Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 1 · Chapter 12
शौनक उवाच अश्वत्थाम्नोपसृष्टेन ब्रह्मशीर्ष्णोरुतेजसा । उत्तराया हतो गर्भ ईशेनाजीवित: पुन: ॥ १ ॥
saunaka uvaca asvatthamnopasrstena brahma-sirsnoru-tejasa uttaraya hato garbha isenajivitah punah
The sage Saunaka said: The womb of Uttara, mother of Maharaja Pariksit, was spoiled by the dreadful and invincible brahmastra weapon released by Asvatthama. But Maharaja Pariksit was saved by the Supreme Lord.
तस्य जन्म महाबुद्धे: कर्माणि च महात्मन: । निधनं च यथैवासीत्स प्रेत्य गतवान् यथा ॥ २ ॥
tasya janma maha-buddheh karmani ca mahatmanah nidhanam ca yathaivasit sa pretya gatavan yatha
How was the great emperor Pariksit, 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?
तदिदं श्रोतुमिच्छामो गदितुं यदि मन्यसे । ब्रूहि न: श्रद्दधानानां यस्य ज्ञानमदाच्छुक: ॥ ३ ॥
tad idam srotum icchamo gaditum yadi manyase bruhi nah sraddadhananam yasya jnanam adac chukah
We all respectfully want to hear about him (Maharaja Pariksit) to whom Sukadeva Gosvami imparted transcendental knowledge. Please speak on this matter.
सूत उवाच अपीपलद्धर्मराज: पितृवद् रञ्जयन् प्रजा: । नि:स्पृह: सर्वकामेभ्य: कृष्णपादानुसेवया ॥ ४ ॥
suta uvaca apipalad dharma-rajah pitrvad ranjayan prajah nihsprhah sarva-kamebhyah krsna-padanusevaya
Sri Suta Gosvami said: Emperor Yudhisthira administered generously to everyone during his reign. He was exactly like his father. He had no personal ambition and was freed from all sorts of sense gratification because of his continuous service unto the lotus feet of the Lord Sri Krsna.
सम्पद: क्रतवो लोका महिषी भ्रातरो मही । जम्बूद्वीपाधिपत्यं च यशश्च त्रिदिवं गतम् ॥ ५ ॥
sampadah kratavo loka mahisi bhrataro mahi jambudvipadhipatyam ca yasas ca tri-divam gatam
News even reached the celestial planes about Maharaja Yudhisthira’s worldly possessions, the sacrifices by which he would attain a better destination, his queen, his stalwart brothers, his extensive land, his sovereignty over the planet earth, and his fame, etc.
किं ते कामा: सुरस्पार्हा मुकुन्दमनसो द्विजा: । अधिजह्रुर्मुदं राज्ञ: क्षुधितस्य यथेतरे ॥ ६ ॥
kim te kamah sura-sparha mukunda-manaso dvijah adhijahrur mudam rajnah ksudhitasya yathetare
O brahmanas, the opulence of the King was so enchanting that the denizens of heaven aspired for it. But because he was absorbed in the service of the Lord, nothing could satisfy him except the Lord’s service.
मातुर्गर्भगतो वीर: स तदा भृगुनन्दन । ददर्श पुरुषं कञ्चिद्दह्यमानोऽस्त्रतेजसा ॥ ७ ॥
matur garbha-gato virah sa tada bhrgu-nandana dadarsa purusam kancid dahyamano ’stra-tejasa
O son of Bhrgu (Saunaka), when the child Pariksit, the great fighter, was in the womb of his mother, Uttara, and was suffering from the burning heat of the brahmastra (thrown by Asvatthama), he could observe the Supreme Lord coming to him.
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रममलं स्फुरत्पुरटमौलिनम् । अपीव्यदर्शनं श्यामं तडिद्वाससमच्युतम् ॥ ८ ॥
angustha-matram amalam sphurat-purata-maulinam apivya-darsanam syamam tadid vasasam acyutam
He (the Lord) was only thumb high, but He was all transcendental. He had a very beautiful, blackish, infallible body, and He wore a dress of lightning yellow and a helmet of blazing gold. Thus He was seen by the child.
श्रीमद्दीर्घचतुर्बाहुं तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलम् । क्षतजाक्षं गदापाणिमात्मन: सर्वतोदिशम् । परिभ्रमन्तमुल्काभां भ्रामयन्तं गदां मुहु: ॥ ९ ॥
srimad-dirgha-catur-bahum tapta-kancana-kundalam ksatajaksam gada-panim atmanah sarvato disam paribhramantam ulkabham bhramayantam gadam muhuh
The Lord was enriched with four hands, earrings of molten gold and eyes blood red with fury. As He loitered about, His club constantly encircled Him like a shooting star.
अस्त्रतेज: स्वगदया नीहारमिव गोपति: । विधमन्तं सन्निकर्षे पर्यैक्षत क इत्यसौ ॥ १० ॥
astra-tejah sva-gadaya niharam iva gopatih vidhamantam sannikarse paryaiksata ka ity asau
The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the brahmastra, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. He was observed by the child, who thought about who He was.
विधूय तदमेयात्मा भगवान्धर्मगुब् विभु: । मिषतो दशमासस्य तत्रैवान्तर्दधे हरि: ॥ ११ ॥
vidhuya tad ameyatma bhagavan dharma-gub vibhuh misato dasamasasya tatraivantardadhe harih
While thus being observed by the child, the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul of everyone and the protector of the righteous, who stretches in all directions and who is unlimited by time and space, disappeared at once.
तत: सर्वगुणोदर्के सानुकूलग्रहोदये । जज्ञे वंशधर: पाण्डोर्भूय: पाण्डुरिवौजसा ॥ १२ ॥
tatah sarva-gunodarke sanukula-grahodaye jajne vamsa-dharah pandor bhuyah pandur ivaujasa
Thereupon, when all the good signs of the zodiac gradually evolved, the heir apparent of Pandu, who would be exactly like him in prowess, took birth.
तस्य प्रीतमना राजा विप्रैर्धौम्यकृपादिभि: । जातकं कारयामास वाचयित्वा च मङ्गलम् ॥ १३ ॥
tasya prita-mana raja viprair dhaumya-krpadibhih jatakam karayam asa vacayitva ca mangalam
King Yudhisthira, who was very satisfied with the birth of Maharaja Pariksit, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned brahmanas, headed by Dhaumya and Krpa, recited auspicious hymns.
हिरण्यं गां महीं ग्रामान् हस्त्यश्वान्नृपतिर्वरान् । प्रादात्स्वन्नं च विप्रेभ्य: प्रजातीर्थे स तीर्थवित् ॥ १४ ॥
hiranyam gam mahim graman hasty-asvan nrpatir varan pradat svannam ca viprebhyah praja-tirthe sa tirthavit
Upon the birth of a son, the King, who knew how, where and when charity should be given, gave gold, land, villages, elephants, horses and good food grains to the brahmanas.
तमूचुर्ब्राह्मणास्तुष्टा राजानं प्रश्रयान्वितम् । एष ह्यस्मिन् प्रजातन्तौ पुरूणां पौरवर्षभ ॥ १५ ॥
tam ucur brahmanas tusta rajanam prasrayanvitam esa hy asmin praja-tantau purunam pauravarsabha
The learned brahmanas, who were very satisfied with the charities of the King, addressed him as the chief amongst the Purus and informed him that his son was certainly in the line of descent from the Purus.
दैवेनाप्रतिघातेन शुक्ले संस्थामुपेयुषि । रातो वोऽनुग्रहार्थाय विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना ॥ १६ ॥
daivenapratighatena sukle samstham upeyusi rato vo ’nugraharthaya visnuna prabhavisnuna
The brahmanas said: This spotless son has been restored by the all-powerful and all-pervasive Lord Visnu, the Personality of Godhead, in order to oblige you. He was saved when he was doomed to be destroyed by an irresistible supernatural weapon.
