Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 1: Creation | Chapter 12: Birth of Emperor Parikshit |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.12.2
SYNONYMS
tasya -- his (of Maharaja Parikshit); janma -- birth; maha-buddheh -- of great intelligence; karmani -- activities; ca -- also; maha-atmanah -- of the great devotee; nidhanam -- demise; ca -- also; yatha -- as it was; eva -- of course; asit -- happened; sah -- he; pretya -- destination after death; gatavan -- achieved; yatha -- as it were.
TRANSLATION
How was the great emperor Parikshit, who was a highly intelligent and great devotee, born in that womb? How did his death take place, and what did he achieve after his death?
PURPORT
The king of Hastinapura (now Delhi) used to be the emperor of the world, at least till the time of the son of Emperor Parikshit. Maharaja Parikshit was saved by the Lord in the womb of his mother, so he could certainly be saved from an untimely death due to the ill will of the son of a brahmana. Because the age of Kali began to act just after the assumption of power by Maharaja Parikshit, the first sign of misgivings was exhibited in the cursing of such a greatly intelligent and devoted king as Maharaja Parikshit. The king is the protector of the helpless citizens, and their welfare, peace and prosperity depend on him. Unfortunately, by the instigation of the fallen age of Kali, an unfortunate brahmana's son was employed to condemn the innocent Maharaja Parikshit, and so the King had to prepare himself for death within seven days. Maharaja Parikshit is especially famous as one who is protected by Vishnu, and when he was unduly cursed by a brahmana's son, he could have invoked the mercy of the Lord to save him, but he did not want to because he was a pure devotee. A pure devotee never asks the Lord for any undue favor. Maharaja Parikshit knew that the curse of the brahmana's son upon him was unjustified, as everyone else knew, but he did not want to counteract it because he knew also that the age of Kali had begun and that the first symptom of the age, namely degradation of the highly talented brahmana community, had also begun. He did not want to interfere with the current of the time, but he prepared himself to meet death very cheerfully and very properly. Being fortunate, he got at least seven days to prepare himself to meet death, and so he properly utilized the time in the association of Sukadeva Gosvami, the great saint and devotee of the Lord.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness