Canto
1
Chapter 12: The Birth of Emperor Parîkchit
(1) S'aunaka said: "The [embryo in the] womb of Uttarâ, that was tormented by the enormous heat of the invincible weapon released by As'vatthâmâ, was brought back to life by the Lord. (2) How did the birth of Emperor Parîkchit, who was highly intelligent and proved to be a great soul, take place? How excactly took his demise place and where did that death take him? (3) Please tell it us, we all want to hear everything about what you deem worth mentioning about him; we are of the greatest respect for you to whom S'ukadeva Gosvâmî delivered the knowledge of the Supreme."
(4) Sûta said: "King Yudhishthhira brought wealth the way his father did, in pleasing his subjects without, in his observance of Krishna's feet, being motivated for the ulterior of any material gain or sense gratification. (5) The fame of his wealth, sacrifices, what he stood for, his queens, his brothers and his sovereignty over the planet earth where we are living, even spread to the heavens. (6) But, just as only food may satisfy a hungry man and nothing else, was also he in his hunger as a God-fearing person, o brahmins, not moved by all those earthly desirables for which even the denizens of heaven aspire.
(7) At the time Parîkchit the great fighter, as a child in his mother's womb, was suffering from the heat of the brahmâstra weapon, o son of Bhrigu, could he see the purusha [the original person] in a shining appearance. (8) In the blaze saw he at the size of no more than a thumb the transcendental, infallible Lord beautiful with a dark skin, a golden helmet and lightening clothes. (9) With the riches of His four arms, earrings of the purest gold, bloodshot eyes and a club in His hands, was He moving about constantly circling the club around like it was a torch. (10) Vanquishing the radiation of the brahmâstra like the sun evaporating dew drops, He was observed by the child that wondered who He was. (11) Seeing how the all-pervading Supersoul, the Supreme Lord and protector of righteousness, took away the glare, disappeared from his sight all of a sudden the Lord who stretches in all directions. (12) Thereupon, with the gradual evolving of the good signs of a favorable position of the stars, took, as the heir apparent of Pându, he his birth who would prove himself as being of a prowess equal to that of Pându. (13) King Yudhishthhira, gladdened, had priests like Dhaumya and Kripa perform the birth ritual with the recitation of auspicious hymns. (14) He, knowing where, when and how, rewarded with gifts of gold, cows, land, housing, elephants and horses, in charity, together with good food, the learned ones for the occasion. (15) Gladdened addressed the brahmins the king, the chief amongst the Purus, communicating that they felt very obliged to the descent in the line of the Purus [of the decendants of their ancestor King Puru]. (16) They said: 'For the purpose of obliging you to Him has this son by the all-pervasive and all-powerful Lord been saved from being destroyed by the irresistible, supernatural weapon. (17) Therefore he shall become well known in all the worlds as being protected by Vishnu; no doubt will he be a most fortunate, supreme devotee endowed with all good qualities.'
(18) The good king said: 'O best of the truthful, will he follow in the footsteps of all the great souls of this family of saintly kings, will he, answering to their name, be meritorious and true to his word in his achievements?'
(19) The brahmins answered: 'O son of Prithâ [Kuntî], he will be the maintainer of all living entities, exactly like King Ikshvâku, the son of Manu, and he will be faithful to his promises and respectful with the learned just like Râma, the son of Das'aratha, was. (20) He will be as charitable as King S'ibi of Us'înara and protect the ones of surrender, and like Bharata, the son of Dushyanta who performed many sacrifices, he will spread the name and fame of his family. (21) Amongst the archers he will be as good as the two Arjunas [his grandfather and the king of Haihaya], being as well as irresistible as fire as as unsurpassable as the ocean. (22) As powerful as a lion and as worthy for taking shelter as the Himalayas, will he be as forbearing as the earth and as tolerant as his parents. (23) With a spirit as good as that of the original father Brahmâ, will he be as generous and equanimous as Lord S'iva and be the refuge of all living beings as good as the Supreme Lord with whom the Goddess of Fortune resides. (24) Following in the footsteps of Lord Krishna will he be of the majesty of all divine virtues, he will have the greatness of King Rantideva and be as pious as Yayâti. (25) As patient as Bali Mahârâja will this child be as devoted as Prahlâda was unto Lord Krishna and will he perform As'vamedha [horse] sacrifices and be faithful to the elderly and experienced. (26) He will bring forth kings as good as sages, will chastise the upstarts and crush the quarrelsome for the sake of worldpeace and the religion. (27) After having heard of his personal death, as caused by a snakebird sent by the son of a brahmin, will he free himself from his attachments and take to the shelter of the Lord. (28) Having inquired about the right self-knowledge from the son of the sage Vyâsa he, o King, will abandon his material life on the banks of the river the Ganges and will attain a life of fearlessness.'
(29) After they thus had informed the king and generously were rewarded, returned the ones learned in matters of astrology and birth ceremonies to their homes. (30) He, o master [S'aunaka], would become famous in this world as Parîkchit, the examiner, because he, from what he had seen before his birth, constantly would be examining all men, keeping Him in mind. (31) Under the care of his protective parents grew the royal prince day by day soon up to what he would be, as certain as the waxing moon is growing day by day.
(32) King Yudhishthhira, desiring to perform a horse-sacrifice to be freed from the burden of having fought his kinsmen, thought about acquiring funds because he only received from collecting taxes and fines. (33) In respect of his mindful wishes his brothers, advised by the Infallible One, went north to collect sufficient riches. (34) With the result of that collected wealth managed the pious king Yudhishthhira who was so anxious, to conduct three horse-sacrifices, by which he worshiped Lord Hari perfectly. (35) The Supreme Lord, by whose help the twice-born could perform the sacrifices, then stayed, thereto by the king invited, for a few months more to please the one's who loved Him. (36) Thereafter, dear brahmins, went He, with the permission of the king, Draupadî and His relatives, back to Dvârakâ accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu-dynasty."
Second edition, loaded 25 Febr. 2006
Source texts:
The Birth of Emperor Parîkchit
S'aunaka said: "The [embryo in the] womb of Uttarâ, that was tormented by the enormous heat of the invincible weapon released by As'vatthâmâ, was brought back to life by the Lord.The sage S'aunaka said: The womb of Uttarâ, mother of Mahârâja Parîkshit, was spoiled by the dreadful and invincible brahmâstra weapon released by As'vatthâmâ. But Mahârâja Parîkshit was saved by the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)
How did the birth of Emperor Parîkchit, who was highly intelligent and proved to be a great soul, take place? How excactly took his demise place and where did that death take him?
How was the great emperor Parîkshit, 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? (Vedabase)
Please tell it us, we all want to hear everything about what you deem worth mentioning about him; we are of the greatest respect for you to whom S'ukadeva Gosvâmî delivered the knowledge of the Supreme."
We all respectfully want to hear about him [Mahârâja Parîkshit] to whom S'ukadeva Gosvâmî imparted transcendental knowledge. Please speak on this matter. (Vedabase)
Sûta said: "King Yudhishthhira brought wealth the way his father did, in pleasing his subjects without, in his observance of Krishna's feet, being motivated for the ulterior of any material gain or sense gratification.
S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: Emperor Yudhishthhira 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 S'rî Krishna. (Vedabase)
The fame of his wealth, sacrifices, what he stood for, his queens, his brothers and his sovereignty over the planet earth where we are living, even spread to the heavens.
News even reached the celestial planets about Mahârâja Yudhishthhira'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.. (Vedabase)
But, just as only food may satisfy a hungry man and nothing else, was also he in his hunger as a God-fearing person, o brahmins, not moved by all those earthly desirables for which even the denizens of heaven aspire.
O brâhmanas, 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. (Vedabase)
At the time Parîkchit the great fighter, as a child in his mother's womb, was suffering from the heat of the brahmâstra weapon, o son of Bhrigu, could he see the purusha [the original person] in a shining appearance.
O son of Bhrigu [S'aunaka], when the child Parîkshit, the great fighter, was in the womb of his mother, Uttarâ, and was suffering from the burning heat of the brahmâstra [thrown by As'vatthâmâ], he could observe the Supreme Lord coming to him. (Vedabase)
In the blaze saw he at the size of no more than a thumb the transcendental, infallible Lord beautiful with a dark skin, a golden helmet and lightening clothes.
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. (Vedabase)
With the riches of His four arms, earrings of the purest gold, bloodshot eyes and a club in His hands, was He moving about constantly circling the club around like it was a torch.
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. (Vedabase)
Vanquishing the radiation of the brahmâstra like the sun evaporating dew drops, He was observed by the child that wondered who He was.
The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the brahmâstra, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. He was observed by the child, who thought about who He was. (Vedabase)
Seeing how the all-pervading Supersoul, the Supreme Lord and protector of righteousness, took away the glare, disappeared from his sight all of a sudden the Lord who stretches in all directions.
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. (Vedabase)
Thereupon, with the gradual evolving of the good signs of a favorable position of the stars, took, as the heir apparent of Pându, he his birth who would prove himself as being of a prowess equal to that of Pându.
Thereupon, when all the good signs of the zodiac gradually evolved, the heir apparent of Pându, who would be exactly like him in prowess, took birth. (Vedabase)
King Yudhishthhira, gladdened, had priests like Dhaumya and Kripa perform the birth ritual with the recitation of auspicious hymns.
King Yudhishthhira, who was very satisfied with the birth of Mahârâja Parîkshit, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned brâhmanas, headed by Dhaumya and Kripa, recited auspicious hymns. (Vedabase)
He, knowing where, when and how, rewarded with gifts of gold, cows, land, housing, elephants and horses, in charity, together with good food, the learned ones for the occasion.
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 brâhmanas. (Vedabase)
Gladdened addressed the brahmins the king, the chief amongst the Purus, communicating that they felt very obliged to the descent in the line of the Purus [of the decendants of their ancestor King Puru].
The learned brâhmanas, 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. (Vedabase)
They said: 'For the purpose of obliging you to Him has this son by the all-pervasive and all-powerful Lord been saved from being destroyed by the irresistible, supernatural weapon.
The brâhmanas said: This spotless son has been restored by the all-powerful and all-pervasive Lord Vishnu, the Personality of Godhead, in order to oblige you. He was saved when he was doomed to be destroyed by an irresistible supernatural weapon. (Vedabase)
Therefore he shall become well known in all the worlds as being protected by Vishnu; no doubt will he be a most fortunate, supreme devotee endowed with all good qualities.'
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. (Vedabase)
The good king said: 'O best of the truthful, will he follow in the footsteps of all the great souls of this family of saintly kings, will he, answering to their name, be meritorious and true to his word in his achievements?
The good King [Yudhishthhira] 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? (Vedabase)
The brahmins replied: 'O son of Prithâ [Kuntî], he will be the maintainer of all living entities, exactly like King Ikshvâku, the son of Manu, and he will be faithful to his promises and respectful with the learned just like Râma, the son of Das'aratha, was.
The learned brâhmanas said: O son of Prithâ, this child shall be exactly like King Ikshvâku, 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 Râma, the Personality of Godhead, the son of Mahârâja Das'aratha. (Vedabase)
He will be as charitable as King S'ibi of Us'înara and protect the ones of surrender, and like Bharata, the son of Dushyanta who performed many sacrifices, he will spread the name and fame of his family.
This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of the surrendered, like the famous King S'ibi of the Us'înara country. And he will expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of Mahârâja Dushyanta. (Vedabase)
Amongst the archers he will be as good as the two Arjunas [his grandfather and the king of Haihaya], being as well as irresistible as fire as as unsurpassable as the ocean.
Amongst great bowmen, this child will be as good as Arjuna. He will be as irresistible as fire and as unsurpassable as the ocean. (Vedabase)
As powerful as a lion and as worthy for taking shelter as the Himalayas, will he be as forbearing as the earth and as tolerant as his parents.
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. (Vedabase)
With a spirit as good as that of the original father Brahmâ, will he be as generous and equanimous as Lord S'iva and be the refuge of all living beings as good as the Supreme Lord with whom the Goddess of Fortune resides.
This child will be like his grandfather Yudhishthhira or Brahmâ in equanimity of mind. He will be munificent like the lord of the Kailâsa Hill, S'iva. And he will be the resort of everyone, like the Supreme Personality of Godhead Nârâyana, who is even the shelter of the goddess of fortune. (Vedabase)
Following in the footsteps of Lord Krishna will he be of the majesty of all divine virtues, he will have the greatness of King Rantideva and be as pious as Yayâti.
