Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER
Maharaj Parikshit Cursed By A Brahmin Boy
Sri Suta uvacha
Yo vai drounyastra viplus to na matur udare mritah
Anugrahat bhagawatah krishnasya adbhutakarmanah.
Sri Suta uvacha—Sri Suta Goswami said, Yo—one who, Vai—certainly,
Drounyastra—by the weapon of the son of Drona, Viplusto—burnt by, Na—
never, Matur—of the mother, Udare—in the womb of, Mritah—met his death,
Anugrahat—by the mercy of, Bhagwatah—of the Personality of Godhead,
Krishnasya—of Krishna, Adbhutakarmanah—of one who acts wonderfully.
Suta Goswami said, "Maharaj Parikshit, although he was struck by the
weapon of the son of Drona in the womb of his mother, he could not be
burnt by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna who acts
wonderfully."
The sages in the Naimisharanya became struck with wonder after hearing
about the wonderful administration of Maharaj Parikshit specially with
reference to the context of his punishing the pesronality of Kali, making him
completely unable to do any harm within the kingdom of Maharaj Parikshit.
Suta Goswami was equally anxious to describe about Maharaj Parikshit in the
matter of his wonderful birth and death also and this verse is stated by Suta
Goswami in a way of increasing the interest of the sages of Naimisharanya.
Brahmakopa utthitat yas tu takshakat pranaviplavat
Na sammumoha urubhayat bhagwati arpita ashayah.
Brahmakopa—Fury of aBrahmin, Utthitat—caused by, Yas—what was, Tu—
but Takshakat—by the snake-bird, Pranaviplavat—from disolution of life,
Na—never, Sammumuha—became overwhelmed, Urubhayat—great
fearfulness, Bhagwati—unto the Personality of Godhead, Arpita—
surrendered, Ashayah—consciousness.
Further more Maharaj Parikshit was always conscenciously surrendered
in the Personality of Godhead and therefore he was neither afraid of nor
overwhelmed from the fear of snake bird which was to bite him due to
the violent passion of Brahmin boy.
A self surrendered devotee of the Lord is called Narayanapara. Such
Narayanapara person is never afraid of any place or person even of death. For
them nothing is important than the Supreme Lord and as such they allow
equal importance both for the heaven and the hell. They know it well that both
heaven and hell are creations of the Lord and similarly life and death are
different conditions of existence created by the Lord. What they want is that
in all conditions and in all circumstances remembrances of Narayana is
essential. They practice it constantly and Maharaj Parikshit was one of such
pure devotees. He was wrongfully cursed by an inexperienced son of a
Brahmin by the influence of Kali, and Maharaj Parikshit took it as sent by
Narayana. He knew it well that Narayana (Lord Krishna) saved him when he
was burnt in the womb of his mother and if he was to be killed by snake-bite
it would also take place by the will of the LORD. The devotee never goes
against the will of the Lord and anything sent by God is a blessing for the
devotee. Therefore Maharaj Parikshit was neither afraid of nor bewildered in
such things. That is the sign of a pure devotee of the Lord.
Utsrijya sarvatah samgam vijnata ajita samsthitih
Vaisaker jahou sishyo gamgayam swam kale varam
Utsrijya—after leaving aside, Sarvatah—all rouud, Samgam—association,
Ajita—one who is never conquered (the Personality, of Godhead),
Samsthitih—actual position, Vaisaker—unto the son of Vyasa,Jahou—gave
up, Sishyo—as desciple, Gamgayam—on the bank of the Ganges, Swam—his
own, Kalevaram—Material body.
Further more after leaving aside all round association, the King gave
himself up as a disciple of the son of Vyasa and thus he was able to
understand the actual position of the Personality of Godhead and at least
gave up his material body on the bank of the Ganges.
The word Ajita is significant here. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is
known as Ajita or unconquerable, as He is so in every respect. Even no body
can know His actual postion. He is unconquerable by knowledge also. We
have heard about His Dhama or place, eternal about Golaka Vrindaban, but
there are many scholars who interpret this abode in different ways. But by the
grace of a spiritual master like Sukadeva Goswami, unto whom the king gave
himself up as the most humbale disciple, he was able to understand thr actual
position of the Lord, about His eternal abode, and His transcendental
paraphernalia in that Dhama or abode. Knowiug this transcendntal position of
the Lord and the transcendental method by which one can approach that
transcendental Dhama, the king was confident about his ultimate goal of
destination and knowing this only he could leave aside everthing material
even his own body without any difficulty of attachment. In the Bhagwat
Geeta, this is stated as Param Dristwa Nevertate or one can give up all
connection of the material attachment when one is able to see the Param or the
superior quality of thing. We understand the superior quality of energy of the
Lord than the material quality material energy, from the Bhagwat Geeta and
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by the grace of a bonafipe spiritual master like Sukadeva Goswami it is quite
possible to know every thing of the superior energy of the Lord by which the
Lord manifests His eternal Name, Quality, Pastimes, Paraphernalia and
variegatedness. Unless one thoroughly understands this superior or eternal
enregy of the Lord it is not pssible to leave aside the material energy however
theoritically one may speculate on the true nature of the Absolute Truth. By
the Grace of Lord Krishna, Maharaj Parikshit was able to receive mercy of a
Personality like Sukadeva Goswami and thus he was able to know the actual
positiou of the unconquerable Lord. It is very difficult to find out the Lord
from the Vedic literatures but it is very easy to know Him by the mercy of a
liberated devotee like Sukadeva Goswami.
