sribhagavatam -skandah 1 - chapters 18th and 19th

Vuasadev

Praneetha

The Madbhagavatam

Chapter 18: Mahârâja Parîkchit Cursed by a Brahmin Boy

1.18.1

sūta uvāca
yo vai drauṇy-astra-vipluṣṭo
na mātur udare mṛtaḥ
anugrahād bhagavataḥ
kṛṣṇasyādbhuta-karmaṇaḥ

(1) Sûta said: "He [Parîkchit] who in the womb of his mother was scorched by the weapon of the son of Drona, didn't die thanks to the mercy of the Supreme Lord S'rî Krishna whose actions are so wonderful.

1.18.2

brahma-kopotthitād yas tu
takṣakāt prāṇa-viplavāt
na sammumohorubhayād
bhagavaty arpitāśayaḥ

(2) Cursed by a brahmin to die by a snake-bird, he was never overwhelmed by the great fear of death because he had consciously surrendered himself to the Supreme Lord.

1.18.3

utsṛjya sarvataḥ saṅgaṁ
vijñātājita-saṁsthitiḥ
vaiyāsaker jahau śiṣyo
gaṅgāyāṁ svaṁ kalevaram

 (3) After he had left behind all the ones surrounding him and had understood the actual position of the Invincible One, he as a disciple of the son of Vyâsa [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî] gave up his material body at the bank of the Ganges.

1.18.4

nottamaśloka-vārtānāṁ
juṣatāṁ tat-kathāmṛtam
syāt sambhramo 'nta-kāle 'pi
smaratāṁ tat-padāmbujam

(4) They who remembering His feet occupy themselves with His hymns and appreciate the nectarine stories in which He is glorified, will not even at the time of their death be confounded.

1.18.5

tāvat kalir na prabhavet
praviṣṭo 'pīha sarvataḥ
yāvad īśo mahān urvyām
ābhimanyava eka-rāṭ

(5) Even though he is present everywhere, the personality of Kali cannot flourish as long as the mighty ruler, the son of Abhimanyu, is the one who factually rules.

1.18.6

yasminn ahani yarhy eva
bhagavān utsasarja gām
tadaivehānuvṛtto 'sāv
adharma-prabhavaḥ kaliḥ

(6) The moment the Supreme Lord left this earth, Kali, he who promotes irreligion, appeared in this world.

1.18.7

nānudveṣṭi kaliṁ samrāṭ
sāraṅga iva sāra-bhuk
kuśalāny āśu siddhyanti
netarāṇi kṛtāni yat

(7) The emperor who as a realist lived for the essence was never envious of the personality of Kali. Like a bee going for the nectar, he knew that auspicious things lead to immediate success, while working for the inauspicious one never attains.

1.18.8

kiṁ nu bāleṣu śūreṇa
kalinā dhīra-bhīruṇā
apramattaḥ pramatteṣu
yo vṛko nṛṣu vartate

 (8) Kali, who in the eyes of the weaker ones appears to be a great power, is to the selfcontrolled a cause of apprehension, and thus Parîkchit as a tiger among man was the one who among the careless took care.

1.18.9

upavarṇitam etad vaḥ
puṇyaṁ pārīkṣitaṁ mayā
vāsudeva-kathopetam
ākhyānaṁ yad apṛcchata

(9) Upon your request I have related as good as all the stories that in relation to Vâsudeva can be told about the pious Parîkchit.

1.18.10

yā yāḥ kathā bhagavataḥ
kathanīyoru-karmaṇaḥ
guṇa-karmāśrayāḥ pumbhiḥ
saṁsevyās tā bubhūṣubhiḥ

 (10) Those who want to develop and prove themselves should take notice of all and everything about the Supreme Lord His wonders, transcendental qualities and uncommon deeds I spoke about."

1.18.11

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ
sūta jīva samāḥ saumya
śāśvatīr viśadaṁ yaśaḥ
yas tvaṁ śaṁsasi kṛṣṇasya
martyānām amṛtaṁ hi naḥ

(11) The sages said: "O Sûta, may you live a long, happy and particularly eternally famous life, because you speaking so nicely about Lord Krishna grant us mortals certainly the nectar of eternity.

1.18.12

karmaṇy asminn anāśvāse
dhūma-dhūmrātmanāṁ bhavān
āpāyayati govinda-
pāda-padmāsavaṁ madhu

(12) In this performance of sacrifice, of which the outcome is uncertain, we are black of the smoke, but by the pleasing of Govinda's feet of your good self we enjoy the nectar of a lotus flower.

1.18.13

tulayāma lavenāpi
na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya
martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ

(13) Attaining higher worlds or liberation from matter, not even mentioning the worldly benedictions of those who inevitably head for their death, is nothing compared to finding but for a moment one's perfect balance in enjoying the company of a devotee of the Lord.

1.18.14

ko nāma tṛpyed rasavit kathāyāṁ
mahattamaikānta-parāyaṇasya
nāntaṁ guṇānām aguṇasya jagmur
yogeśvarā ye bhava-pādma-mukhyāḥ

(14) Once having acquired the taste someone will never get enough of relishing the nectar of the stories about the greatest and only refuge among the living beings, He whose transcendental qualities  could never be measured by even the greatest masters of mystic union like Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva.

1.18.15

tan no bhavān vai bhagavat-pradhāno
mahattamaikānta-parāyaṇasya
harer udāraṁ caritaṁ viśuddhaṁ
śuśrūṣatāṁ no vitanotu vidvan

 (15) Be so kind o learned one to describe to us who are eager to hear about it, His impartial transcendental activities, for He to the good self of you, our most important person in relation to the Supreme Lord, is the one and only shelter, the greatest of the great.

1.18.16

sa vai mahā-bhāgavataḥ parīkṣid
yenāpavargākhyam adabhra-buddhiḥ
jñānena vaiyāsaki-śabditena
bheje khagendra-dhvaja-pāda-mūlam

(16) Evidently Parîkchit, as a first-class devotee, attained the lotus feet of Him who has Garuda in His banner, after he had strengthened his intelligence with the knowledge that was voiced by the son of Vyâsa in order to inform him about the path of liberation.

1.18.17

tan naḥ paraṁ puṇyam asaṁvṛtārtham
ākhyānam atyadbhuta-yoga-niṣṭham
ākhyāhy anantācaritopapannaṁ
pārīkṣitaṁ bhāgavatābhirāmam

(17) Please tell us therefore about the supreme and purifying that is so wonderfully contained in bhakti [devotion]. Describe to us, the way it was spoken to Parîkchit, the activities of the Unlimited One that are so particularly dear to the pure devotees."

1.18.18

sūta uvāca
aho vayaṁ janma-bhṛto 'dya hāsma
vṛddhānuvṛttyāpi viloma-jātāḥ
dauṣkulyam ādhiṁ vidhunoti śīghraṁ
mahattamānām abhidhāna-yogaḥ

(18) Sûta said: "See how we, this way being connected to the great ones in conversation,  despite of having a mixed background, today clearly are promoted to take [a higher] birth [in the spirit of the Lord]. By serving the ones who are advanced in knowledge one is quickly freed from the suffering that is a consequence of one's being born in a lower [material] sense.

1.18.19

kutaḥ punar gṛṇato nāma tasya
mahattamaikānta-parāyaṇasya
yo 'nanta-śaktir bhagavān ananto
mahad-guṇatvād yam anantam āhuḥ

(19) And, again, what to say of those who exclusively take to the shelter of the great devotees and thereto chant the holy name of Him who is called Ananta because of the fact that He is unlimited in His potency and unmeasurably great by His attributes?

1.18.20

etāvatālaṁ nanu sūcitena
guṇair asāmyānatiśāyanasya
hitvetarān prārthayato vibhūtir
yasyāṅghri-reṇuṁ juṣate 'nabhīpsoḥ

 (20) To give a description of Him unlimited in His attributes and equal to none, it suffices to say, that the Goddess of Fortune, with rejecting others who asked for it, wished to serve in the dust of His feet, while He Himself never asked for it.

1.18.21

athāpi yat-pāda-nakhāvasṛṣṭaṁ
jagad viriñcopahṛtārhaṇāmbhaḥ
seśaṁ punāty anyatamo mukundāt
ko nāma loke bhagavat-padārthaḥ

(21) Who else would be worth the position of carrying the name of Supreme Lord besides Mukunda [Lord Krishna as the one granting liberation] from whose toenails the water [of the Ganges] collected by Brahmâjî emanated that via Lord S'iva purifies the whole universe.

1.18.22

yatrānuraktāḥ sahasaiva dhīrā
vyapohya dehādiṣu saṅgam ūḍham
vrajanti tat pārama-haṁsyam antyaṁ
yasminn ahiṁsopaśamaḥ sva-dharmaḥ

(22) Those who are firmly attached to Him are capable of instantly leaving aside the attachments of the gross body and the subtle mind and go away to take shelter of the highest stage of perfection [sannyâsa], the stage of life in which nonviolence and renunciation is found.

1.18.23

ahaṁ hi pṛṣṭo 'ryamaṇo bhavadbhir
ācakṣa ātmāvagamo 'tra yāvān
nabhaḥ patanty ātma-samaṁ patattriṇas
tathā samaṁ viṣṇu-gatiṁ vipaścitaḥ

(23) Because you who are as strong as the sun asked me for it I can give you an account of the knowledge I have acquired; it is in this matter as with the birds who fly as far as they can: I can enlighten you on Vishnu as far as my realization permits.

1.18.24-25

ekadā dhanur udyamya
vicaran mṛgayāṁ vane
mṛgān anugataḥ śrāntaḥ
kṣudhitas tṛṣito bhṛśam
jalāśayam acakṣāṇaḥ
praviveśa tam āśramam
dadarśa munim āsīnaṁ
śāntaṁ mīlita-locanam

(24-25) Once upon a time when Parîkchit was hunting stags with bow and arrows, he got very fatigued, hungry and thirsty. Looking for a reservoir of water he entered the hermitage of the famous rishi S'amîka where he saw the sage silently sitting down with his eyes closed.

1.18.26

pratiruddhendriya-prāṇa-
mano-buddhim upāratam
sthāna-trayāt paraṁ prāptaṁ
brahma-bhūtam avikriyam

(26) Having restrained his sense organs, breath, mind and intelligence he, in quality equal to the Supreme Absolute, had ceased all activity while he remained unaffected in trance elevated above the three modes of consciousness [wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness].

1.18.27

viprakīrṇa-jaṭācchannaṁ
rauraveṇājinena ca
viśuṣyat-tālur udakaṁ
tathā-bhūtam ayācata

(27) He was covered by his long, compressed hair as also by the skin of a stag. The king, whose palate was dry of thirst, asked for water.

1.18.28

alabdha-tṛṇa-bhūmy-ādir
asamprāptārghya-sūnṛtaḥ
avajñātam ivātmānaṁ
manyamānaś cukopa ha

(28) Not being properly received with a place to sit, water and nice words, he felt neglected and so he got angry.

1.18.29

abhūta-pūrvaḥ sahasā
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām arditātmanaḥ
brāhmaṇaṁ praty abhūd brahman
matsaro manyur eva ca

 (29) O brahmins, given the circumstance of being distressed because of his hunger and thirst, his anger and hostility against the brahmin was unprecedented.

1.18.30

sa tu brahma-ṛṣer aṁse
gatāsum uragaṁ ruṣā
vinirgacchan dhanuṣ-koṭyā
nidhāya puram āgataḥ

 (30) Having lost his respect he with the tip of his bow picked up a lifeless snake and placed it angry over the shoulder of the sage as he left to return to his palace.

1.18.31

eṣa kiṁ nibhṛtāśeṣa-
karaṇo mīlitekṣaṇaḥ
mṛṣā-samādhir āhosvit
kiṁ nu syāt kṣatra-bandhubhiḥ

(31) There he wondered whether or not the sage's meditative state of withdrawing from the senses with closed eyes was a false, pretended trance to remain in avoidance of seeing a lower ruler.

1.18.32

tasya putro 'titejasvī
viharan bālako 'rbhakaiḥ
rājñāghaṁ prāpitaṁ tātaṁ
śrutvā tatredam abravīt

(32) When the sage's son, who was a very powerful personality, heard of the grief the king had caused his father while he was playing with some kids, he said this:

1.18.33

aho adharmaḥ pālānāṁ
pīvnāṁ bali-bhujām iva
svāminy aghaṁ yad dāsānāṁ
dvāra-pānāṁ śunām iva

(33) 'Just see how irreligious these rulers are! Enriching themselves like crows they defy what is settled for servants, while they are nothing but dogs keeping watch at the door!

1.18.34

brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatra-bandhur hi
gṛha-pālo nirūpitaḥ
sa kathaṁ tad-gṛhe dvāḥ-sthaḥ
sabhāṇḍaṁ bhoktum arhati

(34) The sons of the ruling class are to guard the learned like watchdogs - on what grounds would he who is supposed to stay at the door deserve it to enter the house of the master and eat from the same plate?

1.18.35

kṛṣṇe gate bhagavati
śāstary utpatha-gāminām
tad bhinna-setūn adyāhaṁ
śāsmi paśyata me balam

(35) Since Krishna our protector, who is the Supreme Lord and ruler of those upstarts, has departed, I shall today punish them myself, just witness my power!'

1.18.35

kṛṣṇe gate bhagavati
śāstary utpatha-gāminām
tad bhinna-setūn adyāhaṁ
śāsmi paśyata me balam

(36) Thus with eyes red-hot of anger speaking to his playmates, the son of the rishi touched the water of the Kaus'ika river and discharged the following thunderbolt of words:

1.18.37

iti laṅghita-maryādaṁ
takṣakaḥ saptame 'hani
daṅkṣyati sma kulāṅgāraṁ
codito me tata-druham

(37) 'Verily, seven days from now the wretched one of the dynasty who offended my father will, because of breaking with the etiquette, be bitten by a snake-bird.'