This child will be almost as good as Lord S'rî Krishna by following in His footsteps. In His magnanimity he will become as great as King Rantideva. And in religion he will be like Mahârâja Yayâti. (Vedabase)
As patient as Bali Mahârâja will this child be as devoted as Prahlâda was unto Lord Krishna and will he perform As'vamedha [horse] sacrifices and be faithful to the elderly and experienced.
This child will be like Bali Mahârâja in patience, a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna like Prahlâda Mahârâja, a performer of many As'vamedha [horse] sacrifices and a follower of the old and experienced men. (Vedabase)
He will bring forth kings as good as sages, will chastise the upstarts and crush the quarrelsome for the sake of worldpeace and the religion.
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. (Vedabase)
After having heard of his personal death, as caused by a snakebird sent by the son of a brahmin, will he free himself from his attachments and take to the shelter of the Lord.
After hearing about his death, which will be caused by the bite of a snake-bird sent by a son of a brâhmana, he will get himself freed from all material attachment and surrender unto the Personality of Godhead, taking shelter of Him. (Vedabase)
Having inquired about the right self-knowledge from the son of the sage Vyâsa he, o King, will abandon his material life on the bank of the river the Ganges and will attain a life of fearlessness.
After inquiring about proper self-knowledge from the son of Vyâsadeva, who will be a great philosopher, he will renounce all material attachment and achieve a life of fearlessness. (Vedabase)
After they thus had informed the king and generously were rewarded, returned the ones learned in matters of astrology and birth ceremonies to their homes.
Thus those who were expert in astrological knowledge and in performance of the birth ceremony instructed King Yudhishthhira about the future history of his child. Then, being sumptuously remunerated, they all returned to their respective homes. (Vedabase)
He, o master [S'aunaka], would become famous in this world as Parîkchit, the examiner, because he, from what he had seen before his birth, constantly would be examining all men, keeping Him in mind.
So his son would become famous in the world as Parîkshit [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. (Vedabase)
Under the care of his protective parents grew the royal prince day by day soon up to what he would be, as certain as the waxing moon is growing day by day.
As the moon, in its waxing fortnight, develops day after day, so the royal prince [Parîkshit] very soon developed luxuriantly under the care and full facilities of his guardian grandfathers. (Vedabase)
King Yudhishthhira, desiring to perform a horse-sacrifice to be freed from the burden of having fought his kinsmen, thought about acquiring funds because he only received from collecting taxes and fines.
Just at this time, King Yudhishthhira 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. (Vedabase)
In respect of his mindful wishes his brothers, advised by the Infallible One, went North to collect sufficient riches.
Understanding the hearty wishes of the King, his brothers, as advised by the infallible Lord Krishna, collected sufficient riches from the North [left by King Marutta]. (Vedabase)
With the result of that collected wealth managed the pious king Yudhishthhira who was so anxious, to conduct three horse-sacrifices, by which he worshiped Lord Hari perfectly.
By those riches, the King could procure the ingredients for three horse-sacrifices. Thus the pious King Yudhishthhira, who was very fearful after the Battle of Kurukshetra, pleased Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)
The Supreme Lord, by whose help the twice-born could perform the sacrifices, then stayed, thereto by the king invited, for a few months more to please the one's who loved Him.
Lord S'rî Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, being invited to the sacrifices by Mahârâja Yudhishthhira, saw to it that they were performed by qualified [twice-born] brâhmanas. After that, for the pleasure of the relatives, the Lord remained a few months. (Vedabase)
Thereafter, dear brahmins, went He, with the permission of the king, Draupadî and His relatives, back to Dvârakâ accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu-dynasty.
O S'aunaka, thereafter the Lord, having bade farewell to King Yudhishthhira, Draupadî and other relatives, started for the city of Dvârakâ, accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty. (Vedabase)
For this original translation a one-volume printed copy
has been used with an extensive commentary.
ISBN: o-91277-27-7
See the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
The imaga of Parîkchit in the womb is by S'rîman Shyamal Kumar Deb, India.
Production: Filognostic Association of The Order of Time
Feed-back | Links | Downloads | Music | Pictures | What's New | Search | Donations
Text
1: