Canto 1 - Chapter 18: The youthful sage Sringi utters an imprecation against king Pariksit

Discourse XVIII

The youthful sage Śṛṅgi utters an imprecation against king Parikṣit

Sūta continued : Though scorched in the mother's womb by the missile discharged by Aśwatthāmā (the son of Droṇa), king Parikṣit did not die (was saved from extinction) by the grace of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa of marvellous deeds. (1)
Having given his mind and heart to the Lord, he did not feel embarrassed even when faced with the terrible fear of meeting his death at the hands of the serpent Takṣaka, spurred on by the anger (curse) of a Brāhmaṇa boy. (2)
Shaking off attachment to everything, he accepted the discipleship of the sage Śūka (the celebrated son of Vyāsa) and, having realized the truth about Lord Śrī Hari, cast off his body on the bank of the Gaṅgā. (3)
No confusion arises, even at the hour of death, in the mind of those who talk of none else than Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa of excellent renown, enjoy His nectar-like stories and contemplate on His lotus-feet. (4)
Kali was powerless on this earth, even though he had penetrated every part of it, so long as the great king Parikṣit (son of Abhimanyu) continued to rule over the same as its undisputed sovereign. (5)
As a matter of fact, Kali, the progenitor of unrighteousness, had set his foot on the earth the very day, nay, the very moment the Lord quitted it. (6)
The emperor, however, who like the bee, drew the best out of everything, bore no grudge to Kali; for (he knew that) in this age meritorious acts bear fruit immediately (as soon as they are projected) but not so the other (sinful) acts, which yield fruit only when they are actually committed. (7)
In fact, of what account is Kali, who is heroic in the midst of children (the ignorant) but is cowardly, before the wise (strong-minded), and who like the wolf is ever alert to take the unwary men by surprise. (8)
I have thus related to you (O sages!) the sacred life-account of king Parikṣit, connected as it is with the story of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (son of Vasudeva); this was what you enquired of me. (9)
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed many a deed which is a fit subject for discourse. Men seeking blessedness should, therefore, listen with rapt attention to all His stories that depict His virtues and narrate His exploits. (10)

The sages said : Good Sūta, may you live for years without number—you who recount the untarnished glory of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which is like nectar to us mortals. (11)
To us, whose body has been soiled by the smoke arising from the sacrificial fires, even while we are engaged in this sacrificial performance, the fruit of which is uncertain, you give to drink to our heart's content the sweet and inebriating honey flowing from the lotus-feet of Lord Govinda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) ! (12)
We cannot compare with a moment's fellowship of loving devotees of the Lord either heavenly bliss or even final beatitude (the cessation of birth and death) much less the enjoyments sought after by mortal men. (13)
What man of good taste would feel sated with hearing the story of the Lord, who is the only and final goal of the greatest saints ? Even masters of Yoga, headed by Lord Śiva and the lotus-born Brahmā, have not been able to exhaust the virtues of the Lord, who is beyond the Guṇas of Prakṛti. (14)
Therefore, O learned Sūta, to whom, among us all, God is the foremost concern of life, tell us at length the noble and holy doings of Śrī Hari (Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa), who is the only and final resort of the greatest souls, eager as we are to hear of them. (15)
That great devotee of the Lord, king Parikṣit of no mean understanding, attained to the feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (whose banner bears the device of Garuḍa, the king of the birds), which are otherwise known by the name of final beatitude, through wisdom taught by the sage Śuka (in the form of a story). (16)
Pray, narrate to us that most sacred story embodying the wisdom imparted to Parikṣit (the story of Śrīmad Bhāgavata), which lays bare the truth in unambiguous terms and firmly establishes one in the extremely wonderful Yoga (of Love), nay, which also contains an account of the doings of the Lord and delights His devotees. (17)

Sūta continued : Though born of a mother whose caste is superior to the father's, my birth (which has been deprecated in the Śāstras) has been fulfilled today through the service of elders. For association, even by way of conversation, with the noblest souls quickly drives away the heart's agony caused by such despicable birth. (18)
Such a consummation is all the more assured in the case of him who utters the Name of the Lord, the only and final resort of the noblest souls. For infinite is the Lord and infinite His Powers; nay, it is because He is possessed of endless virtues that they call Him Ananta. (19)
In order to show that He is unequalled and unsurpassed in virtues, suffice it to point out that, rejecting others who courted Her, Goddess Lakṣmī sought the dust of His feet, even though He did not seek Her hand. (20)
Again, the water which was offered by the Creator (Brahmā) to wash the feet of the Lord (when He assumed a cosmic Form at the sacrifice of the demon king Bali) and then flowed from the nails of His toes (in the form of the Gaṅgā—vide verses 3 and 4 of Discourse XXI of Book VIII) sanctifies the whole universe along with Lord Śiva (who bore it on His head in response to the prayer of king Bhagiratha—vide IX. ix. 9). Under such circumstances, who else than Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of liberation) could deserve the epithet 'Bhagavān' in this world? (21)
The wise that have developed love for Him shake off in no time their deep-rooted attachment to their body etc., and enter that last stage of Paramahamsa's (recluses) in which the practice of non-violence and control of the senses become one's sacred duties. (22)
O sages that shine like the sun, what you have asked me in this assembly I shall tell you according to my own lights. Winged creatures soar (in the heavens) according to their own capacity; so do the learned recount the pastimes of the all-pervading Lord Viṣṇu according to their own understanding. (23)
Taking up his bow, king Parikṣit was hunting in the forest on a certain day. Running after the game, he got fatigued and felt extremely hungry and thirsty. (24)
Finding no reservoir of water (near at hand), he entered the well-known hermitage (of the sage Śamika) and saw there a hermit who sat still with his eyes closed. (25)
Having held his senses and breath, mind and intellect in perfect control, he had withdrawn himself from the world; and having reached that immutable state which lies beyond the three states of consciousness (waking, dream and dreamless sleep), he had become one with Brahma. (26)
His body was covered with unloosed matted hair and the skin of a black deer. Finding him in this state, Parikṣit asked him for water (to drink), his tongue being parched (with thirst). (27)
Not being offered a mat of straw or bare ground to sit on, and denied water to wash his hands (and feet) or even kind words, the king thought himself as treated with disrespect and grew indignant accordingly. (28)
His mind being oppressed with hunger and thirst, there arose in him, all of a sudden, a feeling of enmity and anger against the sage, which, O Śaunaka, he had never entertained before (against a Brāhmaṇa). (29)
While departing, he indignantly threw with the end of his bow a dead serpent across the shoulder of the Brāhmaṇa sage and returned to his capital. (30)
(He offered this indignity to the sage because he wanted to make sure) whether he had closed his eyes inasmuch as he had (really) withdrawn all his senses from their objects or he simply feigned deep meditation because he thought he had nothing to do with the wretched Kṣatriyas. (31)

The sage's son, who was possessed of abundant spiritual glow, though a mere boy, happened to be playing at that time with other Brāhmaṇa boys. Having heard of the indignity to which his father had been subjected by the king, he made the following observations on the spot :— (32)
"Oh the unrighteousness of the ruling class, who have grown fat like crows ! Like dogs that guard one's door, these servants (of the Brāhmaṇas) dare to insult their very masters ! (33)
The Brāhmaṇas have appointed the Kṣatriya as their door-keeper. How, then can he who has been posted at the gate enter the house (of his master) and eat out of the latter's pot ? (34)
Now that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the chastiser of those who have strayed from the path of virtue, has departed, I shall presently correct those that have violated the rules of decorum. Just see how powerful I am !" (35)
Having thus spoken (to his playmates), the young sage sipped water from the Kauśiki and, his eyes turning crimson with anger, he hurled a thunderbolt in the form of the following curse :— (36)
"Impelled by me, Takṣaka (a chief of the serpents) shall, on the seventh day hence, bite that bane of his race, who has so openly transgressed the bounds of propriety by his hostile behaviour towards my father." (37)

The boy then returned to his hermitage and, distressed to see his father with a snake about his neck, wept aloud. (38)
On hearing the laments of his son, O Śaunaka, the sage Śamika (a scion of Aṅgirā) gradually opened his eyes; and throwing off the dead serpent, which he saw lying across his shoulder, enquired: "Child, wherefore do you weep? Who has wronged you ?" Thus asked, the boy told him (all that had happened). (39-40)
The Brāhmaṇa (Śamika) did not applaud his son when he heard of the execration uttered against the king, who did not deserve it, but said, "Alas ! foolish child, you have committed a great sin in that you have visited his trivial offence with such a heavy punishment. (41)
It does not behove you to judge a king, who bears the name of Viṣṇu, by the standard of ordinary men, O child of unripe wisdom ! Protected by his formidable strength, the people are rid of all fear and secure blessings of all sorts. (42)
When Lord Viṣṇu (who wields a discus in one of his hands), appearing under the name of 'king', is screened from our view, dear child, thieves will crop forth in large numbers and the world, which will be unprotected then, will perish like a flock of sheep in a moment. (43)
When the ruler is dead, thieves will rob the people of their property and the evil that befalls them in this way will now fall on our head (since we shall be held responsible for the ruler's death, the cause of all this anarchy and lawlessness), even though we have no direct connection with it; nay, when people take to robbery in large numbers, they belabour and abuse one another and snatch one another's cattle, womenfolk and wealth. (44)
In such conditions the noble religion of the people, which derives its authority from the Vedas and is characterized by a course of conduct laid down for the different grades of society and stages of life, disappears, thence follows a confusion of castes among men whose hearts are given up to wealth and sense-gratification, as among dogs and monkeys. (45)
Emperor Parikṣit, moreover, is a monarch of wide renown and a defender of righteousness; nay, he is a great devotee of the Lord and a royal sage who has performed a number of horse-sacrifices. Again, he was overcome with hunger, thirst and fatigue and absolutely helpless; hence he did not deserve our curse. (46)
May the almighty Lord, who is the Soul of the universe, forgive the wrong perpetrated by this child of immature understanding against His innocent servant. (47)
Even when reproached, deceived, abused, disregarded or struck by others, devotees of the Lord never return the wrong done by the wrong-doer, though capable of doing so." (48)
Thus grieved at the wrong done by his son, the great sage (Śamika) did not even think of the offence committed by the king, who had treated him with disrespect. (49)
Generally speaking, holy men in this world neither grieve nor rejoice when they are subjected to contrary experiences by others; for the soul is ever beyond the three Guṇas. (50)

Thus ends the eighteenth discourse entitled "The Brāhmaṇa's Curse", in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā.