सूत उवाच ।
ततः परीक्षिद्द्विजवर्यशिक्षया
महीं महाभागवतः शशास ह ।
यथा हि सूत्यामभिजातकोविदाः
समादिशन् विप्र महद्गुणस्तथा ॥ १॥
स उत्तरस्य तनयामुपयेम इरावतीम् ।
जनमेजयादींश्चतुरस्तस्यामुत्पादयत्सुतान् ॥ २॥
आजहाराश्वमेधांस्त्रीन् गङ्गायां भूरिदक्षिणान् ।
शारद्वतं गुरुं कृत्वा देवा यत्राक्षिगोचराः ॥ ३॥
निजग्राहौजसा वीरः कलिं दिग्विजये क्वचित् ।
नृपलिङ्गधरं शूद्रं घ्नन्तं गोमिथुनं पदा ॥ ४॥
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Sūta continued : After the ascent of the Pāṇḍavas to heaven king Parikṣit who was a great devotee of the Lord, ruled over the earth according to the instructions of the foremost Brāhmaṇas. He possessed, O Śaunaka, the same noble virtues as had been predicted by expert astrologers at the time of his birth. (1)
He married Irāvatī, the daughter of Uttara (his own maternal uncle*) and begot through her four sons, Janamejaya and others. (2)
Taking Kṛpa (the son of Śaradvān) for his Guru (guide), he performed on the bank of the Gaṅgā three Aśwamedhas (horse-sacrifices), offering liberal sacrificial fees (to the officiating priests). In these sacrifices the gods accepted the offerings before the eyes of all. (3)
Somewhere in the course of his conquest of the world the hero caught and subdued by his superior might the spirit of the Kali age, who in the form of a Śūdra was disguised as a prince, striking with his foot a cow and a bull. (4) (1-4)
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शौनक उवाच ।
कस्य हेतोर्निजग्राह कलिं दिग्विजये नृपः ।
नृदेवचिह्नधृक् शूद्रः कोऽसौ गां यः पदाहनत् ।
तत्कथ्यतां महाभाग यदि कृष्णकथाश्रयम् ॥ ५॥
अथवास्य पदाम्भोजमकरन्दलिहां सताम् ।
किमन्यैरसदालापैरायुषो यदसद्व्ययः ॥ ६॥
क्षुद्रायुषां नृणामङ्ग मर्त्यानामृतमिच्छताम् ।
इहोपहूतो भगवान् मृत्युः शामित्रकर्मणि ॥ ७॥
न कश्चिन्म्रियते तावद्यावदास्त इहान्तकः ।
एतदर्थं हि भगवानाहूतः परमर्षिभिः ।
अहो नृलोके पीयेत हरिलीलामृतं वचः ॥ ८॥
मन्दस्य मन्दप्रज्ञस्य वयो मन्दायुषश्च वै ।
निद्रया ह्रियते नक्तं दिवा च व्यर्थकर्मभिः ॥ ९॥
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Śaunaka said : Why did the king (merely) subdue the spirit of the Kali age in the course of his conquest (instead of killing him outright and thus ridding humanity of his evil influence, once for all) ? For, though disguised as a prince, he was after all a vile Śūdra, who took it into his head to strike a cow and a bull with his foot. Therefore, O blessed one, tell me all that, if it is connected with the story of Śrī Kṛṣṇa or with that of saints who taste the honey flowing from His lotus-feet (are devoted to Him). Of what avail are other idle discourses, in which life is wantonly spent ? (5-6)
For the good of mortal men who, though shortlived, are yet eager to realize the Truth, the all-powerful god of death has been invited here to perform propitiatory rites. (7)
Nobody will die so long as the god of death is here. That all-powerful god has been invited by the great sages so that even in this mortal world people may get to hear and enjoy the ambrosial discourses depicting the sports of Śrī Hārī. (8)
The life-span of the unfortunate men of this world, who are dull of understanding and shortlived too, is frittered away in sleep by night and in frivolous pursuits by day. (9) (5-9)
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सूत उवाच
सूत उवाच ।
यदा परीक्षित्कुरुजाङ्गलेऽशृणोत्
कलिं प्रविष्टं निजचक्रवर्तिते ।
निशम्य वार्तामनतिप्रियां ततः
शरासनं संयुगशौण्डिराददे ॥ १०॥
स्वलङ्कृतं श्यामतुरङ्गयोजितं
रथं मृगेन्द्रध्वजमाश्रितः पुरात् ।
वृतो रथाश्वद्विपपत्तियुक्तया
स्वसेनया दिग्विजयाय निर्गतः ॥ ११॥
भद्राश्वं केतुमालं च भारतं चोत्तरान् कुरून् ।
किम्पुरुषादीनि वर्षाणि विजित्य जगृहे बलिम् ॥ १२॥
(नगरांश्च वनांश्चैव नदीश्च विमलोदकाः ।
पुरुषान् देवकल्पांश्च नारीश्च प्रियदर्शनाः ॥
अदृष्टपूर्वान् सुभगान् स ददर्श धनञ्जयः ।
सदनानि च शुभ्राणि नारीश्चाप्सरसां निभाः ॥)
तत्र तत्रोपशृण्वानः स्वपूर्वेषां महात्मनाम् ।
प्रगीयमाणं च यशः कृष्णमाहात्म्यसूचकम् ॥ १३॥
आत्मानं च परित्रातमश्वत्थाम्नोऽस्त्रतेजसः ।
स्नेहं च वृष्णिपार्थानां तेषां भक्तिं च केशवे ॥ १४॥
तेभ्यः परमसन्तुष्टः प्रीत्युज्जृम्भितलोचनः ।
महाधनानि वासांसि ददौ हारान् महामनाः ॥ १५॥
सारथ्यपारषदसेवनसख्यदौत्य-
वीरासनानुगमनस्तवनप्रणामान् ।
स्निग्धेषु पाण्डुषु जगत्प्रणतिं च विष्णोः
भक्तिं करोति नृपतिश्चरणारविन्दे ॥ १६॥
तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य पूर्वेषां वृत्तिमन्वहम् ।
नातिदूरे किलाश्चर्यं यदासीत्तन्निबोध मे ॥ १७॥
धर्मः पदैकेन चरन् विच्छायामुपलभ्य गाम् ।
पृच्छति स्माश्रुवदनां विवत्सामिव मातरम् ॥ १८॥
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Sūta said : While Parikṣit was living in the Kuru-Jāṅgala country, he heard the unpalatable news that Kali had entered the territories protected by his army, and accordingly took his bow, fond of war as he was. (10)
Mounting his well-decorated car, driven by dark horses and bearing an ensign with the device of a lion, he sallied forth from his capital for the conquest of the world, surrounded by his own army consisting of chariots and elephants, horse and foot. (11)
Having conquered Bhadrāśwa, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kurus, Kimpuruṣa and other countries, he levied tribute from them. (12)
Everywhere he heard the people sing the praises of his high-souled forbears (the Pāṇḍavas), revealing at the same time the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (13)
He also heard the story of his own deliverance (at the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa) from the fire of the missile discharged by Aśwatthāmā (the son of Droṇa), as well as of the cordial relations existing between the Vṛṣṇis (the Yādavas) and the sons of Pṛthā (Kuntī) and of the latters' devotion to Lord Keśava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa). (14)
Highly pleased with them (those who sang these stories) the noble-minded emperor bestowed on them costly garments and necklaces, his eyes wide open with joy. (15)
Hearing how Lord Viṣṇu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) had played the role of a charioteer (to Arjuna), attended the councils of the Pāṇḍavas, waited upon them, played the friend and ambassador, kept watch outside their camp at night in the pose of a warrior, followed them as a waiter, eulogized Yudhiṣṭhira and bowed to him not only Himself but caused the whole world to bow at the feet of His beloved Pāṇḍavas (made them worthy of adoration for the whole world), the emperor (Parikṣit) developed devotion to His lotus-feet. (16)
As he was thus following in the footsteps of his forefathers from day to day (in the course of his conquest of the world) a strange incident occurred not very far from his territorial limits. Hear of it from me. (17)
Hoofing about on one foot in the form of a bull, Dharma (the god of virtue) saw mother Earth in the form of a cow, shorn of her lustre and bathing her cheeks in tears like a mother that has lost her child, and enquired of her as follows: (18) (10-18)
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धर्म उवाच ।
कच्चिद्भद्रेऽनामयमात्मनस्ते
विच्छायासि म्लायतेषन्मुखेन ।
आलक्षये भवतीमन्तराधिं
दूरे बन्धुं शोचसि कञ्चनाम्ब ॥ १९॥
पादैर्न्यूनं शोचसि मैकपाद-
मात्मानं वा वृषलैर्भोक्ष्यमाणम् ।
आहो सुरादीन् हृतयज्ञभागान्
प्रजा उत स्विन्मघवत्यवर्षति ॥ २०॥
अरक्ष्यमाणाः स्त्रिय उर्वि बालान्
शोचस्यथो पुरुषादैरिवार्तान् ।
वाचं देवीं ब्रह्मकुले कुकर्म-
ण्यब्रह्मण्ये राजकुले कुलाग्र्यान् ॥ २१॥
किं क्षत्रबन्धून् कलिनोपसृष्टान्
राष्ट्राणि वा तैरवरोपितानि ।
इतस्ततो वाशनपानवासः
स्नानव्यवायोन्मुखजीवलोकम् ॥ २२॥
यद्वाम्ब ते भूरिभरावतार-
कृतावतारस्य हरेर्धरित्रि ।
अन्तर्हितस्य स्मरती विसृष्टा
कर्माणि निर्वाणविलम्बितानि ॥ २३॥
इदं ममाचक्ष्व तवाधिमूलं
वसुन्धरे येन विकर्शितासि ।
कालेन वा ते बलिनां बलीयसा
सुरार्चितं किं हृतमम्ब सौभगम् ॥ २४॥
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Dharma said : Are you keeping well, good lady ? With your somewhat withering face you look quite pale. I perceive there is agony in your heart. Do you grieve for some relation living at a distance from you, madam ? (19)
It may be you are sorrowing for me, deprived as I am of three of my feet and left with but one. Or you may be feeling sorry for yourself, knowing that Śūdras are going to rule over you hereafter ? Or you are grieving for the gods and other heavenly beings that have been robbed of their share (offerings) in sacrifices ? Or do you sorrow for the people who are suffering due to Indra (the god of rain) withholding rain ? (20)
Do you feel concerned for women who are unprotected by their husbands, or for children who are being persecuted by their own parents as if by man-eating demons ? Or are you sorry for the goddess of speech (the Vedic lore), that has fallen in the hands of Brāhmaṇas of reproachful conduct or for the foremost Brāhmaṇas who are in the service of royal houses that have no respect for the Brāhmaṇa race? (21)
Again, do you grieve for the fallen Kṣatriyas dominated by Kali, or for the kingdoms that have been devastated by them? Or do you sorrow for the world of living beings, who are intent upon eating and drinking, clothing and washing themselves or on sexual intercourse, disregarding all barriers? (22)
Or deserted by Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)— who had come down to the mortal plane only in order to relieve your onerous burden and has now vanished out of sight, mother Earth—are you reminded of His exploits, the very thought of which is conducive to final beatitude ? (23)
Tell me, Earth (storehouse of all riches) ! the cause of your mental agony, on account of which you look so emaciated. Or is it that Time, who is more powerful than all powerful beings, has robbed you, mother, of your good fortune, which was once extolled even by the gods ? (24) (19-24)
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धरण्युवाच ।
भवान् हि वेद तत्सर्वं यन्मां धर्मानुपृच्छसि ।
चतुर्भिर्वर्तसे येन पादैर्लोकसुखावहैः ॥ २५॥
सत्यं शौचं दया क्षान्तिस्त्यागः सन्तोष आर्जवम् ।
शमो दमस्तपः साम्यं तितिक्षोपरतिः श्रुतम् ॥ २६॥
ज्ञानं विरक्तिरैश्वर्यं शौर्यं तेजो बलं स्मृतिः ।
स्वातन्त्र्यं कौशलं कान्तिर्धैर्यं मार्दवमेव च ॥ २७॥
प्रागल्भ्यं प्रश्रयः शीलं सह ओजो बलं भगः ।
गाम्भीर्यं स्थैर्यमास्तिक्यं कीर्तिर्मानोऽनहङ्कृतिः ॥ २८॥
एते चान्ये च भगवन् नित्या यत्र महागुणाः ।
प्रार्थ्या महत्त्वमिच्छद्भिर्न वियन्ति स्म कर्हिचित् ॥ २९॥
तेनाहं गुणपात्रेण श्रीनिवासेन साम्प्रतम् ।
शोचामि रहितं लोकं पाप्मना कलिनेक्षितम् ॥ ३०॥
आत्मानं चानुशोचामि भवन्तं चामरोत्तमम् ।
देवान् पितॄनृषीन् साधून् सर्वान् वर्णांस्तथाऽऽश्रमान् ॥ ३१॥
ब्रह्मादयो बहुतिथं यदपाङ्गमोक्ष-
कामास्तपः समचरन् भगवत्प्रपन्नाः ।
सा श्रीः स्ववासमरविन्दवनं विहाय
यत्पादसौभगमलं भजतेऽनुरक्ता ॥ ३२॥
तस्याहमब्जकुलिशाङ्कुशकेतुकेतैः
श्रीमत्पदैर्भगवतः समलङ्कृताङ्गी ।
त्रीनत्यरोच उपलभ्य ततो विभूतिं
लोकान् स मां व्यसृजदुत्स्मयतीं तदन्ते ॥ ३३॥
यो वै ममातिभरमासुरवंशराज्ञा-
मक्षौहिणीशतमपानुददात्मतन्त्रः ।
त्वां दुःस्थमूनपदमात्मनि पौरुषेण
सम्पादयन् यदुषु रम्यमबिभ्रदङ्गम् ॥ ३४॥
का वा सहेत विरहं पुरुषोत्तमस्य
प्रेमावलोकरुचिरस्मितवल्गुजल्पैः ।
स्थैर्यं समानमहरन्मधुमानिनीनां
रोमोत्सवो मम यदङ्घ्रिविटङ्कितायाः ॥ ३५॥
तयोरेवं कथयतोः पृथिवीधर्मयोस्तदा ।
परीक्षिन्नाम राजर्षिः प्राप्तः प्राचीं सरस्वतीम् ॥ ३६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
प्रथमस्कन्धे पृथ्वीधर्मसंवादो नाम षोडशोऽध्यायः ॥ १.१६॥
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Earth replied :—“Dharma, you surely know all that you ask me. It was due to Him (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) that you were endowed (till the other day) with all your four feet, that were conducive to the happiness of the world. (25)
Nay, truthfulness, purity, compassion, forbearance, liberality, contentment, guilelessness, composure of mind, subjugation of the senses, austerity, evenness of temper, endurance, quietism, sacred knowledge, self-realization, dispassion (absence of thirst for sensuous enjoyment), lordship (power to rule), heroism, majesty, strength, right judgment, independence (absolute freedom), dexterity, loveliness of form, fortitude, gentleness of disposition, exceptional intelligence, modesty, amiability, quickness of mind, acuteness of the senses and bodily vigour, good fortune, sobriety, steadiness, reverence, good reputation, respectability and absence of egotism—these and many other excellent virtues, which are sought by men aspiring for greatness, are ever present in Him and never decline, O blessed one. (26—29)
By Him, who is the receptacle of all noble qualities and the abode of Śrī (the goddess of prosperity) has the world been deserted today and has thus fallen under the eye of the wicked Kali. It is such a world that I am grieving for. (30)
I am equally concerned for myself, for you, the chief of divinities, and the other gods, manes sages and holy men as well as for the generality of men belonging to all grades of society and stages of life. (31)
Though exclusively devoted to the Lord, Brahmā and the other gods practised austere penance for a long time in order to secure a kind look from Śrī (the goddess of prosperity). Even that Śrī seeks with excessive fondness the lovely shade of His feet, leaving Her home in the bed of lotuses. (32)
Exquisitely adorned by the glorious feet of the same divine Lord, that bore the marks of a lotus, thunderbolt, goad and flag, and deriving great splendour through them, I once outshone all the three worlds; and when that good luck ceased, He forsook me, proud as I was (of my great good fortune). (33)
Absolutely independent as He is, He assumed a charming personality in the race of Yadu in order to make you whole (with all your feet restored) as a part of His own Being* by His own might, finding you grieved at the loss of your two feet. Nay, He removed my oppressive burden in the shape of a hundred Akṣauhiṇis of kings who belonged to the demon race in their previous incarnation. (34)
What woman could bear separation from that Supreme Person, who stole away by His endearing looks, bright smiles and sweet words the patience as well as the pride of loving and proud ladies (like Satyabhāmā and others), and adorned by whose footprints I felt a thrill of joy?" (35)
As mother Earth and Dharma (the god of virtue) were thus talking, the royal sage Parikṣit arrived at the bank of the Saraswati where it flows towards the east. (36)
Thus ends the sixteenth discourse entitled "The Dialogue between goddess Earth and Dharma", in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (25-36)
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