1.18.38

tato 'bhyetyāśramaṁ bālo
gale sarpa-kalevaram
pitaraṁ vīkṣya duḥkhārto
mukta-kaṇṭho ruroda ha

 

(38) When the boy thereafter returned to the hermitage, he saw the snake over his father's shoulder and wept aloud over that sorry plight.

1.18.39

sa vā āṅgiraso brahman
śrutvā suta-vilāpanam
unmīlya śanakair netre
dṛṣṭvā cāṁse mṛtoragam

(39) O S'aunaka, when the rishi heard his son crying in distress, he who was born in the family of Angirâ slowly opened his eyes and saw the dead snake on his shoulder.

1.18.40

visṛjya taṁ ca papraccha
vatsa kasmād dhi rodiṣi
kena vā te 'pakṛtam
ity uktaḥ sa nyavedayat

 (40) Throwing it aside, he asked: 'My dear son, what are you crying about? Has someone wronged you?' Thus being requested, the boy told him everything.

1.18.41

niśamya śaptam atad-arhaṁ narendraṁ
sa brāhmaṇo nātmajam abhyanandat
aho batāṁho mahad adya te kṛtam
alpīyasi droha urur damo dhṛtaḥ

 (41) After hearing about the curse pronounced against the king who should never have been condemned because he is the best among man,  he did not compliment his son, but lamented instead: 'Alas! What a great sin you have committed yourself today in awarding such a heavy punishment for such an insignificant offense!

1.18.42

na vai nṛbhir nara-devaṁ parākhyaṁ
sammātum arhasy avipakva-buddhe
yat-tejasā durviṣaheṇa guptā
vindanti bhadrāṇy akutobhayāḥ prajāḥ

(42) In fact no one may ever place a transcendental man of God on the same footing with common men - your command of intelligence is immature... by his unsurpassable prowess his subjects completely protected enjoy the prosperity.

1.18.43

alakṣyamāṇe nara-deva-nāmni
rathāṅga-pāṇāv ayam aṅga lokaḥ
tadā hi caura-pracuro vinaṅkṣyaty
arakṣyamāṇo 'vivarūthavat kṣaṇāt

 (43) O my boy, the Lord who carries the wheel of the chariot is represented by this monarch; once he is abolished, this world will be full of thieves who immediately will vanquish the unprotected like they were lambs.

1.18.44

tad adya naḥ pāpam upaity ananvayaṁ
yan naṣṭa-nāthasya vasor vilumpakāt
parasparaṁ ghnanti śapanti vṛñjate
paśūn striyo 'rthān puru-dasyavo janāḥ

(44) Because of us negating the monarch, from this day on, the reaction upon this sin will overtake us causing great social disorder. The wealth will be taken by thieves and among the people there will be murder and molestation as also abuse of women and animals.

1.18.45

tadārya-dharmaḥ pravilīyate nṛṇāṁ
varṇāśramācāra-yutas trayīmayaḥ
tato 'rtha-kāmābhiniveśitātmanāṁ
śunāṁ kapīnām iva varṇa-saṅkaraḥ

 (45) The righteous civilization of human progress in the vocations and stages of life according the Vedic injunctions will at that time systematically be vanquished, and with the economy then only serving sense-gratification will result in an unwanted population on the level of dogs and monkeys.

1.18.46

dharma-pālo nara-patiḥ
sa tu samrā bṛhac-chravāḥ
sākṣān mahā-bhāgavato
rājarṣir haya-medhayāṭ
kṣut-tṛṭ-śrama-yuto dīno
naivāsmac chāpam arhati

(46) The protector of the religion, the king, is a highly celebrated emperor, a direct, first class devotee of the Lord and a saint of nobility; a great performer of horse sacrifices - and when he hungry and thirsty is stricken with fatigue he never deserves it to be cursed by us like this.'

1.18.47

apāpeṣu sva-bhṛtyeṣu
bālenāpakva-buddhinā
pāpaṁ kṛtaṁ tad bhagavān
sarvātmā kṣantum arhati

(47) Next the sage addressed the Supreme, All-pervading Lord in order to beg His pardon for the great sin that by the child immature of intelligence was committed against a sinless, deserving and subordinate one.

