Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Srimad Bhagawatam, First Canto, Volume Three
It is foretold herein that in the absence of monarchical regime the general
mass of people will be unwanted population of the type of dogs and monkeys.
As the monkeys are too much sexually inclined and the dogs are shameless in
the matter of sexual intercourse, similarly the general mass of population born
of illegitimate connection like the dogs and monkeys will systematically go
astray from the Vedic way of good manners in the matter of qualitative
engagements of the castes and orders of life
The Vedic way of life is called progressive march of civilization of the
Aryans. The Aryans means who are progressive in terms of Vedic civilization.
The Vedic civilization aims at the destination of back to Godhead back to
Home where there is no birth, no death, no oldage and no diseases. The Vedas
direct every one not to remain in darkness of the material world but directs
progressive march towards the light of spiritual kingdom far beyond the
material sky within our vision. The qualitative caste system and the orders of
life are scientifically planned by the Lord and His representatives the great
Rishis; and the perfect way of mannerly life gives all sorts of instruction in the
matter of both material and spiritual way of life. The Vedic way of life does
not allow any man to be like monkeys and dogs for sense gratification and to
fulfil the desire of mammon's philosophy one should simply devote himself in
the matter of economic development. Such degarded civilization of sense
gratification and economic developement is the byproducts of Godless or
kingless government of the people by the people and for the people. The
people in general should not therefore grudge the reaction of such
maladministration by their own action.
Dharmapalo narapatih satu samrat vrihat shravah
Sakashat mahabhagavato rajarshir hayamedhayat
Kshut trit shramayuto deeno na eva asmat sapam arhati
Dharmapalo—the protecter of religiosity, Narapatih—the king, Sa—he, Tu—
but, Samrat—Emperor, Vrihat—highly, Shravah—celebrated, Sakshat—
directly, Mahabhagawata—the first grade devotee of the Lord, Rajarshir—
saint amongst the royal orders, Hayamedhayat—great performer of Horse
sacrifiices, Kshut—hunger, Trit—thirst, Shramayuta—tired and fatigued,
Deeno—stricken, Na—never, Eva—thus, Asmat—by us, Sapam—curse,
Arhati—deserves.
The Emperor Parikshit is a pious king,he is highly celebrated, and
directly the first grade devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a
saint amongst the royal order and has performed many horse sacrifices.
Such a king when he was tired and fatigued being stricken with hunger
and thirst, did not at all deserved to be cursed.
After explaining the general codes of royal position and asserting that the king
can do no wrong and therefore he is never to be condemned, the sage Samik
wanted to speak something about the Emperor Parikshit specifically. The
specific qualification of Maha raj Parikshit is summarised herein that the king
even calculated as a king only he was most celebrated as a ruler who
administers just on the religious principles of the royal order. In the Shastras
the duties of all castes and orders of the society are prescribed. All the
qualities of a Kshatriya as mentioned in the Bhagwat Geeta (18.43) were
present in the person of the Emperor. And besides the royal attributes he was
directly a great devotee of the Lord as self realised soul. Such a king when he
was tired and fatigued with hunger and thirst and personally asked for water,
cursing upon him was not at all proper. The Samik Rishi thus admitted from
all sides that Maharaj Parikshit was cursed by the Brahmin's son most unjustly
and thus allowed the personality of Kali to enter into the established orders of
the world position. Although all the Brahmins were aloof from the incidence
still for the childish action of a Brahmin boy the whole atmosphere of world
situation was changed and thus the Rishi Samik a Brahmin took responsibility
for all deterioration of worldly good orders.
Apapesu swabhrityesu valena apakka buddhina
Papam kritam tadbhagawan sarvatma kshantum arhati
Apapesu—unto one who is completely free from all sins, Swabhrityesu—unto
one who is subordinate and deserves to be protected, Valena—by a child,
Apakka—who is immature, Buddhina—by intelligence, Papam—sinful act,
Kritam—has been done, Tadbhagwan—therefore the Personality of Godhead,
Sarvatama—Who is all pervading, Kshantum—just to parden, Arhasi—
deserve.
The Rishi prayed for his son to the all pervading Personality of Godhead
for pardoning his immature boy with no intelligence who commited the
great sin of cursing a person who was completely free from all sins and
being subordinate deserved to be protected.
Every one is responsible for his own action either pious or sinful. The Rishi
Samik could foresee it that his son had commited a great culpable act of sin
by cursing Maharaj Parikshit who deserved to be protected by the Brahmins
as he was a pious ruler as well as personally completely free from all sins on
account of his becoming the first order devotee of the Lord. When offence is
done unto the devotee of the Lord it is very difficult to ovcrcome from the
reaction of such offensive action The Brahmins being on the head of the
social orders they are meant for giving protection to the subordinates and not
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to curse them. Although there are occasions when a Brahmin furiously may
curse the subordinate Kshatriya or the Vaishya etc but in the case of Maharaj
Parikshit there was no ground for being cursed as it is already explained. But
the foolish boy had done it out of sheer vanity of being a Brahmin's son and
thus he became liable to be punished by the law of God. The Lord never
forgives a person who condemns His pure devotee. Therfore the foolish boy
of a Brahmin had not only committed sin by cursing a King but also he had
commited the greatest offence by condemning a great devotee of the Lord.
Therefore the Rishi could foresee that except the Supreme Personality of
Godhead no other purificatory method could save his boy from great blunder
of sinful act. He therefore directly prayed for being pardoned by the Supreme
Lord who can only undo a thing which is impossible to be changed. The
appeal was made in the name of a foolish boy who had developed no
intelligence at all.
A question may be raised herein that it was the desire of the Lord that
Parikshit Maharaj might be put into that awkward position so that he might be
delivered from material existence then why a Brahmins son was made
responsible for this offensive act. The answer is that the offensive act was
made to be performed by a child only so that he could be excused very easily
and thus the prayer of the father was accepted. But if the question is raised
why the Brahmin community as a whole should be made responsible for
allowing the Kali into the world affairs, the answer is given in the Varaha
Puranam. It is said there that the demons who acted enimically with the
Personality of Godhead but were not killed by the Lord were allowed to take
birth in the families of the Brahmins taking advantage of the age of Kali. The
all merciful Lord gave them chance to have their births in the families of the
pious Brahmins so that they could further improve to get salvation but the
demons instead of utilising the good opportunity misused the Brahminical
culture on account of being puffed by vanity of becoming a Brahmin's son.
The typical example is the son of Samik Rishi and all the foolish sons of
Brahmin family are warned hereby not to become as foolish as Shringhee and
be always on graud against the demoniac qualities which they had in their
previous births. The foolish boy was off course excused by the Lord but for
others who may not have a father like Samik Rishi will be put into great
difficulty if they misuse the advantages obtained by the birth in a Brahmin
family.
Tiraskritah vipralabdhah saptah kshipta hata api
Na asya tat pratikurvanti tad bhakta prabhavo apihi
Tiraskritah—being defamed, Vipralabdhah—being cheated, Saptah—being
cursed, Kshiptah—disturbed by negligence, Hata—or even being killed,
Api—also, Na—never, Asya—for all these acts, Tat—them, Pratikurvanti—
counter act, Tad—the Lord's, Bhakta—devotees, Prabhavo—powerful, Api—
although, Hi—certainly
The devotees of the Lord are so much forbearing that even they are
defamed, cheated, cursed, distrubed by negligence or even they are killed
they are never inclined to counter act such reverses.
The Rishi Samik also knew it that the Lord does not even forgive a person
who has had commited offence at the feet of a devotee. The Lord can only
give direction to take shelter of the devotee only. He thought within himself
that if Maharaj Parikshit would counter curse the boy he might besaved. But
he knew it also that a pure devotee is callous about worldly advantages or
reverses. As such the devotees are never inclined to counter act any action on
them by personal defamation, curse negligence etc. So far such things are
concerned in personal affairs the devotees do not care for them. But in case of
their being performed on the Lord and his devotees then the devotee takes
very strong action. It was a case of personal affair and therefore Samik Rishi
knew it that the king would not take any counter action. Thus there was no
alternative than to place appeal to the Lord for consideration of the immature
childish boy.
It is not that only the Brahmins are powerful to award curse or blessings
upon the subordinates but the devotee of the Lord even though he may not be
a Brahmin is more powerful than a Brahmin. But such powerful devotee never
misuses the power for personal benefit. Whatever power the devotee may
have it is always utilised in the matter of service towards the Lord and His
devotees only.
Iti Putra krita aghena sa anutapta munih
Swayau viprakrto rajna na eva agham tad achintayat.
Iti—thus, Putra—son, Krita—done by, Aghena—by the sin, Sa—he the Muni,
Anatapta—regretting, Munih—the sage, Swayam—personally, Viprakrita—
being so insulted, Na—not, Eva—certainly, Tad—that, Achintayat—thought
of it.
The sage thus regretted the sin commited by his own son and the insult
which was done to him by the king was not very seriously taken by him.
The actual position of the whole incidence is now cleared up. Maharaj
Parikshit's garlanding ths sage with a dead snake was not at all very serious
offence but Sringhee's cursing upon the king was a serious offence. The
serious offence was done by a foolish child only therefore he deserved to be