Na uttamasloka vartanam jusatam tat kathamritam
Syat sambhramo auto kale api smarartam tat padambujam.
Na-never, Uttamasloka—the Personlaity of Godhead who is sung by the
Vedic hymns. Vartaanam—of those who live on them, Jusatam—of them who
are engaged in, Tat-His, Kathamritam—transcendental topics about Him,
Syat-it so happens, Sambhramo—misconception, Unto-at the end, Kale-in
time, Api-Also, Smaranam—reme bering, Tat-His, Padambujam—lotus feet.
It is so because those who have made their life's business to liue on the
transcendental topics of the Personality of Godhead sung by the Vedic
hymns and thus be constantly engaged in thhm by rerembering the lotus
feet of the Lord, do not have any chance of misconceptiou even at the last
moment of the end of life.
The highest perfection of life is attained by remembering the transcendental
nature of the Lord at the last moment of one's llfe. This perfection of life is
made possible by one who has learnt about the actual transcendental nature of
the Lord from the Vedic hymns sung by a liberated soul like Sukadeva
Goswami or some body in that line of disciplic succession. There is no gain
by hearing the Vedic hymns from some mental speculator. When the same is
heard from an actual self realised soul and is properly under stood by service
and submission the whole thing becomes transparently clear before a
submissive disciple and thus he is able to live on it transcendentally and
continue the same to the last point of the end of life. By scientific adoptation
one is able to remember the Lord even at the end of life when the power of
remembrance is slackned due to derangement of bodily membrane. For a
common man it is very difficult to remember things as they are at the time of
death, but by the Grace of the Lord and His bonafide devotees the spiritual
masters one can get this opportunity of life without any difficulty. And it is
was done in the case of Maharaj Parikshit.
Tavat kalir na prabhavet pravisto api iha sarvatah
Yavat isha mahan urvyam abhimanyava ekarat.
Tavat—so long, Kalir—the personality of Kali, No—cannot, Prabhavet—
flourish, Pravisto—entered in, Api—even though, Sarvatah—everywhere,
Tavat—as long as, Isha—the lord, Mahan—great, Urvyam—powerful,
Abhimanyava—the son of Abhimanyu Ekarat—the one emperor.
So long as the most powerful great son of Abhimanyu remains the one
emperor of the world there is no chance of flourishing by the personality
of Kali.
As we have already explained that the personality of Kali had entered the
jurisdiction of this earth long ago and he was looking for opportunity to
spread his influence all over the world. But he could not do so satisfactorily
dut to the presence of Maharaj Parikshit. That is the way of good government.
The disturbing elements like the personality of Kali will always try to extend
his nefarious activities but it is the duty of tne able state to check them up by
all means. Parikshit Maharaj although alloted places for the personality of
Kali, he at the same time gave no chance to the citizens to be in favour of the
personality of Kali.
Yasmin ahani yarhi eva bhagawan utsasarja gam
Tada evaiha anubritto asou adharma prabhavah kalih.
Yasmin—on that, Ahani—very day, Yarhi—in the very moment, Bhagwan—
the Personality of Godhead, Utsasarja—left aside, Gam—the earth, Tada—at
that time, Eva—certainly, Iha—in this world, Anuvritto—followed, Asou—
he, Adharma—irreligious, Prabhavah—accelerating, Kalih—the personality
of quarrel.
The very day and the very moment when the Personalty of Godhead
Lord Sri Krishna left aside this earth, on that verymoment also the
personality of Kali who is accelerating agent for all irreigious activities,
became entered within the earth
The personality of Godhead and His holy Name, Qualities etc all are identical.
The personality of Kali was not able to enter in the jurisdiction of the earth on
account of presence of the Personality of Godhead. And similarly if there is
arrangement for constant chanting of the holy Name and quality etc of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no chance at all for entrance of the
personality of Kali within the jurisdietion where such chanting of the holy
Name of the Lord is performed. Tha is the technique of driving away the
personality of Kali from the world. In the modernised human society there is
far advance ment of material science and they have invented the radio set for