supposed to be the knower of all religious principles, why are you so envious of me, and why are you so anxious to kill a woman?
Purport
The earth appealed to the King in two ways. A king who knows religious principles cannot kill anyone who has not committed sinful activities. Apart from this, a woman is not to be killed, even if she does commit some sinful activities. Since the earth was innocent and was also a woman, the King should not kill her.