1.18.48

tiraskṛtā vipralabdhāḥ
śaptāḥ kṣiptā hatā api
nāsya tat pratikurvanti
tad-bhaktāḥ prabhavo 'pi hi

(48) [He prayed:] 'Whether they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even when one of them is killed, the forbearing devotees of the Lord for certain never will avenge themselves for any of this.'

1.18.49

iti putra-kṛtāghena
so 'nutapto mahā-muniḥ
svayaṁ viprakṛto rājñā
naivāghaṁ tad acintayat

(49) Thus the sage regretted the sin of his son while he personally didn't consider the king insulting him sinful.

1.18.50

prāyaśaḥ sādhavo loke
parair dvandveṣu yojitāḥ
na vyathanti na hṛṣyanti
yata ātmāguṇāśrayaḥ

 (50) Generally the saints in this world prove themselves not distressed or happy when they because of others are engaged in worldly duality, because they are situated in the transcendence of the soul."

Chapter 19: The Appearance of S'ukadeva Gosvâmî

1.19.1

sūta uvāca
mahī-patis tv atha tat-karma garhyaṁ
vicintayann ātma-kṛtaṁ sudurmanāḥ
aho mayā nīcam anārya-vat kṛtaṁ
nirāgasi brahmaṇi gūḍha-tejasi

(1) Sûta said: "While going home the king thought that what he had done was something abominable and he was very depressed saying to himself: 'Alas, it was uncivilized and evil what I did to the faultless, grave and powerful brahmin.

1.19.2

dhruvaṁ tato me kṛta-deva-helanād
duratyayaṁ vyasanaṁ nāti-dīrghāt
tad astu kāmaṁ hy agha-niṣkṛtāya me
yathā na kuryāṁ punar evam addhā

(2) I will no doubt because of going against the injunctions very soon meet with a very troublesome calamity. I certainly hope that that will happen as soon as possible so that I'll be relieved of my sins and never do something like that again.

1.19.3

adyaiva rājyaṁ balam ṛddha-kośaṁ
prakopita-brahma-kulānalo me
dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhūt
pāpīyasī dhīr dvija-deva-gobhyaḥ

(3) May I, on this very day, burn with my kingdom, strength and wealth of riches in the fire ignited by the brahmin community, so that the inauspiciousness of sinning against the Lord, the culture and the cows may not return to me.'

1.19.4

sa cintayann ittham athāśṛṇod yathā
muneḥ sutokto nirṛtis takṣakākhyaḥ
sa sādhu mene na cireṇa takṣakā-
nalaṁ prasaktasya virakti-kāraṇam

(4) Thus pondering the message reached him of the curse of death pronounced by the sage's son. That curse in the form of the fire of a snake bird he accepted as something auspicious because that expected happening would be the logical consequence of the indifference of an all too attached person.

1.19.5

atho vihāyemam amuṁ ca lokaṁ
vimarśitau heyatayā purastāt
kṛṣṇāṅghri-sevām adhimanyamāna
upāviśat prāyam amartya-nadyām

(5) He decided to give up on this world as also on the next, for he already had concluded that both worlds were inferior compared to a life of service at the feet of Krishna. So he sat down at the bank of the transcendental river [the Ganges] in order to fast. That was to his opinion the best thing he could do.

1.19.6

yā vai lasac-chrī-tulasī-vimiśra-
kṛṣṇāṅghri-reṇv-abhyadhikāmbu-netrī
punāti lokān ubhayatra seśān
kas tāṁ na seveta mariṣyamāṇaḥ

(6) That river, always flowing mixed with tulasî leaves [a plant used in worship], consists of the auspicious water carrying the dust from the feet of Lord Krishna that sanctifies both the worlds inside and outside and even the Lord of Destruction [Lord S'iva]. What person destined to die would not turn to that river?

1.19.7

iti vyavacchidya sa pāṇḍaveyaḥ
prāyopaveśaṁ prati viṣṇu-padyām
dadhau mukundāṅghrim ananya-bhāvo
muni-vrato mukta-samasta-saṅgaḥ

(7) With that decision he, the worthy descendant of the Pândavas, with his sitting down at the river which flows from the feet of Vishnu, surrendered himself to the mercy of Mukunda till he died. He, free from all kinds of material attachment, would complete his fasting without deviating from the spirit of the vows respected by the sages.

1.19.8

tatropajagmur bhuvanaṁ punānā
mahānubhāvā munayaḥ sa-śiṣyāḥ
prāyeṇa tīrthābhigamāpadeśaiḥ
svayaṁ hi tīrthāni punanti santaḥ

(8) All the great minds and thinkers who together with their pupils are capable of elevating the entire world, then came to gather there on the plea of a pilgrimage. It is because of their personal presence that the holy places enjoy their status of sanctity.

1.19.9-10

atrir vasiṣṭhaś cyavanaḥ śaradvān
ariṣṭanemir bhṛgur aṅgirāś ca
parāśaro gādhi-suto 'tha rāma
utathya indrapramadedhmavāhau
medhātithir devala ārṣṭiṣeṇo
bhāradvājo gautamaḥ pippalādaḥ
maitreya aurvaḥ kavaṣaḥ kumbhayonir
dvaipāyano bhagavān nāradaś ca

(9-10) Atri, Cyavana, S'aradvân, Arishthanemi, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Parâs'ara, Vis'vâmitra, Angirâ, Paras'urâma, Uthathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavâhu, Medhâtithi, Devala, Ârshthisena, Bhâradvâja, Gautama, Pippalâda , Maitreya, Aurva, Kavasha, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipâyana and the great personality Nârada arrived.

1.19.11

anye ca devarṣi-brahmarṣi-varyā
rājarṣi-varyā aruṇādayaś ca
nānārṣeya-pravarān sametān
abhyarcya rājā śirasā vavande

(11) Also many other divine personalities, saintly brahmins, the best saintly advisors of the most prominent nobles and many other sages like Aruna appeared to the occasion. All the heads of the dynasties of sages assembling there were respectfully welcomed by the emperor bowing his head.

1.19.12

sukhopaviṣṭeṣv atha teṣu bhūyaḥ
kṛta-praṇāmaḥ sva-cikīrṣitaṁ yat
vijñāpayām āsa vivikta-cetā
upasthito 'gre 'bhigṛhīta-pāṇiḥ

(12) When all of them were seated comfortably he, with folded hands present before them as someone whose mind is detached from worldly affairs, after again having offered them his obeisances, thereupon humbly spoke about his decision to fast.

1.19.13

rājovāca
aho vayaṁ dhanyatamā nṛpāṇāṁ
mahattamānugrahaṇīya-śīlāḥ
rājñāṁ kulaṁ brāhmaṇa-pāda-śaucād
dūrād visṛṣṭaṁ bata garhya-karma

(13) The king said: 'We are truly grateful to be the most fortunate of all the kings who are trained to be receptive to the favors granted by the greatest of souls, because at the feet of the brahmins the royal orders because of their reprehensible actions are but refuse to be kept at a distance.

1.19.14

tasyaiva me 'ghasya parāvareśo
vyāsakta-cittasya gṛheṣv abhīkṣṇam
nirveda-mūlo dvija-śāpa-rūpo
yatra prasakto bhayam āśu dhatte

(14) Because of my sins the Controller of the transcendental and mundane worlds pronounced a curse against me via that brahmin, I who out of attachment always thought of family matters. Having assumed that form He, inspiring with fear, very soon will overtake my mundane attachment.

1.19.15

taṁ mopayātaṁ pratiyantu viprā
gaṅgā ca devī dhṛta-cittam īśe
dvijopasṛṣṭaḥ kuhakas takṣako vā
daśatv alaṁ gāyata viṣṇu-gāthāḥ

(15) Therefore o brahmins, just accept me as someone who with the Lord in his heart in surrender has taken to the divine mother Ganges. Let the snakebird, or whatever magical thing the twice-born called for, bite me forthwith. You please continue reciting the deeds of Lord Vishnu.

1.19.16

punaś ca bhūyād bhagavaty anante
ratiḥ prasaṅgaś ca tad-āśrayeṣu
mahatsu yāṁ yām upayāmi sṛṣṭiṁ
maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyaḥ

(16) And, again, let it be so that wherever that I in relation to the Supreme, Unlimited Lord and the association He attracts in the material world may take birth, I will find friendly relations everywhere in obeisance to the twice-born.'
1.19.17

iti sma rājādhyavasāya-yuktaḥ
prācīna-mūleṣu kuśeṣu dhīraḥ
udaṅ-mukho dakṣiṇa-kūla āste
samudra-patnyāḥ sva-suta-nyasta-bhāraḥ

(17) And so it came to pass that the king, with the same perseverance as he had shown before, fully self-controlled seated himself on kus'a grass laid to the east, while facing the north from the southern bank of the wife of the sea [the Ganges]. The charge of his administration he had handed over to his son.

1.19.18

evaṁ ca tasmin nara-deva-deve
prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-saṅghāḥ
praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair
mudā muhur dundubhayaś ca neduḥ

 (18) To that occasion the gods, who from the sky had seen that the king would fast until his end, all in praise scattered the earth with flowers, continually beating celestial drums in pleasure.

