Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.14.3

śrutvā nṛpāsana-gataḿ

venam atyugra-śāsanam

nililyur dasyavaḥ sadyaḥ

sarpa-trastā ivākhavaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrutvā — after hearing; nṛpa — of the King; āsana-gatam — ascended to the throne; venam — Vena; ati — very; ugra — severe; śāsanam — punisher; nililyuḥ — hid themselves; dasyavaḥ — all the thieves; sadyaḥ — immediately; sarpa — from snakes; trastāḥ — being afraid; iva — like; ākhavaḥ — rats.

TRANSLATION

It was already known that Vena was very severe and cruel; therefore, as soon as all the thieves and rogues in the state heard of his ascendance to the royal throne, they became very much afraid of him. Indeed, they hid themselves here and there as rats hide themselves from snakes.

PURPORT

When the government is very weak, rogues and thieves flourish. Similarly, when the government is very strong, all the thieves and rogues disappear or hide themselves. Of course Vena was not a very good king, but he was known to be cruel and severe. Thus the state at least became freed from thieves and rogues.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness