॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Srimad Bhagavatam - Skandha XII.06 Part A, Tuesday, 15 August 2023 - Parikshit attains liberation.
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सूत उवाच
एतन्निशम्य मुनिनाभिहितं परीक्षिद्
व्यासात्मजेन निखिलात्मदृशा समेन । तत्पादमूलमुपसृत्य नतेन मूर्ध्ना
बद्धाञ्जलिस्तमिदमाह स विष्णुरात: ॥
T: Suta, narrating Srimad Bhagavatam to the sages Shaunaka and others in Naimisharanya, now stated: After hearing all that was narrated to him by the self-realized and equipoised Sage Shuka, the son of the great Vyasa, King Parikshit humbly approached his lotus feet, bowing his head down at the sage’s feet. The King, who owed his entire life to Bhagavan Vasudeva Sri Krishna as he had been resurrected in the womb itself, folded his hands in supplication and spoke as follows.
एतन्निशम्य मुनिनाभिहितं परीक्षिद्
व्यासात्मजेन निखिलात्मदृशा समेन । तत्पादमूलमुपसृत्य नतेन मूर्ध्ना
बद्धाञ्जलिस्तमिदमाह स विष्णुरात: ॥
T: Suta, narrating Srimad Bhagavatam to the sages Shaunaka and others in Naimisharanya, now stated: After hearing all that was narrated to him by the self-realized and equipoised Sage Shuka, the son of the great Vyasa, King Parikshit humbly approached his lotus feet, bowing his head down at the sage’s feet. The King, who owed his entire life to Bhagavan Vasudeva Sri Krishna as he had been resurrected in the womb itself, folded his hands in supplication and spoke as follows.
राजोवाच
सिद्धोऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि भवता करुणात्मना । श्रावितो यच्च मे साक्षादनादिनिधनो हरि: ॥
नात्यद्भुतमहं मन्ये महतामच्युतात्मनाम् । अज्ञेषु तापतप्तेषु भूतेषु यदनुग्रह: ॥
पुराणसंहितामेतामश्रौष्म भवतो वयम् । यस्यां खलूत्तम:श्लोको भगवाननुवर्ण्यते ॥
भगवंस्तक्षकादिभ्यो मृत्युभ्यो न बिभेम्यहम् । प्रविष्टो ब्रह्म निर्वाणमभयं दर्शितं त्वया ॥
अनुजानीहि मां ब्रह्मन् वाचं यच्छाम्यधोक्षजे । मुक्तकामाशयं चेत: प्रवेश्य विसृजाम्यसून् ॥
अज्ञानं च निरस्तं मे ज्ञानविज्ञाननिष्ठया । भवता दर्शितं क्षेमं परं भगवत: पदम् ॥
T: King Parikshit addressed Sage Shuka:
Fulfilled is my life, oh holy Sage!
Your mercy is boundless toward me!
You have sung of Lord Sri Hari, the one without beginning and end.
There is no wonder that great souls like you,
Always immersing their minds in Bhagavan,
Shower mercy on those like us,
Tormented by life’s challenges.
Glory to Srimad Bhagavatam that I have heard from you,
The priceless summary of all holy scriptures,
That tells the glorious story of Bhagavan, supreme among such subjects.
I now fear not Takshaka’s bite! Nor repeated births and deaths of this body.
I am now established in Brahman, revealed by you, that destroys all fear!
Deign, oh kind Sage, to grant me leave to dissolve my speech in the Lord,
My mind, my senses all surrendered to him, please let me leave this body.
Sage Shuka! You have given me the greatest gift. You have revealed the Lord’s feet as my goal!
Ignorance is gone, the supreme knowledge has dawned, and I have reached the final goal.
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सूत उवाच
इत्युक्तस्तमनुज्ञाप्य भगवान् बादरायणि: । जगाम भिक्षुभि: साकं नरदेवेन पूजित: ॥
T: Suta continued: Sage Shuka gave Parikshit his permission. The king and others worshipped the saint and then he left with other mendicants.
रीक्षिदपि राजर्षिरात्मन्यात्मानमात्मना । समाधाय परं दध्यावस्पन्दासुर्यथा तरु: ॥
प्राक्कूले बर्हिष्यासीनो गङ्गाकूल उदङ्मुख: । ब्रह्मभूतो महायोगी नि:सङ्गश्छिन्नसंशय: ॥
तक्षक: प्रहितो विप्रा: क्रुद्धेन द्विजसूनुना । हन्तुकामो नृपं गच्छन् ददर्श पथि कश्यपम् ॥
तं तर्पयित्वा द्रविणैर्निवर्त्य विषहारिणम् । द्विजरूपप्रतिच्छन्न: कामरूपोऽदशन्नृपम् ॥
ब्रह्मभूतस्य राजर्षेर्देहोऽहिगरलाग्निना । बभूव भस्मसात् सद्य: पश्यतां सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥
हाहाकारो महानासीद् भुवि खे दिक्षु सर्वत: । विस्मिता ह्यभवन् सर्वे देवासुरनरादय: ॥
T: Now, King Parikshit sat in meditation on Darbha grass, facing east on Ganga’s bank. Holding his Prana in check, mind dissolved in Bhagavan, he left his body. His body became immobile like a tree.
The serpent king, with divine powers, Takshaka arrived aerially. He was chartered to deliver the result of the curse of that young Brahmin. He saw Sage Kashyapa on the way and knew he could ward off the poison of any bite. He placated him with gifts of gold and made sure he stayed away from the scene of his impending deed.
Disguised as a Brahmin, Takshaka mingled with all those surrounding Parikshit, went to him, bit him on the toe, and that was enough to reduce the king’s body instantly to ashes in a sudden conflagration. Thus departed King Parikshit, leaving no trace, as the gods and others in heaven and on earth raised a huge uproar at this act of Destiny.
देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्गन्धर्वाप्सरसो जगु: । ववृषु: पुष्पवर्षाणि विबुधा: साधुवादिन: ॥
T: Kettledrums sounded in the regions of the gods, and the celestial Gandharvas and Apsaras sang, extolling the glory of Parikshit who had died a true Bhagavata, and showered flowers.
***
Parikshit’s son, King Janamejaya, had missed that sudden moment of Takshaka’s bite and Parikshit’s immolation. He was now full of rage. He wanted to avenge his father’s death by eradicating all regions of serpents and snakes. He summoned the best of sages and started the Yajna to destroy all “Nagas”.
In thousands, all the snakes and serpents of the world were pulled to the Yajna beyond their control, and destroyed in the Yajna fire. Takshaka was scared stiff. He rushed to Indra and clung to him for protection. Indra knew what had happened, and offered him protection.
Janamejaya shouted to the sages, “How come that despicable Takshaka has not offered himself in this fire! Bring him at once!” The sages said, “Dear King! Takshaka has sought and got Lord Indra’s protection. He cannot be brought here so easily.” Janamejaya was livid. “Then bring Takshaka, Indra, and whoever else is protecting him! I want all of them to be offered into the fire to avenge my father’s death.” The sages duly pronounced the needed incantations, ordered thus:
तच्छ्रुत्वाजुहुवुर्विप्रा: सहेन्द्रं तक्षकं मखे । तक्षकाशु पतस्वेह सहेन्द्रेण मरुत्वता ॥
“Let Takshaka, along with Indra, the Maruts protecting him, all come and be sacrificed in this sacred fire!”
Helplessly, Indra was pulled with other gods, with Takshaka clinging to him as their aerial vehicle inexorably arrived from the sky about to be sucked up in the fire.
***
Sage Brihaspati, son of Sage Angiras and the preceptor of the gods, now came and spoke to Janamejaya.
“Oh, King, please stop this Yajna. It is improper to sacrifice the gods and Takshaka for avenging your father’s death. Don’t you know that birth and death and whatever befalls anyone in life is the result of his Karma and follows the inviolable Law of the Lord? In any case, Takshaka has partaken of Amrita and is beyond old age and death. "
Sage Brihaspati, son of Sage Angiras and the preceptor of the gods, now came and spoke to Janamejaya.
“Oh, King, please stop this Yajna. It is improper to sacrifice the gods and Takshaka for avenging your father’s death. Don’t you know that birth and death and whatever befalls anyone in life is the result of his Karma and follows the inviolable Law of the Lord? In any case, Takshaka has partaken of Amrita and is beyond old age and death. "
"The life and death of an embodied soul – Jiva, and his destination in the next life, are all caused by himself through his own activity. Therefore, oh King Janamejaya, no other agent is actually responsible for creating one’s happiness and distress. When a Jiva in a human body is killed by snakes, thieves, fire, lightning, hunger, disease or anything else, he is experiencing the fruit of his own past Karma. So please stop this Yajna of revenge, as many snakes have already lost their lives. Karma and its fruits are indeed invisible until experienced when they take effect and are inevitable.”
King Janamejaya calmed down, acquiesced with Sage Brihaspati, and ceased the Yajna. He worshipped the great sage duly.
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सैषा विष्णोर्महामायाबाध्ययालक्षणा यया । मुह्यन्त्यस्यैवात्मभूता भूतेषु गुणवृत्तिभि: ॥
न यत्र दम्भीत्यभया विराजिता मायात्मवादेऽसकृदात्मवादिभि: ।
न यद्विवादो विविधस्तदाश्रयो मनश्च सङ्कल्पविकल्पवृत्ति यत् ॥
न यत्र सृज्यं सृजतोभयो: परं श्रेयश्च जीवस्त्रिभिरन्वितस्त्वहम् ।
तदेतदुत्सादितबाध्यबाधकं निषिध्य चोर्मीन् विरमेत तन्मुनि: ॥
Oh, this most wondrous Vishnu Maya! Unstoppable, indiscernible.
Jivas are made in His own image, and yet, befool themselves thinking they are these bodies.
Bhagavan alone is beyond Maya, Supreme, Eternal, and Maya can neither scheme nor capture him.
All confusion ends, all delusion ceases, all Maya’s power lies nullified in Bhagavan.
सैषा विष्णोर्महामायाबाध्ययालक्षणा यया । मुह्यन्त्यस्यैवात्मभूता भूतेषु गुणवृत्तिभि: ॥
न यत्र दम्भीत्यभया विराजिता मायात्मवादेऽसकृदात्मवादिभि: ।
न यद्विवादो विविधस्तदाश्रयो मनश्च सङ्कल्पविकल्पवृत्ति यत् ॥
न यत्र सृज्यं सृजतोभयो: परं श्रेयश्च जीवस्त्रिभिरन्वितस्त्वहम् ।
तदेतदुत्सादितबाध्यबाधकं निषिध्य चोर्मीन् विरमेत तन्मुनि: ॥
Oh, this most wondrous Vishnu Maya! Unstoppable, indiscernible.
Jivas are made in His own image, and yet, befool themselves thinking they are these bodies.
Bhagavan alone is beyond Maya, Supreme, Eternal, and Maya can neither scheme nor capture him.
All confusion ends, all delusion ceases, all Maya’s power lies nullified in Bhagavan.
Mind’s play is when there is confusion and debate, with ‘What if” and “Why not”,
Thus thinking. the Jiva runs his life with his body and mind!
In Bhagavan’s ultimate reality, there is no place for the mind and body, their false joys and delusions.
Thus, the wise sage exults in the eternal bliss supreme,
After overcoming these falsities of ego as the Jiva, no longer succumbing to
“Obstacles and opportunities” for delusory experiences.
In Bhagavan’s ultimate reality, there is no place for the mind and body, their false joys and delusions.
Thus, the wise sage exults in the eternal bliss supreme,
After overcoming these falsities of ego as the Jiva, no longer succumbing to
“Obstacles and opportunities” for delusory experiences.
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