तस्मान्नाम्ना विष्णुरात इति लोके भविष्यति । न सन्देहो महाभाग महाभागवतो महान् ॥ १७ ॥
tasman namna visnu-rata iti loke bhavisyati na sandeho maha-bhaga maha-bhagavato mahan
For this reason this child will be well known in the world as one who is protected by the Personality of Godhead. O most fortunate one, there is no doubt that this child will become a first-class devotee and will be qualified with all good qualities.
श्रीराजोवाच अप्येष वंश्यान् राजर्षीन् पुण्यश्लोकान् महात्मन: । अनुवर्तिता स्विद्यशसा साधुवादेन सत्तमा: ॥ १८ ॥
sri-rajovaca apy esa vamsyan rajarsin punya-slokan mahatmanah anuvartita svid yasasa sadhu-vadena sattamah
The good King (Yudhisthira) inquired: O great souls, will he become as saintly a king, as pious in his very name and as famous and glorified in his achievements, as others who appeared in this great royal family?
ब्राह्मणा ऊचु: पार्थ प्रजाविता साक्षादिक्ष्वाकुरिव मानव: । ब्रह्मण्य: सत्यसन्धश्च रामो दाशरथिर्यथा ॥ १९ ॥
brahmana ucuh partha prajavita saksad iksvakur iva manavah brahmanyah satya-sandhas ca ramo dasarathir yatha
The learned brahmanas said: O son of Prtha, this child shall be exactly like King Iksvaku, son of Manu, in maintaining all those who are born. And as for following the brahminical principles, especially in being true to his promise, he shall be exactly like Rama, the Personality of Godhead, the son of Maharaja Dasaratha.
एष दाता शरण्यश्च यथा ह्यौशीनर: शिबि: । यशो वितनिता स्वानां दौष्यन्तिरिव यज्वनाम् ॥ २० ॥
esa data saranyas ca yatha hy ausinarah sibih yaso vitanita svanam dausyantir iva yajvanam
This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of the surrendered, like the famous King Sibi of the Usinara country. And he will expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of Maharaja Dusyanta.
धन्विनामग्रणीरेष तुल्यश्चार्जुनयोर्द्वयो: । हुताश इव दुर्धर्ष: समुद्र इव दुस्तर: ॥ २१ ॥
dhanvinam agranir esa tulyas carjunayor dvayoh hutasa iva durdharsah samudra iva dustarah
Amongst great bowmen, this child will be as good as Arjuna. He will be as irresistible as fire and as unsurpassable as the ocean.
मृगेन्द्र इव विक्रान्तो निषेव्यो हिमवानिव । तितिक्षुर्वसुधेवासौ सहिष्णु: पितराविव ॥ २२ ॥
mrgendra iva vikranto nisevyo himavan iva titiksur vasudhevasau sahisnuh pitarav iva
This child will be as strong as a lion, and as worthy a shelter as the Himalaya Mountains. He will be forbearing like the earth, and as tolerant as his parents.
पितामहसम: साम्ये प्रसादे गिरिशोपम: । आश्रय: सर्वभूतानां यथा देवो रमाश्रय: ॥ २३ ॥
pitamaha-samah samye prasade girisopamah asrayah sarva-bhutanam yatha devo ramasrayah
This child will be like his grandfather Yudhisthira or Brahma in equanimity of mind. He will be munificent like the lord of the Kailasa Hill, Siva. And he will be the resort of everyone, like the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana, who is even the shelter of the goddess of fortune.
सर्वसद्गुणमाहात्म्ये एष कृष्णमनुव्रत: । रन्तिदेव इवोदारो ययातिरिव धार्मिक: ॥ २४ ॥
sarva-sad-guna-mahatmye esa krsnam anuvratah rantideva ivodaro yayatir iva dharmikah
This child will be almost as good as Lord Sri Krsna by following in His footsteps. In magnanimity he will become as great as King Rantideva. And in religion he will be like Maharaja Yayati.
धृत्या बलिसम: कृष्णे प्रह्राद इव सद्ग्रह: । आहर्तैषोऽश्वमेधानां वृद्धानां पर्युपासक: ॥ २५ ॥
dhrtya bali-samah krsne prahrada iva sad-grahah ahartaiso ’svamedhanam vrddhanam paryupasakah
This child will be like Bali Maharaja in patience, a staunch devotee of Lord Krsna like Prahlada Maharaja, a performer of many Asvamedha (horse) sacrifices and a follower of the old and experienced men.
राजर्षीणां जनयिता शास्ता चोत्पथगामिनाम् । निग्रहीता कलेरेष भुवो धर्मस्य कारणात् ॥ २६ ॥
rajarsinam janayita sasta cotpatha-gaminam nigrahita kaler esa bhuvo dharmasya karanat
This child will be the father of kings who will be like sages. For world peace and for the sake of religion, he will be the chastiser of the upstarts and the quarrelsome.
तक्षकादात्मनो मृत्युं द्विजपुत्रोपसर्जितात् । प्रपत्स्यत उपश्रुत्य मुक्तसङ्ग: पदं हरे: ॥ २७ ॥
taksakad atmano mrtyum dvija-putropasarjitat prapatsyata upasrutya mukta-sangah padam hareh
After hearing about his death, which will be caused by the bite of a snake-bird sent by a son of a brahmana, he will get himself freed from all material attachment and surrender unto the Personality of Godhead, taking shelter of Him.
जिज्ञासितात्मयाथार्थ्यो मुनेर्व्याससुतादसौ । हित्वेदं नृप गङ्गायां यास्यत्यद्धाकुतोभयम् ॥ २८ ॥
jijnasitatma-yatharthyo muner vyasa-sutad asau hitvedam nrpa gangayam yasyaty addhakutobhayam
After inquiring about proper self-knowledge from the son of Vyasadeva, who will be a great philosopher, he will renounce all material attachment and achieve a life of fearlessness.
इति राज्ञ उपादिश्य विप्रा जातककोविदा: । लब्धापचितय: सर्वे प्रतिजग्मु: स्वकान् गृहान् ॥ २९ ॥
iti rajna upadisya vipra jataka-kovidah labdhapacitayah sarve pratijagmuh svakan grhan
Thus those who were expert in astrological knowledge and in performance of the birth ceremony instructed King Yudhisthira about the future history of his child. Then, being sumptuously remunerated, they all returned to their respective homes.
स एष लोके विख्यात: परीक्षिदिति यत्प्रभु: । पूर्वं दृष्टमनुध्यायन् परीक्षेत नरेष्विह ॥ ३० ॥
sa esa loke vikhyatah pariksid iti yat prabhuh purvam drstam anudhyayan parikseta naresv iha
So his son would become famous in the world as Pariksit (examiner) because he would come to examine all human beings in his search after that personality whom he saw before his birth. Thus he would come to constantly contemplate Him.
स राजपुत्रो ववृधे आशु शुक्ल इवोडुप: । आपूर्यमाण: पितृभि: काष्ठाभिरिव सोऽन्वहम् ॥ ३१ ॥
sa raja-putro vavrdhe asu sukla ivodupah apuryamanah pitrbhih kasthabhir iva so ’nvaham
As the moon, in its waxing fortnight, develops day after day, so the royal prince (Pariksit) very soon developed luxuriantly under the care and full facilities of his guardian grandfathers.
यक्ष्यमाणोऽश्वमेधेन ज्ञातिद्रोहजिहासया । राजा लब्धधनो दध्यौ नान्यत्र करदण्डयो: ॥ ३२ ॥
yaksyamano ’svamedhena jnati-droha-jihasaya raja labdha-dhano dadhyau nanyatra kara-dandayoh
Just at this time, King Yudhisthira was considering performing a horse sacrifice to get freed from sins incurred from fighting with kinsmen. But he became anxious to get some wealth, for there were no surplus funds outside of fines and tax collection.
तदभिप्रेतमालक्ष्य भ्रातरोऽच्युतचोदिता: । धनं प्रहीणमाजह्रुरुदीच्यां दिशि भूरिश: ॥ ३३ ॥
tad abhipretam alaksya bhrataro ’cyuta-coditah dhanam prahinam ajahrur udicyam disi bhurisah
Understanding the hearty wishes of the King, his brothers, as advised by the infallible Lord Krsna, collected sufficient riches from the North (left by King Marutta).
तेन सम्भृतसम्भारो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । वाजिमेधैस्त्रिभिर्भीतो यज्ञै: समयजद्धरिम् ॥ ३४ ॥
tena sambhrta-sambharo dharma-putro yudhisthirah vajimedhais tribhir bhito yajnaih samayajad dharim
By those riches, the King could procure the ingredients for three horse sacrifices. Thus the pious King Yudhisthira, who was very fearful after the Battle of Kuruksetra, pleased Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead. PURPORT1.2.13). Let any man of any place or community, caste or creed be engaged in any sort of occupational duty, but he must agree to perform sacrifices as it is recommended in the scriptures for the particular place, time and person. In the Vedic literatures it is recommended that in Kali-yuga people engage in glorifying the Lord by chanting the holy name of Krsna (kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet) without offense. By doing so one can be freed from all sins and thus can attain the highest perfection of life by returning home, back to Godhead. We have already discussed this more than once in this great literature in different places, especially in the introductory portion by sketching the life of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and still we are repeating the same with a view to bring about peace and prosperity in society. The Lord has declared openly in Bhagavad-gita how He becomes pleased with us, and the same process is practically demonstrated in the life and preaching work of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The perfect process of performing yajnas, or sacrifice, to please the Supreme Lord Hari (the Personality of Godhead, who gets us free from all miseries of existence) is to follow the ways of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this dark age of quarrel and dissension. Maharaja Yudhisthira had to collect heaps of gold to secure the paraphernalia for the horse sacrifice yajnas in days of sufficiency, so we can hardly think of such performance of yajnas in these days of insufficiency and complete scarcity of gold. At the present moment we have heaps of papers and promises of their being converted into gold by economic development of modern civilization, and still there is no possibility of spending riches like Maharaja Yudhisthira, either individually or collectively or by state patronization. Just suitable, therefore, for the age, is the method recommended by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in terms of the sastra. Such a method requires no expenditure at all and yet can award more benefit than other expensive methods of yajna performances. The horse sacrifice yajna or cow sacrifice yajna performed by the Vedic regulations shouldn’t be misunderstood as a process of killing animals. On the contrary, animals offered for the yajna were rejuvenated to a new span of life by the transcendental power of chanting the Vedic hymns, which, if properly chanted, are different from what is understood by the common layman. The Veda-mantras are all practical, and the proof is rejuvenation of the sacrificed animal. There is no possibility of such methodical chanting of the Vedic hymns by the so-called brahmanas or priests of the present age. The untrained descendants of the twice-born families are no more like their forefathers, and thus they are counted amongst the sudras, or once-born men. The once-born man is unfit to chant the Vedic hymns, and therefore there is no practical utility of chanting the original hymns. And to save them all, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu propounded the sankirtana movement or yajna for all practical purposes, and the people of the present age are strongly recommended to follow this sure and recognized path.
आहूतो भगवान् राज्ञा याजयित्वा द्विजैर्नृपम् । उवास कतिचिन्मासान् सुहृदां प्रियकाम्यया ॥ ३५ ॥
ahuto bhagavan rajna yajayitva dvijair nrpam uvasa katicin masan suhrdam priya-kamyaya
Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, being invited to the sacrifices by Maharaja Yudhisthira, saw to it that they were performed by qualified (twice-born) brahmanas. After that, for the pleasure of the relatives, the Lord remained a few months.
ततो राज्ञाभ्यनुज्ञात: कृष्णया सह बन्धुभि: । ययौ द्वारवतीं ब्रह्मन् सार्जुनो यदुभिर्वृत: ॥ ३६ ॥
tato rajnabhyanujnatah krsnaya saha-bandhubhih yayau dvaravatim brahman sarjuno yadubhir vrtah
O Saunaka, thereafter the Lord, having bade farewell to King Yudhisthira, Draupadi and other relatives, started for the city of Dvaraka, accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty.
