Chapter Nineteen

                  The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              suta uvaca

                 mahi-patis tv atha tat-karma garhyam

                  vicintayann atma-krtam sudurmanah

                   aho maya nicam anarya-vat krtam

                    niragasi brahmani gudha-tejasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah uvaca--Suta Gosvami said; mahi-patih--the King; tu--but; atha--thus (while coming back home); tat--that; karma--act; garhyam--abominable; vicintayan--thus thinking; atma-krtam--done by himself; su-durmanah--very much depressed; aho--alas; maya--by me; nicam--heinous; anarya--uncivilized; vat--like; krtam--done; niragasi--unto one who is faultless; brahmani--unto a brahmana; gudha--grave; tejasi--unto the powerful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Suta Gosvami said: While returning home, the King [Maharaja Pariksit] felt that the act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brahmana was heinous and uncivilized. Consequently he was distressed.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The pious King regretted his accidental improper treatment of the powerful brahmana, who was faultless. Such repentance is natural for a good man like the King, and such repentance delivers a devotee from all kinds of sins accidentally committed. The devotees are naturally faultless. Accidental sins committed by a devotee are sincerely regretted, and by the grace of the Lord all sins unwillingly committed by a devotee are burnt in the fire of repentance.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                  dhruvam tato me krta-deva-helanad

                   duratyayam vyasanam nati-dirghat

                 tad astu kamam hy agha-niskrtaya me

                   yatha na kuryam punar evam addha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dhruvam--sure and certain; tatah--therefore; me--my; krta-deva-helanat--because of disobeying the orders of the Lord; duratyayam--very difficult; vyasanam--calamity; na--not; ati--greatly; dirghat--far off; tat--that; astu--let it be; kamam--desire without reservations; hi--certainly; agha--sins; niskrtaya--for getting free; me--my; yatha--so that; na--never; kuryam--shall I do it; punah--again; evam--as I have done; addha--directly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   [King Pariksit thought:] Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord enjoins that brahmanas and cows must be given all protection. The Lord is Himself very much inclined to do good to brahmanas and cows (go-brahmana-hitaya ca). Maharaja Pariksit knew all this, and thus he concluded that his insulting a powerful brahmana was certainly to be punished by the laws of the Lord, and he was expecting something very difficult in the very near future. He therefore desired the imminent calamity to fall on him and not on his family members. A man's personal misconduct affects all his family members. Therefore Maharaja Pariksit desired the calamity to fall on him alone. By suffering personally he would be restrained from future sins, and at the same time the sin which he had committed would be counteracted so that his descendants would not suffer. That is the way a responsible devotee thinks. The family members of a devotee also share the effects of a devotee's service unto the Lord. Maharaja Prahlada saved his demon father by his personal devotional service. A devotee son in the family is the greatest boon or blessing of the Lord.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

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                   adyaiva rajyam balam rddha-kosam

                     prakopita-brahma-kulanalo me

                 dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhut

                   papiyasi dhir dvija-deva-gobhyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   adya--this day; eva--on the very; rajyam--kingdom; balam rddha--strength and riches; kosam--treasury; prakopita--ignited by; brahma-kula--by the brahmana community; analah--fire; me dahatu--let it burn me; abhadrasya--inauspiciousness; punah--again; na--not; me--unto me; abhut--may occur; papiyasi--sinful; dhih--intelligence; dvija--brahmanas; deva--the Supreme Lord; gobhyah--and the cows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brahmana's wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Progressive human civilization is based on brahminical culture, God consciousness and protection of cows. All economic development of the state by trade, commerce, agriculture and industries must be fully utilized in relation to the above principles, otherwise all so-called economic development becomes a source of degradation. Cow protection means feeding the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus perfection of human civilization is achieved. The age of Kali aims at killing the higher principles of life, and although Maharaja Pariksit strongly resisted the domination of the personality of Kali within the world, the influence of the age of Kali came at an opportune moment, and even a strong king like Maharaja Pariksit was induced to disregard the brahminical culture due to a slight provocation of hunger and thirst. Maharaja Pariksit lamented the accidental incident, and he desired that all his kingdom, strength and accumulation of wealth would be burned up for not being engaged in brahminical culture, etc.

   Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we should take lessons from this verse; every state and every home must endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification, God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for getting sufficient milk and the best food to continue a perfect civilization.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sa cintayann ittham athasrnod yatha

                  muneh sutokto nirrtis taksakakhyah

                   sa sadhu mene na cirena taksaka-

                  nalam prasaktasya virakti-karanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he, the King; cintayan--thinking; ittham--like this; atha--now; asrnot--heard; yatha--as; muneh--of the sage; suta-uktah--uttered by the son; nirrtih--death; taksaka-akhyah--in relation with the snake-bird; sah--he (the King); sadhu--well and good; mene--accepted; na--not; cirena--very long time; taksaka--snake-bird; analam--fire; prasaktasya--for one who is too attached; virakti--indifference; karanam--cause.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death, which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken by the sage's son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the cause of his indifference toward worldly things.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Real happiness is achieved by spiritual existence or by cessation of the repetition of birth and death. One can stop the repetition of birth and death only by going back to Godhead. In the material world, even by attaining the topmost planet (Brahmaloka), one cannot get rid of the conditions of repeated birth and death, but still we do not accept the path of attaining perfection. The path of perfection frees one from all material attachments, and thus one becomes fit to enter into the spiritual kingdom. Therefore, those who are materially poverty-stricken are better candidates than those who are materially prosperous. Maharaja Pariksit was a great devotee of the Lord and a bona fide candidate for entering into the kingdom of God, but even though he was so, his material assets as the Emperor of the world were setbacks to perfect attainment of his rightful status as one of the associates of the Lord in the spiritual sky. As a devotee of the Lord, he could understand that the cursing of the brahmana boy, although unwise, was a blessing upon him, being the cause of detachment from worldly affairs, both political and social. Samika Muni also, after regretting the incident, conveyed the news to the King as a matter of duty so that the King would be able to prepare himself to go back to Godhead. Samika Muni sent news to the King that foolish Srngi, his son, although a powerful brahmana boy, unfortunately had misused his spiritual power by cursing the King unwarrantedly. The incident of the King's garlanding the muni was not sufficient cause for being cursed to death, but since there was no way to retract the curse, the King was informed to prepare for death within a week. Both Samika Muni and the King were self-realized souls. Samika Muni was a mystic, and Maharaja Pariksit was a devotee. Therefore there was no difference between them in self-realization. Neither of them was afraid of meeting death. Maharaja Pariksit could have gone to the muni to beg his pardon, but the news of imminent death was conveyed to the King with so much regret by the muni that the King did not want to shame the muni further by his presence there. He decided to prepare himself for his imminent death and find out the way to go back to Godhead.

   The life of a human being is a chance to prepare oneself to go back to Godhead, or to get rid of the material existence, the repetition of birth and death. Thus in the system of varnasrama-dharma every man and woman is trained for this purpose. In other words, the system of varnasrama-dharma is known also as sanatana-dharma, or the eternal occupation. The system of varnasrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead, and thus a householder is ordered to go to the forest as vanaprastha to acquire complete knowledge and then to take sannyasa prior to his inevitable death. Pariksit Maharaja was fortunate to get a seven-day notice to meet his inevitable death. But for the common man there is no definite notice, although death is inevitable for all. Foolish men forget this sure fact of death and neglect the duty of preparing themselves for going back to Godhead. They spoil their lives in animal propensities to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. Such an irresponsible life is adopted by the people in the age of Kali because of a sinful desire to condemn brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, for which the state is responsible. The state must employ revenue to advance these three items and thus educate the populace to prepare for death. The state which does so is the real welfare state. The state of India should better follow the examples of Maharaja Pariksit, the ideal executive head, than to imitate other materialistic states which have no idea of the kingdom of Godhead, the ultimate goal of human life. Deterioration of the ideals of Indian civilization has brought about the deterioration of civic life, not only in India but also abroad.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