1.19.19

maharṣayo vai samupāgatā ye
praśasya sādhv ity anumodamānāḥ
ūcuḥ prajānugraha-śīla-sārā
yad uttama-śloka-guṇābhirūpam

(19) All the great sages who had assembled there praised him for the wisdom he had thus shown and in approval said from the power of their goodness for the living beings, a goodness that in its quality is as beautiful as the divine praised in the scriptures:

1.19.20

na vā idaṁ rājarṣi-varya citraṁ
bhavatsu kṛṣṇaṁ samanuvrateṣu
ye 'dhyāsanaṁ rāja-kirīṭa-juṣṭaṁ
sadyo jahur bhagavat-pārśva-kāmāḥ

 (20) 'It is not astonishing that this saintly king, the chief of all of us who strictly follow Krishna, being seated on the throne that is decorated with the helmets of kings, immediately gave up his life out of his desire to achieve association with the Fortunate One.

1.19.21

sarve vayaṁ tāvad ihāsmahe 'tha
kalevaraṁ yāvad asau vihāya
lokaṁ paraṁ virajaskaṁ viśokaṁ
yāsyaty ayaṁ bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ

 (21) We all will stay at this place as long as it takes the king to give up his body and return to the world of the Supreme, where this foremost devotee will be completely free from worldly concerns and lamentation.'

1.19.22

āśrutya tad ṛṣi-gaṇa-vacaḥ parīkṣit
samaṁ madhu-cyud guru cāvyalīkam
ābhāṣatainān abhinandya yuktān
śuśrūṣamāṇaś caritāni viṣṇoḥ

(22) After having heard the assembled sages speak thus impartially, sweet to hear, grave and perfectly true, Parîkchit complimented them all with their appropriate show of respect and said, desirous to hear about the activities of Vishnu:

1.19.23

samāgatāḥ sarvata eva sarve
vedā yathā mūrti-dharās tri-pṛṣṭhe
nehātha nāmutra ca kaścanārtha
ṛte parānugraham ātma-śīlam

 (23) 'You all have assembled here as the representatives of the One above the three worlds [Brahmâ], with no other intention in this world or a world hereafter but to act for the good of others according to your innate nature.

1.19.24

tataś ca vaḥ pṛcchyam imaṁ vipṛcche
viśrabhya viprā iti kṛtyatāyām
sarvātmanā mriyamāṇaiś ca kṛtyaṁ
śuddhaṁ ca tatrāmṛśatābhiyuktāḥ

 (24) Therefore I beg you to tell me now, as trustworthy Vedic men of learning,  after due deliberation, what of all the different duties of each and especially of those who are about to die, to your opinion would be the proper and befitting conduct.'

1.19.25

tatrābhavad bhagavān vyāsa-putro
yadṛcchayā gām aṭamāno 'napekṣaḥ
alakṣya-liṅgo nija-lābha-tuṣṭo
vṛtaś ca bālair avadhūta-veṣaḥ

(25) At that moment, as if called for, the powerful son of Vyâsa, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî appeared. He, looking like a mendicant,  satisfied in self-realization freely traveled around in the company of children without any concern about material comforts or an identity.

1.19.26

taṁ dvyaṣṭa-varṣaṁ su-kumāra-pāda-
karoru-bāhv-aṁsa-kapola-gātram
cārv-āyatākṣonnasa-tulya-karṇa-
subhrv-ānanaṁ kambu-sujāta-kaṇṭham

(26) He, only sixteen years old, had a body with delicate legs, hands, thighs, arms, shoulders and forehead. His eyes were beautifully wide in a face with a high nose, similar ears, nice eyebrows and a neck as shapely as a conch shell.

1.19.27

nigūḍha-jatruṁ pṛthu-tuṅga-vakṣasam
āvarta-nābhiṁ vali-valgūdaraṁ ca
dig-ambaraṁ vaktra-vikīrṇa-keśaṁ
pralamba-bāhuṁ svamarottamābham

(27) With a fleshy collarbone, a broad chest and a deep navel he had nice folds in his abdomen. Stark naked with curly, scattered hair and long arms he had the hue of the best among the gods [Krishna; a dark complexion].

1.19.28

śyāmaṁ sadāpīvya-vayo-'ṅga-lakṣmyā
strīṇāṁ mano-jñaṁ rucira-smitena
pratyutthitās te munayaḥ svāsanebhyas
tal-lakṣaṇa-jñā api gūḍha-varcasam

(28) Even though he covered his nakedness the sages, who had a keen eye for physiognomy, recognized the symptoms of the blackish skin, the beauty of his tender age and the attraction for the fair sex with his beautiful smiles. And so they all stood up from their seats.

1.19.29

sa viṣṇu-rāto 'tithaya āgatāya
tasmai saparyāṁ śirasājahāra
tato nivṛttā hy abudhāḥ striyo 'rbhakā
mahāsane sopaviveśa pūjitaḥ

(29) To welcome the new guest, he who is always protected by Vishnu [Parîkchit] bowed before him and offered his obeisances, whereupon his less educated following of boys and women withdrew the moment he took his exalted seat in regard of the respect shown.

1.19.30

sa saṁvṛtas tatra mahān mahīyasāṁ
brahmarṣi-rājarṣi-devarṣi-saṅghaiḥ
vyarocatālaṁ bhagavān yathendur
graharkṣa-tārā-nikaraiḥ parītaḥ

 (30) Surrounded there by the greatest of the great saints among the brahmins, the kings and the godly ones, S'ukadeva as the greatest lord shone as resplendent as the moon surrounded by the planets, heavenly bodies and stars.

1.19.31

praśāntam āsīnam akuṇṭha-medhasaṁ
muniṁ nṛpo bhāgavato 'bhyupetya
praṇamya mūrdhnāvahitaḥ kṛtāñjalir
natvā girā sūnṛtayānvapṛcchat

(31) Calm, intelligent and self-assured sitting down the sage was approached by the great devotee, the king, who properly bowing down with folded hands asked him questions in a polite and friendly manner.

1.19.32

parīkṣid uvāca
aho adya vayaṁ brahman
sat-sevyāḥ kṣatra-bandhavaḥ
kṛpayātithi-rūpeṇa
bhavadbhis tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ

(32) Parîkchit said: 'O brahmin, what a blessing it is for us from the ruling class today to be chosen as a servant of the devotee, by  your mercy of being our guest to be considered worthy the visit of all these relations of your good self.

1.19.33

yeṣāṁ saṁsmaraṇāt puṁsāṁ
sadyaḥ śuddhyanti vai gṛhāḥ
kiṁ punar darśana-sparśa-
pāda-śaucāsanādibhiḥ

(33) When we think of your person that immediately purifies all the places we inhabit, not to mention what it means to see you, touch you, wash your feet and offer you a seat.

1.19.34

sānnidhyāt te mahā-yogin
pātakāni mahānty api
sadyo naśyanti vai puṁsāṁ
viṣṇor iva suretarāḥ

(34) Through your presence, o great mystic, our gravest sins are immediately vanquished, even as the nonbelievers are by the presence of Vishnu.

1.19.35

api me bhagavān prītaḥ
kṛṣṇaḥ pāṇḍu-suta-priyaḥ
paitṛ-ṣvaseya-prīty-arthaṁ
tad-gotrasyātta-bāndhavaḥ

(35) Finally Krishna, the Supreme Lord so dear to the sons of Pându, is of mercy for me and has, for the satisfaction of His cousins and brothers, accepted me, their descendant, as one of theirs.

1.19.36

anyathā te 'vyakta-gater
darśanaṁ naḥ kathaṁ nṛṇām
nitarāṁ mriyamāṇānāṁ
saṁsiddhasya vanīyasaḥ

(36) How else could it be possible that you, out of your own free will, specially for someone in his last hours before death have appeared here to meet us, while you normally, all-perfect as you are, cannot be found among the common people?

1.19.37

ataḥ pṛcchāmi saṁsiddhiṁ
yogināṁ paramaṁ gurum
puruasyeha yat kāryaṁ
mriyamāṇasya sarvathā

(37) Therefore I beg you as the supreme spiritual master of all ascetics, to tell what for a person in this life would be the perfection, the final beatitude, and what for someone about to die all would be the duty.

1.19.38

yac chrotavyam atho japyaṁ
yat kartavyaṁ nṛbhiḥ prabho
smartavyaṁ bhajanīyaṁ vā
brūhi yad vā viparyayam

(38) Please explain what the people in general, o master, should attend to and chant about, what they should do, what they should remember and share, as also what would be against the principle.

1.19.39

nūnaṁ bhagavato brahman
gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām
na lakṣyate hy avasthānam
api go-dohanaṁ kvacit

(39) This I ask because, o supreme devotee, in the house of the householders one rarely sees you staying for longer than the exact time of milking a cow.' "

1.19.40

sūta uvāca
evam ābhāṣitaḥ pṛṣṭaḥ
sa rājñā ślakṣṇayā girā
pratyabhāṣata dharma-jño
bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ

(40) Sûta said: "Thus pleasantly being addressed and questioned by the king, the supreme son of Vyâsadeva who was so well versed in the knowledge of what is one's actual duty, began his reply."

 

   
(end of first Skandah )


(I humbly salute to lotus feet of swamyjis, knowledge seekers, scholars for the collecion)