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                     atho vihayemam amum ca lokam

                     vimarsitau heyataya purastat

                    krsnanghri-sevam adhimanyamana

                    upavisat prayam amartya-nadyam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atho--thus; vihaya--giving up; imam--this; amum--and the next; ca--also; lokam--planets; vimarsitau--all of them being judged; heyataya--because of inferiority; purastat--hereinbefore; krsna-anghri--the lotus feet of the Lord, Sri Krsna; sevam--transcendental loving service; adhimanyamanah--one who thinks of the greatest of all achievements; upavisat--sat down firmly; prayam--for fasting; amartya-nadyam--on the bank of the transcendental river (the Ganges or the Yamuna).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Pariksit sat down firmly on the banks of the Ganges to concentrate his mind in Krsna consciousness, rejecting all other practices of self-realization, because transcendental loving service to Krsna is the greatest achievement, superseding all other methods.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   For a devotee like Maharaja Pariksit, none of the material planets, even the topmost Brahmaloka, is as desirable as Goloka Vrndavana, the abode of Lord Sri Krsna, the primeval Lord and original Personality of Godhead. This earth is one of the innumerable material planets within the universe, and there are innumerable universes also within the compass of the mahat-tattva. The devotees are told by the Lord and His representatives, the spiritual masters or acaryas, that not one of the planets within all the innumerable universes is suitable for the residential purposes of a devotee. The devotee always desires to go back home, back to Godhead, just to become one of the associates of the Lord in the capacity of servitor, friend, parent or conjugal lover of the Lord, either in one of the innumerable Vaikuntha planets or in Goloka Vrndavana, the planet of Lord Sri Krsna. All these planets are eternally situated in the spiritual sky, the paravyoma, which is on the other side of the Causal Ocean within the mahat-tattva. Maharaja Pariksit was already aware of all this information due to his accumulated piety and birth in a high family of devotees, Vaisnavas, and thus he was not at all interested in the material planets. Modern scientists are very eager to reach the moon by material arrangements, but they cannot conceive of the highest planet of this universe. But a devotee like Maharaja Pariksit does not care a fig for the moon or, for that matter, any of the material planets. So when he was assured of his death on a fixed date, he became more determined in the transcendental loving service of Lord Krsna by complete fasting on the bank of the transcendental River Yamuna, which flows down by the capital of Hastinapura (in the Delhi state). Both the Ganges and the Yamuna are amartya (transcendental) rivers, and Yamuna is still more sanctified for the following reasons.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                  ya vai lasac-chri-tulasi-vimisra-

                 krsnanghri-renv-abhyadhikambu-netri

                     punati lokan ubhayatra sesan

                    kas tam na seveta marisyamanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ya--the river which; vai--always; lasat--floating with; sri-tulasi--tulasi leaves; vimisra--mixed; krsna-anghri--the lotus feet of the Lord, Sri Krsna; renu--dust; abhyadhika--auspicious; ambu--water; netri--that which is carrying; punati--sanctifies; lokan--planets; ubhayatra--both the upper and lower or inside and outside; sa-isan--along with Lord Siva; kah--who else; tam--that river; na--does not; seveta--worship; marisyamanah--one who is to die at any moment.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The river [Ganges, by which the King sat to fast] carries the most auspicious water, which is mixed with the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord and tulasi leaves. Therefore that water sanctifies the three worlds inside and outside and even sanctifies Lord Siva and other demigods. Consequently everyone who is destined to die must take shelter of this river.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Maharaja Pariksit, just after receiving the news of his death within seven days, at once retired from family life and shifted himself to the sacred bank of the Yamuna River. Generally it is said that the King took shelter on the bank of the Ganges, but according to Srila Jiva Gosvami, the King took shelter on the bank of the Yamuna. Srila Jiva Gosvami's statement appears to be more accurate because of the geographical situation. Maharaja Pariksit resided in his capital Hastinapura, situated near present Delhi, and the River Yamuna flows down past the city. Naturally the King would take shelter of the River Yamuna because she was flowing past his palace door. And as far as sanctity is concerned, the River Yamuna is more directly connected with Lord Krsna than the Ganges. The Lord sanctified the River Yamuna from the beginning of His transcendental pastimes in the world. While His father Vasudeva was crossing the Yamuna with the baby Lord Krsna for a safe place at Gokula on the other bank of the river from Mathura, the Lord fell down in the river, and by the dust of His lotus feet the river at once became sanctified. It is especially mentioned herein that Maharaja Pariksit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, mixed with tulasi leaves. Lord Krsna's lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasi leaves, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rivers become at once sanctified. The Lord, however, contacted the River Yamuna more than the Ganges. According to the Varaha Purana, as quoted by Srila Jiva Gosvami, there is no difference between the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, but when the water of the Ganges is sanctified one hundred times, it is called the Yamuna. Similarly, it is said in the scriptures that one thousand names of Visnu are equal to one name of Rama, and three names of Lord Rama are equal to one name of Krsna.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                    iti vyavacchidya sa pandaveyah

                   prayopavesam prati visnu-padyam

                  dadhau mukundanghrim ananya-bhavo

                   muni-vrato mukta-samasta-sangah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   iti--thus; vyavacchidya--having decided; sah--the King; pandaveyah--worthy descendant of the Pandavas; praya-upavesam--for fasting until death; prati--toward; visnu-padyam--on the bank of the Ganges (emanating from the lotus feet of Lord Visnu); dadhau--gave himself up; mukunda-anghrim--unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna; ananya--without deviation; bhavah--spirit; muni-vratah--with the vows of a sage; mukta--liberated from; samasta--all kinds of; sangah--association.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus the King, the worthy descendant of the Pandavas, decided once and for all and sat on the Ganges' bank to fast until death and give himself up to the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, who alone is able to award liberation. So, freeing himself from all kinds of associations and attachments, he accepted the vows of a sage.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The water of the Ganges sanctifies all the three worlds, including the gods and the demigods, because it emanates from the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead Visnu. Lord Krsna is the fountainhead of the principle of visnu-tattva, and therefore shelter of His lotus feet can deliver one from all sins, including an offense committed by a king unto a brahmana. Maharaja Pariksit, therefore, decided to meditate upon the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna, who is Mukunda, or the giver of liberations of all description. The banks of the Ganges or the Yamuna give one a chance to remember the Lord continuously. Maharaja Pariksit freed himself from all sorts of material association and meditated upon the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, and that is the way of liberation. To be free from all material association means to cease completely from committing any further sins. To meditate upon the lotus feet of the Lord means to become free from the effects of all previous sins. The conditions of the material world are so made that one has to commit sins willingly or unwillingly, and the best example is Maharaja Pariksit himself, who was a recognized sinless, pious king. But he also became a victim of an offense, even though he was ever unwilling to commit such a mistake. He was cursed also, but because he was a great devotee of the Lord, even such reverses of life became favorable. The principle is that one should not willingly commit any sin in his life and should constantly remember the lotus feet of the Lord without deviation. Only in such a mood will the Lord help the devotee make regular progress toward the path of liberation and thus attain the lotus feet of the Lord. Even if there are accidental sins committed by the devotee, the Lord saves the surrendered soul from all sins, as confirmed in all scriptures.

 

                   sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya

                   tyaktany abhavasya harih paresah

                   vikarma yac cotpatitam kathancid

                   dhunoti sarvam hrdi sannivistah

 

   (Bhag. 11.5.42)

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    tatropajagmur bhuvanam punana

                    mahanubhava munayah sa-sisyah

                    prayena tirthabhigamapadesaih

                  svayam hi tirthani punanti santah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatra--there; upajagmuh--arrived; bhuvanam--the universe; punanah--those who can sanctify; maha-anubhavah--great minds; munayah--thinkers; sa-sisyah--along with their disciples; prayena--almost; tirtha--place of pilgrimage; abhigama--journey; apadesaih--on the plea of; svayam--personally; hi--certainly; tirthani--all the places of pilgrimage; punanti--sanctify; santah--sages.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time all the great minds and thinkers, accompanied by their disciples, and sages who could verily sanctify a place of pilgrimage just by their presence, arrived there on the plea of making a pilgrim's journey.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When Maharaja Pariksit sat down on the bank of the Ganges, the news spread in all directions of the universe, and the great-minded sages, who could follow the importance of the occasion, all arrived there on the plea of pilgrimage. Actually they came to meet Maharaja Pariksit and not to take a bath of pilgrimage because all of them were competent enough to sanctify the places of pilgrimage. Common men go to pilgrimage sites to get themselves purified of all sins. Thus the places of pilgrimage become overburdened with the sins of others. But when such sages visit overburdened places of pilgrimage, they sanctify the places by their presence. Therefore the sages who came to meet Maharaja Pariksit were not very much interested in getting themselves purified like common men, but on the plea of taking a bath in that place they came to meet Maharaja Pariksit because they could foresee that Srimad-Bhagavatam would be spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami. All of them wanted to take advantage of the great occasion.

 

                              TEXTS 9-10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  atrir vasisthas cyavanah saradvan

                    aristanemir bhrgur angiras ca

                    parasaro gadhi-suto 'tha rama

                    utathya indrapramadedhmavahau

 

                     medhatithir devala arstiseno

                    bharadvajo gautamah pippaladah

                 maitreya aurvah kavasah kumbhayonir

                    dvaipayano bhagavan naradas ca

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atri to narada--all names of the different saintly personalities who arrived there from different parts of the universe.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From different parts of the universe there arrived great sages like Atri, Cyavana, Saradvan, Aristanemi, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Parasara, Visvamitra, Angira, Parasurama, Utathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavahu, Medhatithi, Devala, Arstisena, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Pippalada, Maitreya, Aurva, Kavasa, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipayana and the great personality Narada.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Cyavana: A great sage and one of the sons of Bhrgu Muni. He was born prematurely when his pregnant mother was kidnapped. Cyavana is one of the six sons of his father.

   Bhrgu: When Brahmaji was performing a great sacrifice on behalf of Varuna, Maharsi Bhrgu was born from the sacrificial fire. He was a great sage, and his very dear wife was Puloma. He could travel in space like Durvasa, Narada and others, and he used to visit all the planets of the universe. Before the Battle of Kuruksetra, he tried to stop the battle. Sometimes he instructed Bharadvaja Muni about astronomical evolution, and he is the author of the great Bhrgu-samhita, the great astrological calculation. He explained how air, fire, water and earth are generated from ether. He explained how the air in the stomach works and regulates the intestines. As a great philosopher, he logically established the eternity of the living entity (Mahabharata). He was also a great anthropologist, and the theory of evolution was long ago explained by him. He was a scientific propounder of the four divisions and orders of human society known as the varnasrama institution. He converted the ksatriya king Vitahavya into a brahmana.

   Vasistha: See Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.6.

   Parasara: He is the grandson of Vasistha Muni and father of Vyasadeva. He is the son of Maharsi Sakti, and his mother's name was Adrsyati. He was in the womb of his mother when she was only twelve years old. And from within the womb of his mother he learned the Vedas. His father was killed by a demon, Kalmasapada, and to avenge this he wanted to annihilate the whole world. He was restrained, however, by his grandfather Vasistha. He then performed a Raksasa-killing yajna, but Maharsi Pulastya restrained him. He begot Vyasadeva, being attracted by Satyavati, who was to become the wife of Maharaja Santanu. By the blessings of Parasara, Satyavati became fragrant for miles. He was present also during the time of Bhisma's death. He was spiritual master of Maharaja Janaka and a great devotee of Lord Siva. He is the author of many Vedic scriptures and sociological directions.

   Gadhi-suta, or Visvamitra: A great sage of austerity and mystic power. He is famous as Gadhi-suta because his father was Gadhi, a powerful king of the province of Kanyakubja (part of Uttara Pradesh). Although he was a ksatriya by birth, he became a brahmana in the very same body by the power of his spiritual achievements. He picked a quarrel with Vasistha Muni when he was a ksatriya king and performed a great sacrifice in cooperation with Maganga Muni and thus was able to vanquish the sons of Vasistha. He became a great yogi, and yet he failed to check his senses and thus was obliged to become the father of Sakuntala, the beauty queen of world history. Once, when he was a ksatriya king, he visited the hermitage of Vasistha Muni, and he was given a royal reception. Visvamitra wanted from Vasistha a cow named Nandini, and the Muni refused to deliver it. Visvamitra stole the cow, and thus there was a quarrel between the sage and the King. Visvamitra was defeated by the spiritual strength of Vasistha, and thus the King decided to become a brahmana. Before becoming a brahmana he underwent severe austerity on the bank of the Kausika. He was also one who tried to stop the Kuruksetra war.

   Angira: He is one of the six mental sons of Brahma and the father of Brhaspati, the great learned priest of the demigods in the heavenly planets. He was born of the semen of Brahmaji given to a cinder of fire. Utathya and Samvarta are his sons. It is said that he is still performing austerity and chanting the holy name of the Lord at a place known as Alokananda on the banks of the Ganges.

   Parasurama: See Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.6.

   Utathya: One of the three sons of Maharsi Angira. He was the spiritual master of Maharaja Mandhata. He married Bhadra, the daughter of Soma (moon). Varuna kidnapped his wife Bhadra, and to retaliate the offense of the god of water, he drank all the water of the world.

   Medhatithi: An old sage of yore. An assembly member of the heavenly King Indradeva. His son was Kanva Muni, who brought up Sakuntala in the forest. He was promoted to the heavenly planet by strictly following the principles of retired life (vanaprastha).

   Devala: A great authority like Narada Muni and Vyasadeva. His good name is on the list of authorities mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita when Arjuna acknowledged Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He met Maharaja Yudhisthira after the Battle of Kuruksetra, and he was the elder brother of Dhaumya, the priest of the Pandava family. Like the ksatriyas, he also allowed his daughter to select her own husband in a svayamvara meeting, and at that ceremony all the bachelor sons of the rsis were invited. According to some, he is not Asita Devala.

   Bharadvaja: See Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.6.

   Gautama: One of the seven great sages of the universe. Saradvan Gautama was one of his sons. Persons in the Gautama-gotra (dynasty) today are either his family descendants or in his disciplic succession. The brahmanas who profess Gautama-gotra are generally family descendants, and the ksatriyas and vaisyas who profess Gautama-gotra are all in the line of his disciplic succession. He was the husband of the famous Ahalya who turned into stone when Indradeva, the King of the heaven, molested her. Ahalya was delivered by Lord Ramacandra. Gautama was the grandfather of Krpacarya, one of the heroes of the Battle of Kuruksetra.

   Maitreya: A great rsi of yore. He was spiritual master of Vidura and a great religious authority. He advised Dhrtarastra to keep good relations with the Pandavas. Duryodhana disagreed and thus was cursed by him. He met Vyasadeva and had religious discourses with him.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

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                   anye ca devarsi-brahmarsi-varya

                     rajarsi-varya arunadayas ca

                      nanarseya-pravaran sametan

                    abhyarcya raja sirasa vavande

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anye--many others; ca--also; devarsi--saintly demigods; brahmarsi--saintly brahmanas; varyah--topmost; rajarsi-varyah--topmost saintly kings; aruna-adayah--a special rank of rajarsis; ca--and; nana--many others; arseya-pravaran--chief amongst the dynasties of the sages; sametan--assembled together; abhyarcya--by worshiping; raja--the Emperor; sirasa--bowed his head to the ground; vavande--welcomed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   There were also many other saintly demigods, kings and special royal orders called arunadayas [a special rank of rajarsis] from different dynasties of sages. When they all assembled together to meet the Emperor [Pariksit], he received them properly and bowed his head to the ground.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The system of bowing the head to the ground to show respect to superiors is an excellent etiquette which obliges the honored guest deep into the heart. Even the first-grade offender is excused simply by this process, and Maharaja Pariksit, although honored by all the rsis and kings, welcomed all the big men in that humble etiquette in order to be excused from any offenses. Generally at the last stage of one's life this humble method is adopted by every sensible man in order to be excused before departure. In this way Maharaja Pariksit implored everyone's good will for going back home, back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sukhopavistesv atha tesu bhuyah

                   krta-pranamah sva-cikirsitam yat

                     vijnapayam asa vivikta-ceta

                   upasthito 'gre 'bhigrhita-panih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sukha--happily; upavistesu--all sitting down; atha--thereupon; tesu--unto them (the visitors); bhuyah--again; krta-pranamah--having offered obeisances; sva--his own; cikirsitam--decision of fasting; yat--who; vijnapayam asa--submitted; vivikta-cetah--one whose mind is detached from worldly affairs; upasthitah--being present; agre--before them; abhigrhita-panih--humbly with folded hands.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After all the rsis and others had seated themselves comfortably, the King, humbly standing before them with folded hands, told them of his decision to fast until death.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Although the King had already decided to fast until death on the bank of the Ganges, he humbly expressed his decision to elicit the opinions of the great authorities present there. Any decision, however important, should be confirmed by some authority. That makes the matter perfect. This means that the monarchs who ruled the earth in those days were not irresponsible dictators. They scrupulously followed the authoritative decisions of the saints and sages in terms of Vedic injunction. Maharaja Pariksit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                               rajovaca

                     aho vayam dhanyatama nrpanam

                      mahattamanugrahaniya-silah

                  rajnam kulam brahmana-pada-saucad

                   durad visrstam bata garhya-karma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja uvaca--the fortunate King said; aho--ah; vayam--we; dhanya-tamah--most thankful; nrpanam--of all the kings; mahat-tama--of the great souls; anugrahaniya-silah--trained to get favors; rajnam--of the royal; kulam--orders; brahmana-pada--feet of the brahmanas; saucat--refuse after cleaning; durat--at a distance; visrstam--always left out; bata--on account of; garhya--condemnable; karma--activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The fortunate King said: Indeed, we are the most grateful of all the kings who are trained to get favors from the great souls. Generally you [sages] consider royalty as refuse to be rejected and left in a distant place.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to religious principles, stool, urine, wash water, etc., must be left at a long distance. Attached bathrooms, urinals, etc. may be very convenient amenities of modern civilization, but they are ordered to be situated at a distance from residential quarters. That very example is cited herein in relation to the kingly order for those who are progressively marching back to Godhead. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that to be in intimate touch with dollars-and-cents men, or the kingly order, is worse than suicide for one who desires to go back to Godhead. In other words, the transcendentalists do not generally associate with men who are too enamored by the external beauty of God's creation. By advanced knowledge in spiritual realization, the transcendentalist knows that this beautiful material world is nothing but a shadowy reflection of the reality, the kingdom of God. They are not, therefore, very much captivated by royal opulence or anything like that. But in the case of Maharaja Pariksit, the situation was different. Apparently the King was condemned to death by an inexperienced brahmana boy, but factually he was called by the Lord to return to Him. Other transcendentalists, the great sages and mystics who assembled together because of Maharaja Pariksit's fasting unto death, were quite anxious to see him, for he was going back to Godhead. Maharaja Pariksit also could understand that the great sages who assembled there were all kind to his forefathers, the Pandavas, because of their devotional service to the Lord. He therefore felt grateful to the sages for being present there at the last stage of his life, and he felt that it was all due to the greatness of his late forefathers or grandfathers. He felt proud, therefore, that he happened to be the descendant of such great devotees. Such pride for the devotees of the Lord is certainly not equal to the puffed-up sense of vanity for material prosperity. The first is reality, whereas the other is false and vain.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    tasyaiva me 'ghasya paravareso

                  vyasakta-cittasya grhesv abhiksnam

                     nirveda-mulo dvija-sapa-rupo

                   yatra prasakto bhayam asu dhatte

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasya--his; eva--certainly; me--mine; aghasya--of the sinful; para--transcendental; avara--mundane; isah--controller, the Supreme Lord; vyasakta--overly attached; cittasya--of the mind; grhesu--to family affairs; abhiksnam--always; nirveda-mulah--the source of detachment; dvija-sapa--cursing by the brahmana; rupah--form of; yatra--whereupon; prasaktah--one who is affected; bhayam--fearfulness; asu--very soon; dhatte--take place.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of both the transcendental and mundane worlds, has graciously overtaken me in the form of a brahmana's curse. Due to my being too much attached to family life, the Lord, in order to save me, has appeared before me in such a way that only out of fear I will detach myself from the world.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Maharaja Pariksit, although born in a family of great devotees, the Pandavas, and although securely trained in transcendental attachment for the association of the Lord, still found the allurement of mundane family life so strong that he had to be detached by a plan of the Lord. Such direct action is taken by the Lord in the case of a special devotee. Maharaja Pariksit could understand this by the presence of the topmost transcendentalists in the universe. The Lord resides with His devotees, and therefore the presence of the great saints indicated the presence of the Lord. The King therefore welcomed the presence of the great rsis as a mark of favor of the Supreme Lord.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    tam mopayatam pratiyantu vipra

                    ganga ca devi dhrta-cittam ise

                   dvijopasrstah kuhakas taksako va

                   dasatv alam gayata visnu-gathah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--for that reason; ma--me; upayatam--taken shelter of; pratiyantu--just accept me; viprah--O brahmanas; ganga--mother Ganges; ca--also; devi--direct representative of the Lord; dhrta--taken into; cittam--heart; ise--unto the Lord; dvija-upasrstah--created by the brahmana; kuhakah--something magical; taksakah--the snakebird; va--either; dasatu--let it bite; alam--without further delay; gayata--please go on singing; visnu-gathah--narration of the deeds of Visnu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O brahmanas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snake-bird--or whatever magical thing the brahmana created--bite me at once. I only desire that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Visnu.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As soon as one is given up completely unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, he is not at all afraid of death. The atmosphere created by the presence of great devotees of the Lord on the bank of the Ganges and Maharaja Pariksit's complete acceptance of the Lord's lotus feet were sufficient guarantee to the King for going back to Godhead. He thus became absolutely free from all fear of death.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   punas ca bhuyad bhagavaty anante

                   ratih prasangas ca tad-asrayesu

                    mahatsu yam yam upayami srstim

                 maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   punah--again; ca--and; bhuyat--let it be; bhagavati--unto Lord Sri Krsna; anante--who has unlimited potency; ratih--attracting; prasangah--association; ca--also; tat--His; asrayesu--with those who are His devotees; mahatsu--within the material creation; yam yam--wherever; upayami--I may take; srstim--my birth; maitri--friendly relation; astu--let it be; sarvatra--everywhere; namah--my obeisances; dvijebhyah--unto the brahmanas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Again, offering obeisances unto all you brahmanas, I pray that if I should again take my birth in the material world I will have complete attachment to the unlimited Lord Krsna, association with His devotees and friendly relations with all living beings.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That a devotee of the Lord is the only perfect living being is explained herein by Maharaja Pariksit. A devotee of the Lord is no one's enemy, although there may be many enemies of a devotee. A devotee of the Lord does not like to associate with nondevotees, although he has no enmity with them. He desires association with the devotees of the Lord. This is perfectly natural because birds of the same feather mix together. And the most important function of a devotee is to have complete attachment for Lord Sri Krsna, the father of all living beings. As a good son of the father behaves in a friendly way with all his other brothers, so also the devotee of the Lord, being a good son of the supreme father, Lord Krsna, sees all other living beings in relation with the supreme father. He tries to bring back the upstart sons of the father to a saner stage and to get them to accept the supreme fatherhood of God. Maharaja Pariksit was certainly going back to Godhead, but even if he were not to go back, he prayed for a pattern of life which is the most perfect way in the material world. A pure devotee does not desire the company of a personality as great as Brahma, but he prefers the association of a petty living being, provided he is a devotee of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    iti sma rajadhyavasaya-yuktah

                     pracina-mulesu kusesu dhirah

                     udan-mukho daksina-kula aste

                samudra-patnyah sva-suta-nyasta-bharah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   iti--thus; sma--as in the past; raja--the King; adhyavasaya--perseverance; yuktah--being engaged; pracina--eastern; mulesu--with the root; kusesu--on a seat made of kusa straw; dhirah--self-controlled; udan-mukhah--facing the northern side; daksina--on the southern; kule--bank; aste--situated; samudra--the sea; patnyah--wife of (the Ganges); sva--own; suta--son; nyasta--given over; bharah--the charge of administration.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In perfect self-control, Maharaja Pariksit sat down on a seat of straw, with straw-roots facing the east, placed on the southern bank of the Ganges, and he himself faced the north. Just previously he had given charge of his kingdom over to his son.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The River Ganges is celebrated as the wife of the sea. The seat of kusa straw is considered to be sanctified if the straw is taken out of the earth complete with root, and if the root is pointed toward the east it is considered to be auspicious. Facing the north is still more favorable for attaining spiritual success. Maharaja Pariksit handed over the charge of administration to his son before leaving home. He was thus fully equipped for all favorable conditions.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    evam ca tasmin nara-deva-deve

                    prayopaviste divi deva-sanghah

                  prasasya bhumau vyakiran prasunair

                   muda muhur dundubhayas ca neduh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; ca--and; tasmin--in that; nara-deva-deve--upon the King's; praya-upaviste--being engaged in fasting to death; divi--in the sky; deva--demigods; sanghah--all of them; prasasya--having praised the action; bhumau--on the earth; vyakiran--scattered; prasunaih--with flowers; muda--in pleasure; muhuh--continually; dundubhayah--celestial drums; ca--also; neduh--beaten.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus the King, Maharaja Pariksit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of the higher planets praised the King's actions and in pleasure continually scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Even up to the time of Maharaja Pariksit there were interplanetary communications, and the news of Maharaja Pariksit's fasting unto death to attain salvation reached the higher planets in the sky where the intelligent demigods live. The demigods are more luxurious than human beings, but all of them are obedient to the orders of the Supreme Lord. There is no one in the heavenly planets who is an atheist or nonbeliever. Thus any devotee of the Lord on the surface of the earth is always praised by them, and in the case of Maharaja Pariksit they were greatly delighted and thus gave tokens of honor by scattering flowers over the earth and by beating celestial drums. A demigod takes pleasure in seeing someone go back to Godhead. He is always pleased with a devotee of the Lord, so much so that by his adhidaivic powers he may help the devotees in all respects. And by their actions, the Lord is pleased with them. There is an invisible chain of complete cooperation between the Lord, the demigods and the devotee of the Lord on earth.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     maharsayo vai samupagata ye

                   prasasya sadhv ity anumodamanah

                     ucuh prajanugraha-sila-sara

                    yad uttama-sloka-gunabhirupam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maharsayah--the great sages; vai--as a matter of course; samupagatah--assembled there; ye--those who; prasasya--by praising; sadhu--quite all right; iti--thus; anumodamanah--all approving; ucuh--said; praja-anugraha--doing good to the living being; sila-sarah--qualitatively powerful; yat--because; uttama-sloka--one who is praised by selected poems; guna-abhirupam--as beautiful as godly qualities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the great sages who were assembled there also praised the decision of Maharaja Pariksit and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very good." Naturally the sages are inclined to do good to common men, for they have all the qualitative powers of the Supreme Lord. Therefore they were very much pleased to see Maharaja Pariksit, a devotee of the Lord, and they spoke as follows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The natural beauty of a living being is enhanced by rising up to the platform of devotional service. Maharaja Pariksit was absorbed in attachment for Lord Krsna. Seeing this, the great sages assembled were very pleased, and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very good." Such sages are naturally inclined to do good to the common man, and when they see a personality like Maharaja Pariksit advance in devotional service, their pleasure knows no bounds, and they offer all blessings in their power. The devotional service of the Lord is so auspicious that all demigods and sages, up to the Lord Himself, became pleased with the devotee, and therefore the devotee finds everything auspicious. All inauspicious matters are removed from the path of a progressive devotee. Meeting all the great sages at the time of death was certainly auspicious for Maharaja Pariksit, and thus he was blessed by the so-called curse of a brahmana's boy.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   na va idam rajarsi-varya citram

                    bhavatsu krsnam samanuvratesu

                   ye 'dhyasanam raja-kirita-justam

                  sadyo jahur bhagavat-parsva-kamah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--neither; va--like this; idam--this; rajarsi--saintly king; varya--the chief; citram--astonishing; bhavatsu--unto all of you; krsnam--Lord Krsna; samanuvratesu--unto those who are strictly in the line of; ye--who; adhyasanam--seated on the throne; raja-kirita--helmets of kings; justam--decorated; sadyah--immediately; jahuh--gave up; bhagavat--the Personality of Godhead; parsva-kamah--desiring to achieve association.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   [The sages said:] O chief of all the saintly kings of the Pandu dynasty who are strictly in the line of Lord Sri Krsna! It is not at all astonishing that you give up your throne, which is decorated with the helmets of many kings, to achieve eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Foolish politicians who hold political administrative posts think that the temporary posts they occupy are the highest material gain of life, and therefore they stick to those posts even up to the last moment of life, without knowing that achievement of liberation as one of the associates of the Lord in His eternal abode is the highest gain of life. The human life is meant for achieving this end. The Lord has assured us in the Bhagavad-gita many times that going back to Godhead, His eternal abode, is the highest achievement. Prahlada Maharaja, while praying to Lord Nrsimha, said, "O my Lord, I am very much afraid of the materialistic way of life, and I am not the least afraid of Your present ghastly ferocious feature as Nrsimhadeva. This materialistic way of life is something like a grinding stone, and we are being crushed by it. We have fallen into this horrible whirlpool of the tossing waves of life, and thus, my Lord, I pray at Your lotus feet to call me back to Your eternal abode as one of Your servitors. This is the summit liberation of this materialistic way of life. I have very bitter experience of the materialistic way of life. In whichever species of life I have taken birth, compelled by the force of my own activities, I have very painfully experienced two things, namely separation from my beloved and meeting with what is not wanted. And to counteract them, the remedies which I undertook were more dangerous than the disease itself. So I drift from one point to another birth after birth, and I pray to You therefore to give me a shelter at Your lotus feet."

   The Pandava kings, who are more than many saints of the world, knew the bitter results of the materialistic way of life. They were never captivated by the glare of the imperial throne they occupied, and they sought always the opportunity of being called by the Lord to associate with Him eternally. Maharaja Pariksit was the worthy grandson of Maharaja Yudhisthira. Maharaja Yudhisthira gave up the imperial throne to his grandson, and similarly Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of Maharaja Yudhisthira, gave up the imperial throne to his son Janamejaya. That is the way of all the kings in the dynasty because they are all strictly in the line of Lord Krsna. Thus the devotees of the Lord are never enchanted by the glare of materialistic life, and they live impartially, unattached to the objects of the false, illusory materialistic way of life.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sarve vayam tavad ihasmahe 'tha

                     kalevaram yavad asau vihaya

                    lokam param virajaskam visokam

                   yasyaty ayam bhagavata-pradhanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarve--all; vayam--of us; tavat--as long as; iha--at this place; asmahe--shall stay; atha--hereafter; kalevaram--the body; yavat--so long; asau--the King; vihaya--giving up; lokam--the planet; param--the supreme; virajaskam--completely free from mundane contamination; visokam--completely freed from all kinds of lamentation; yasyati--returns; ayam--this; bhagavata--devotee; pradhanah--the foremost.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   We shall all wait here until the foremost devotee of the Lord, Maharaja Pariksit, returns to the supreme planet, which is completely free from all mundane contamination and all kinds of lamentation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Beyond the limitation of the material creation, which is compared to the cloud in the sky, there is the paravyoma, or the spiritual sky, full of planets called Vaikunthas. Such Vaikuntha planets are also differently known as the Purusottamaloka, Acyutaloka, Trivikramaloka, Hrsikesaloka, Kesavaloka, Aniruddhaloka, Madhavaloka, Pradyumnaloka, Sankarsanaloka, Sridharaloka, Vasudevaloka, Ayodhyaloka, Dvarakaloka and many other millions of spiritual lokas wherein the Personality of Godhead predominates; all the living entities there are liberated souls with spiritual bodies as good as that of the Lord. There is no material contamination; everything there is spiritual, and therefore there is nothing objectively lamentable. They are full of transcendental bliss, and are without birth, death, old age and disease. And amongst all the above-mentioned Vaikunthalokas, there is one supreme loka called Goloka Vrndavana, which is the abode of the Lord Sri Krsna and His specific associates. Maharaja Pariksit was destined to achieve this particular loka, and the great rsis assembled there could foresee this. All of them consulted among themselves about the great departure of the great King, and they wanted to see him up to the last moment because they would no more be able to see such a great devotee of the Lord. When a great devotee of the Lord passes away, there is nothing to be lamented because the devotee is destined to enter into the kingdom of God. But the sorry plight is that such great devotees leave our sight, and therefore there is every reason to be sorry. As the Lord is rarely to be seen by our present eyes, so also are the great devotees. The great rsis, therefore, correctly decided to remain on the spot till the last moment.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 asrutya tad rsi-gana-vacah pariksit

                   samam madhu-cyud guru cavyalikam

                    abhasatainan abhinandya yuktan

                     susrusamanas caritani visnoh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asrutya--just after hearing; tat--that; rsi-gana--the sages assembled; vacah--speaking; pariksit--Maharaja Pariksit; samam--impartial; madhu-cyut--sweet to hear; guru--grave; ca--also; avyalikam--perfectly true; abhasata--said; enan--all of them; abhinandya--congratulated; yuktan--appropriately presented; susrusamanah--being desirous to hear; caritani--activities of; visnoh--the Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All that was spoken by the great sages was very sweet to hear, full of meaning and appropriately presented as perfectly true. So after hearing them, Maharaja Pariksit, desiring to hear of the activities of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, congratulated the great sages.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     samagatah sarvata eva sarve

                  veda yatha murti-dharas tri-prsthe

                    nehatha namutra ca kascanartha

                     rte paranugraham atma-silam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   samagatah--assembled; sarvatah--from all directions; eva--certainly; sarve--all of you; vedah--supreme knowledge; yatha--as; murti-dharah--personified; tri-prsthe--on the planet of Brahma (which is situated above the three planetary systems, namely the upper, intermediate and lower worlds); na--not; iha--in this world; atha--thereafter; na--nor; amutra--in the other world; ca--also; kascana--any other; arthah--interest; rte--save and except; para--others; anugraham--doing good to; atma-silam--own nature.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said: O great sages, you have all very kindly assembled here, having come from all parts of the universe. You are all as good as supreme knowledge personified, who resides in the planet above the three worlds [Satyaloka]. Consequently you are naturally inclined to do good to others, and but for this you have no interest, either in this life or in the next.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Six kinds of opulences, namely wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, are all originally the different attributes pertaining to the Absolute Personality of Godhead. The living beings, who are part-and-parcel entities of the Supreme Being, have all these attributes partially, up to the full strength of seventy-eight percent. In the material world these attributes (up to seventy-eight percent of the Lord's attributes) are covered by the material energy, as the sun is covered by a cloud. The covered strength of the sun is very dim, compared to the original glare, and similarly the original color of the living beings with such attributes becomes almost extinct. There are three planetary systems, namely the lower worlds, the intermediate worlds and the upper worlds. The human beings on earth are situated at the beginning of the intermediate worlds, but living beings like Brahma and his contemporaries live in the upper worlds, of which the topmost is Satyaloka. In Satyaloka the inhabitants are fully cognizant of Vedic wisdom, and thus the mystic cloud of material energy is cleared. Therefore they are known as the Vedas personified. Such persons, being fully aware of knowledge both mundane and transcendental, have no interest in either the mundane or transcendental worlds. They are practically desireless devotees. In the mundane world they have nothing to achieve, and in the transcendental world they are full in themselves. Then why do they come to the mundane world? They descend on different planets as messiahs by the order of the Lord to deliver the fallen souls. On the earth they come down and do good to the people of the world in different circumstances under different climatic influences. They have nothing to do in this world save and except reclaim the fallen souls rotting in material existence, deluded by material energy.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tatas ca vah prcchyam imam viprcche

                    visrabhya vipra iti krtyatayam

                   sarvatmana mriyamanais ca krtyam

                   suddham ca tatramrsatabhiyuktah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--as such; ca--and; vah--unto you; prcchyam--that which is to be asked; imam--this; viprcche--beg to ask you; visrabhya--trustworthy; viprah--brahmanas; iti--thus; krtyatayam--out of all different duties; sarva-atmana--by everyone; mriyamanaih--especially those who are just about to die; ca--and; krtyam--dutiful; suddham--perfectly correct; ca--and; tatra--therein; amrsata--by complete deliberation; abhiyuktah--just befitting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O trustworthy brahmanas, I now ask you about my immediate duty. Please, after proper deliberation, tell me of the unalloyed duty of everyone in all circumstances, and specifically of those who are just about to die.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse the King has placed two questions before the learned sages. The first question is what is the duty of everyone in all circumstances, and the second question is what is the specific duty of one who is to die very shortly. Out of the two, the question relating to the dying man is most important because everyone is a dying man, either very shortly or after one hundred years. The duration of life is immaterial, but the duty of a dying man is very important. Maharaja Pariksit placed these two questions before Sukadeva Gosvami also on his arrival, and practically the whole of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, beginning from the Second Canto up to the last Twelfth Canto, deals with these two questions. The conclusion arrived at thereof is that devotional service of the Lord Sri Krsna, as it is confirmed by the Lord Himself in the last phases of the Bhagavad-gita, is the last word in relation to everyone's permanent duty in life. Maharaja Pariksit was already aware of this fact, but he wanted the great sages assembled there to unanimously give their verdict on his conviction so that he might be able to go on with his confirmed duty without controversy. He has especially mentioned the word suddha, or perfectly correct. For transcendental realization or self-realization, many processes are recommended by various classes of philosophers. Some of them are first-class methods, and some of them are second- or third-class methods. The first-class method demands that one give up all other methods and surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord and thus be saved from all sins and their reactions.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tatrabhavad bhagavan vyasa-putro

                   yadrcchaya gam atamano 'napeksah

                    alaksya-lingo nija-labha-tusto

                    vrtas ca balair avadhuta-vesah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatra--there; abhavat--appeared; bhagavan--powerful; vyasa-putrah--son of Vyasadeva; yadrcchaya--as one desires; gam--the earth; atamanah--while traveling; anapeksah--disinterested; alaksya--unmanifested; lingah--symptoms; nija-labha--self-realized; tustah--satisfied; vrtah--surrounded; ca--and; balaih--by children; avadhuta--neglected by others; vesah--dressed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that moment there appeared the powerful son of Vyasadeva, who traveled over the earth disinterested and satisfied with himself. He did not manifest any symptoms of belonging to any social order or status of life. He was surrounded with women and children, and he dressed as if others had neglected him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word bhagavan is sometimes used in relation with some of the great devotees of the Lord, like Sukadeva Gosvami. Such liberated souls are disinterested in the affairs of this material world because they are self-satisfied by the great achievements of devotional service. As explained before, Sukadeva Gosvami never accepted any formal spiritual master, nor did he undergo any formal reformatory performances. His father, Vyasadeva, was his natural spiritual master because Sukadeva Gosvami heard Srimad-Bhagavatam from him. After this, he became completely self-satisfied. Thus he was not dependent on any formal process. The formal processes are necessary for those who are expected to reach the stage of complete liberation, but Sri Sukadeva Gosvami was already in that status by the grace of his father. As a young boy he was expected to be properly dressed, but he went about naked and was uninterested in social customs. He was neglected by the general populace, and inquisitive boys and women surrounded him as if he were a madman. He thus appears on the scene while traveling on the earth of his own accord. It appears that upon the inquiry of Maharaja Pariksit, the great sages were not unanimous in their decision as to what was to be done. For spiritual salvation there were many prescriptions according to the different modes of different persons. But the ultimate aim of life is to attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service to the Lord. As doctors differ, so also sages differ in their different prescriptions. While such things were going on, the great and powerful son of Vyasadeva appeared on the scene.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tam dvyasta-varsam su-kumara-pada-

                    karoru-bahv-amsa-kapola-gatram

                   carv-ayataksonnasa-tulya-karna-

                  subhrv-ananam kambu-sujata-kantham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--him; dvi-asta--sixteen; varsam--years; su-kumara--delicate; pada--legs; kara--hands; uru--thighs; bahu--arms; amsa--shoulders; kapola--forehead; gatram--body; caru--beautiful; ayata--broad; aksa--eyes; unnasa--high nose; tulya--similar; karna--ears; subhru--nice brows; ananam--face; kambu--conchshell; sujata--nicely built; kantham--neck.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   This son of Vyasadeva was only sixteen years old. His legs, hands, thighs, arms, shoulders, forehead and the other parts of his body were all delicately formed. His eyes were beautifully wide, and his nose and ears were highly raised. He had a very attractive face, and his neck was well formed and beautiful like a conchshell.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A respectable personality is described beginning with the legs, and this honored system is observed here with Sukadeva Gosvami. He was only sixteen years of age. A person is honored for his achievements and not for advanced age. A person can be older by experience and not by age. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami, who is described herein as the son of Vyasadeva, was by his knowledge more experienced than all the sages present there, although he was only sixteen years old.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 nigudha-jatrum prthu-tunga-vaksasam

                   avarta-nabhim vali-valgudaram ca

                   dig-ambaram vaktra-vikirna-kesam

                   pralamba-bahum svamarottamabham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nigudha--covered; jatrum--collarbone; prthu--broad; tunga--swollen; vaksasam--chest; avarta--whirled; nabhim--navel; vali-valgu--striped; udaram--abdomen; ca--also; dik-ambaram--dressed by all directions (naked); vaktra--curled; vikirna--scattered; kesam--hair; pralamba--elongated; bahum--hands; su-amara-uttama--the best among the gods (Krsna); abham--hue.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   His collarbone was fleshy, his chest broad and thick, his navel deep and his abdomen beautifully striped. His arms were long, and curly hair was strewn over his beautiful face. He was naked, and the hue of his body reflected that of Lord Krsna.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   His bodily features indicate him to be different from common men. All the signs described in connection with the bodily features of Sukadeva Gosvami are uncommon symptoms, typical of great personalities, according to physiognomical calculations. His bodily hue resembled that of Lord Krsna, who is the supreme among the gods, demigods and all living beings.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  syamam sadapivya-vayo-'nga-laksmya

                   strinam mano-jnam rucira-smitena

                pratyutthitas te munayah svasanebhyas

                  tal-laksana-jna api gudha-varcasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   syamam--blackish; sada--always; apivya--excessively; vayah--age; anga--symptoms; laksmya--by the opulence of; strinam--of the fair sex; manah-jnam--attractive; rucira--beautiful; smitena--smiling; pratyutthitah--stood up; te--all of them; munayah--the great sages; sva--own; asanebhyah--from the seats; tat--those; laksana-jnah--expert in the art of physiognomy; api--even; gudha-varcasam--covered glories.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   He was blackish and very beautiful due to his youth. Because of the glamor of his body and his attractive smiles, he was pleasing to women. Though he tried to cover his natural glories, the great sages present there were all expert in the art of physiognomy, and so they honored him by rising from their seats.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    sa visnu-rato 'tithaya agataya

                     tasmai saparyam sirasajahara

                tato nivrtta hy abudhah striyo 'rbhaka

                     mahasane sopavivesa pujitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he; visnu-ratah--Maharaja Pariksit (who is always protected by Lord Visnu); atithaye--to become a guest; agataya--one who arrived there; tasmai--unto him; saparyam--with the whole body; sirasa--with bowed head; ajahara--offered obeisances; tatah--thereafter; nivrttah--ceased; hi--certainly; abudhah--less intelligent; striyah--women; arbhakah--boys; maha-asane--exalted seat; sa--he; upavivesa--sat down; pujitah--being respected.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Pariksit, who is also known as Visnurata [one who is always protected by Visnu], bowed his head to receive the chief guest, Sukadeva Gosvami. At that time all the ignorant women and boys ceased following Srila Sukadeva. Receiving respect from all, Sukadeva Gosvami took his exalted seat.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   On Sukadeva Gosvami's arrival at the meeting, everyone, except Srila Vyasadeva, Narada and a few others, stood up, and Maharaja Pariksit, who was glad to receive a great devotee of the Lord, bowed down before him with all the limbs of his body. Sukadeva Gosvami also exchanged the greetings and reception by embrace, shaking of hands, nodding and bowing down, especially before his father and Narada Muni. Thus he was offered the presidential seat at the meeting. When he was so received by the king and sages, the street boys and less intelligent women who followed him were struck with wonder and fear. So they retired from their frivolous activities, and everything was full of gravity and calm.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sa samvrtas tatra mahan mahiyasam

                  brahmarsi-rajarsi-devarsi-sanghaih

                   vyarocatalam bhagavan yathendur

                   graharksa-tara-nikaraih paritah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami; samvrtah--surrounded by; tatra--there; mahan--great; mahiyasam--of the greatest; brahmarsi--saint among the brahmanas; rajarsi--saint among the kings; devarsi--saint among the demigods; sanghaih--by the assembly of; vyarocata--well deserved; alam--able; bhagavan--powerful; yatha--as; induh--the moon; graha--planets; rksa--heavenly bodies; tara--stars; nikaraih--by the assembly of; paritah--surrounded by.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sukadeva Gosvami was then surrounded by saintly sages and demigods just as the moon is surrounded by stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. His presence was gorgeous, and he was respected by all.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the great assembly of saintly personalities, there was Vyasadeva the brahmarsi, Narada the devarsi, Parasurama the great ruler of the ksatriya kings, etc. Some of them were powerful incarnations of the Lord. Sukadeva Gosvami was not known as brahmarsi, rajarsi or devarsi, nor was he an incarnation like Narada, Vyasa or Parasurama. And yet he excelled them in respects paid. This means that the devotee of the Lord is more honored in the world than the Lord Himself. One should therefore never minimize the importance of a devotee like Sukadeva Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  prasantam asinam akuntha-medhasam

                   munim nrpo bhagavato 'bhyupetya

                  pranamya murdhnavahitah krtanjalir

                    natva gira sunrtayanvaprcchat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prasantam--perfectly pacified; asinam--sitting; akuntha--without hesitation; medhasam--one who has sufficient intelligence; munim--unto the great sage; nrpah--the King (Maharaja Pariksit); bhagavatah--the great devotee; abhyupetya--approaching him; pranamya--bowing down; murdhna--his head; avahitah--properly; krta-anjalih--with folded hands; natva--politely; gira--by words; sunrtaya--in sweet voices; anvaprcchat--inquired.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The sage Sri Sukadeva Gosvami sat perfectly pacified, intelligent and ready to answer any question without hesitation. The great devotee, Maharaja Pariksit, approached him, offered his respects by bowing before him, and politely inquired with sweet words and folded hands.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The gesture now adopted by Maharaja Pariksit of questioning a master is quite befitting in terms of scriptural injunctions. The scriptural injunction is that one should humbly approach a spiritual master to understand the transcendental science. Maharaja Pariksit was now prepared for meeting his death, and within the very short time of seven days he was to know the process of entering the kingdom of God. In such important cases, one is required to approach a spiritual master. There is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master unless one is in need of solving the problems of life. One who does not know how to put questions before the spiritual master has no business seeing him. And the qualification of the spiritual master is perfectly manifested in the person of Sukadeva Gosvami. Both the spiritual master and the disciple, namely Sri Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit, attained perfection through the medium of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sukadeva Gosvami learned Srimad-Bhagavatam from his father, Vyasadeva, but he had no chance to recite it. Before Maharaja Pariksit he recited Srimad-Bhagavatam and answered the questions of Maharaja Pariksit unhesitatingly, and thus both the master and the disciple got salvation.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            pariksid uvaca

                        aho adya vayam brahman

                     sat-sevyah ksatra-bandhavah

                          krpayatithi-rupena

                      bhavadbhis tirthakah krtah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pariksit uvaca--the fortunate Maharaja Pariksit said; aho--ah; adya--today; vayam--we; brahman--O brahmana; sat-sevyah--eligible to serve the devotee; ksatra--the ruling class; bandhavah--friends; krpaya--by your mercy; atithi-rupena--in the manner of a guest; bhavadbhih--by your good self; tirthakah--qualified for being places of pilgrimage; krtah--done by you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The fortunate King Pariksit said: O brahmana, by your mercy only, you have sanctified us, making us like unto places of pilgrimage, all by your presence here as my guest. By your mercy, we, who are but unworthy royalty, become eligible to serve the devotee.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Saintly devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami generally do not approach worldly enjoyers, especially those in royal orders. Maharaja Prataparudra was a follower of Lord Caitanya, but when he wanted to see the Lord, the Lord refused to see him because he was a king. For a devotee who desires to go back to Godhead, two things are strictly prohibited: worldly enjoyers and women. Therefore, devotees of the standard of Sukadeva Gosvami are never interested in seeing kings. Maharaja Pariksit was, of course, a different case. He was a great devotee, although a king, and therefore Sukadeva Gosvami came to see him in his last stage of life. Maharaja Pariksit, out of his devotional humility, felt himself an unworthy descendant of his great ksatriya forefathers, although he was as great as his predecessors. The unworthy sons of the royal orders are called ksatra-bandhavas, as the unworthy sons of the brahmanas are called dvija-bandhus or brahma-bandhus. Maharaja Pariksit was greatly encouraged by the presence of Sukadeva Gosvami. He felt himself sanctified by the presence of the great saint whose presence turns any place into a place of pilgrimage.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       yesam samsmaranat pumsam

                     sadyah suddhyanti vai grhah

                      kim punar darsana-sparsa-

                         pada-saucasanadibhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yesam--of whom; samsmaranat--by remembrance; pumsam--of a person; sadyah--instantly; suddhyanti--cleanses; vai--certainly; grhah--all houses; kim--what; punah--then; darsana--meeting; sparsa--touching; pada--the feet; sauca--washing; asana-adibhih--by offering a seat, etc.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet and offering you a seat in our home?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The importance of holy places of pilgrimage is due to the presence of great sages and saints. It is said that sinful persons go to the holy places and leave their sins there to accumulate. But the presence of the great saints disinfects the accumulated sins, and thus the holy places continue to remain sanctified by the grace of the devotees and saints present there. If such saints appear in the homes of worldly people, certainly the accumulated sins of such worldly enjoyers become neutralized. Therefore, the holy saints actually have no self-interest with the householders. The only aim of such saints is to sanctify the houses of the householders, and the householders therefore should feel grateful when such saints and sages appear at their doors. A householder who dishonors such holy orders is a great offender. It is enjoined, therefore, that a householder who does not bow down before a saint at once must undergo fasting for the day in order to neutralize the great offense.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sannidhyat te maha-yogin

                         patakani mahanty api

                      sadyo nasyanti vai pumsam

                         visnor iva suretarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sannidhyat--on account of the presence; te--your; maha-yogin--O great mystic; patakani--sins; mahanti--invulnerable; api--in spite of; sadyah--immediately; nasyanti--vanquished; vai--certainly; pumsam--of a person; visnoh--like the presence of the Personality of Godhead; iva--like; sura-itarah--other than the demigods.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Just as the atheist cannot remain in the presence of the Personality of Godhead, so also the invulnerable sins of a man are immediately vanquished in your presence, O saint! O great mystic!

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are two classes of human beings, namely the atheist and the devotee of the Lord. The devotee of the Lord, because of manifesting godly qualities, is called a demigod, whereas the atheist is called a demon. The demon cannot stand the presence of Visnu, the Personality of Godhead. The demons are always busy in trying to vanquish the Personality of Godhead, but factually as soon as the Personality of Godhead appears, by either His transcendental name, form, attributes, pastimes, paraphernalia or variegatedness, the demon is at once vanquished. It is said that a ghost cannot remain as soon as the holy name of the Lord is chanted. The great saints and devotees of the Lord are in the list of His paraphernalia, and thus as soon as a saintly devotee is present, the ghostly sins are at once vanquished. That is the verdict of all Vedic literatures. One is recommended, therefore, to associate only with saintly devotees so that worldly demons and ghosts cannot exert their sinister influence.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        api me bhagavan pritah

                       krsnah pandu-suta-priyah

                      paitr-svaseya-prity-artham

                      tad-gotrasyatta-bandhavah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   api--definitely; me--unto me; bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; pritah--pleased; krsnah--the Lord; pandu-suta--the sons of King Pandu; priyah--dear; paitr--in relation with the father; svaseya--the sons of the sister; priti--satisfaction; artham--in the matter of; tat--their; gotrasya--of the descendant; atta--accepted; bandhavah--as a friend.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is very dear to the sons of King Pandu, has accepted me as one of those relatives just to please His great cousins and brothers.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A pure and exclusive devotee of the Lord serves his family interest more dexterously than others, who are attached to illusory family affairs. Generally people are attached to family matters, and the whole economic impetus of human society is moving under the influence of family affection. Such deluded persons have no information that one can render better service to the family by becoming a devotee of the Lord. The Lord gives special protection to the family members and descendants of a devotee, even though such members are themselves nondevotees! Maharaja Prahlada was a great devotee of the Lord, but his father, Hiranyakasipu, was a great atheist and declared enemy of the Lord. But despite all this, Hiranyakasipu was awarded salvation due to his being the father of Maharaja Prahlada. The Lord is so kind that he gives all protection to the family members of His devotee, and thus the devotee has no need to bother about his family members, even if one leaves such family members aside to discharge devotional service. Maharaja Yudhisthira and his brothers were the sons of Kunti, the paternal aunt of Lord Krsna, and Maharaja Pariksit admits the patronage of Lord Krsna because of his being the only grandson of the great Pandavas.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       anyatha te 'vyakta-gater

                      darsanam nah katham nrnam

                         nitaram mriyamananam

                        samsiddhasya vaniyasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anyatha--otherwise; te--your; avyakta-gateh--of one whose movements are invisible; darsanam--meeting; nah--for us; katham--how; nrnam--of the people; nitaram--specifically; mriyamananam--of those who are about to die; samsiddhasya--of one who is all-perfect; vaniyasah--voluntary appearance.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Otherwise [without being inspired by Lord Krsna] how is it that you have voluntarily appeared here, though you are moving incognito to the common man and are not visible to us who are on the verge of death?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The great sage Sukadeva Gosvami was certainly inspired by Lord Krsna to appear voluntarily before Maharaja Pariksit, the great devotee of the Lord, just to give him the teachings of Srimad-Bhagavatam. One can achieve the nucleus of the devotional service of the Lord by the mercy of the spiritual master and the Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is the manifested representative of the Lord to help one achieve ultimate success. One who is not authorized by the Lord cannot become a spiritual master. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami is an authorized spiritual master, and thus he was inspired by the Lord to appear before Maharaja Pariksit and instruct him in the teachings of Srimad-Bhagavatam. One can achieve the ultimate success of going back to Godhead if he is favored by the Lord's sending His true representative. As soon as a true representative of the Lord is met by a devotee of the Lord, the devotee is assured a guarantee for going back to Godhead just after leaving the present body. This, however, depends on the sincerity of the devotee himself. The Lord is seated in the heart of all living beings, and thus he knows very well the movements of all individual persons. As soon as the Lord finds that a particular soul is very eager to go back to Godhead, the Lord at once sends His bona fide representative. The sincere devotee is thus assured by the Lord of going back to Godhead. The conclusion is that to get the assistance and help of a bona fide spiritual master means to receive the direct help of the Lord Himself.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       atah prcchami samsiddhim

                        yoginam paramam gurum

                        purusasyeha yat karyam

                        mriyamanasya sarvatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atah--therefore; prcchami--beg to inquire; samsiddhim--the way of perfection; yoginam--of the saints; paramam--the supreme; gurum--the spiritual master; purusasya--of a person; iha--in this life; yat--whatever; karyam--duty; mriyamanasya--of one who is going to die; sarvatha--in every way.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, and especially for one who is about to die.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Unless one is perfectly anxious to inquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for a householder. Generally a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. Maharaja Pariksit is the right type of disciple because he puts forward questions vital to the interest of all men, particularly for the dying men. The question put forward by Maharaja Pariksit is the basic principle of the complete thesis of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now let us see how intelligently the great master replies.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      yac chrotavyam atho japyam

                     yat kartavyam nrbhih prabho

                       smartavyam bhajaniyam va

                       bruhi yad va viparyayam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yat--whatever; srotavyam--worth hearing; atho--thereof; japyam--chanted; yat--what also; kartavyam--executed; nrbhih--by the people in general; prabho--O master; smartavyam--that which is remembered; bhajaniyam--worshipable; va--either; bruhi--please explain; yad va--what it may be; viparyayam--against the principle.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       nunam bhagavato brahman

                         grhesu grha-medhinam

                      na laksyate hy avasthanam

                        api go-dohanam kvacit

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nunam--because; bhagavatah--of you, who are powerful; brahman--O brahmana; grhesu--in the houses; grha-medhinam--of the householders; na--not; laksyate--are seen; hi--exactly; avasthanam--staying in; api--even; go-dohanam--milking the cow; kvacit--rarely.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O powerful brahmana, it is said that you hardly stay in the houses of men long enough to milk a cow.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Saints and sages in the renounced order of life go to the houses of the householders at the time they milk the cows, early in the morning, and ask some quantity of milk for subsistence. A pound of milk fresh from the milk bag of a cow is sufficient to feed an adult with all vitamin values, and therefore saints and sages live only on milk. Even the poorest of the householders keep at least ten cows, each delivering twelve to twenty quarts of milk, and therefore no one hesitates to spare a few pounds of milk for the mendicants. It is the duty of householders to maintain the saints and sages, like the children. So a saint like Sukadeva Gosvami would hardly stay at the house of a householder for more than five minutes in the morning. In other words, such saints are very rarely seen in the houses of householders, and Maharaja Pariksit therefore prayed to him to instruct him as soon as possible. The householders also should be intelligent enough to get some transcendental information from visiting sages. The householder should not foolishly ask a saint to deliver what is available in the market. That should be the reciprocal relation between the saints and the householders.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              suta uvaca

                        evam abhasitah prstah

                       sa rajna slaksnaya gira

                       pratyabhasata dharma-jno

                         bhagavan badarayanih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah uvaca--Sri Suta Gosvami said; evam--thus; abhasitah--being spoken; prstah--and asked for; sah--he; rajna--by the King; slaksnaya--by sweet; gira--language; pratyabhasata--began to reply; dharma-jnah--one who knows the principles of religion; bhagavan--the powerful personality; badarayanih--son of Vyasadeva.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Suta Gosvami said: The King thus spoke and questioned the sage, using sweet language. Then the great and powerful personality, the son of Vyasadeva, who knew the principles of religion, began his reply.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami."

 

 

                        END OF THE FIRST CANTO