01.045
Library: Enquired by Janamejaya, Parikshit’s life story narrated again!
śaunaka uvāca॥
Śaunaka spoke:
yad apṛcchat tadā rājā mantriṇo janamejayaḥ। pituḥ svargagatiṃ tan me vistareṇa punar vada ॥1-45-1॥
King Janamejaya asked his ministers to narrate in detail about his father's journey to heaven.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
śṛṇu brahmanyathā pṛṣṭā mantriṇo nṛpatestadā। ākhyātavantaste sarve nidhanaṃ tatparikṣitaḥ ॥1-45-2॥
Listen, O Brahman, to how the ministers of the king, when asked, all recounted the death of King Parikshit.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya spoke:
jānanti tu bhavantas tadyathāvṛttaḥ pitā mama। āsīd yathā ca nidhanaṃ gataḥ kāle mahāyaśāḥ ॥1-45-3॥
You are aware of how my father, who was greatly renowned, passed away in due course of time.
śrutvā bhavatsakāśāddhi piturvṛttamaśeṣataḥ। kalyāṇaṃ pratipatsyāmi viparītaṃ na jātu cit ॥1-45-4॥
Having heard from you about my father's conduct in full, I will adhere to what is auspicious and never to what is contrary.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
mantriṇo'thābruvanvākyaṃ pṛṣṭāstena mahātmanā। sarvadharmavidaḥ prājñā rājānaṃ janamejayam ॥1-45-5॥
The wise ministers, well-versed in all dharma, then spoke to King Janamejaya, as asked by the great soul.
dharmātmā ca mahātmā ca prajāpālaḥ pitā tava। āsīd iha yathāvṛttaḥ sa mahātmā śṛṇuṣva tat ॥1-45-6॥
Your father, who was a righteous and great soul and protector of the people, was here as it happened; listen to that story of the great soul.
cāturvarṇyaṃ svadharmasthaṃ sa kṛtvā paryarakṣata। dharmato dharmavidrājā dharmo vigrahavāniva ॥1-45-7॥
He established the four-caste system and ensured everyone performed their own duties, protecting them according to dharma. The king, a knower of dharma, acted as if he were the embodiment of dharma itself.
rarakṣa pṛthivīṃ devīṃ śrīmānatulavikramaḥ। dveṣṭārastasya naivāsansa ca na dveṣṭi kañcana ॥ samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu prajāpativabhavat ॥1-45-8॥
The prosperous and valorous one protected the earth goddess. He had no enemies, nor did he hate anyone. He was impartial to all beings, like the lord of all creatures.
brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāścaiva svakarmasu। sthitāḥ sumanaso rājaṃstena rājñā svanuṣṭhitāḥ ॥1-45-9॥
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras are indeed well-situated in their respective duties, with a good mindset, O King, as performed by the king.
vidhavānāthakṛpaṇānvikalāṃśca babhāra saḥ। sudarśaḥ sarvabhūtānāmāsītsoma ivāparaḥ ॥1-45-10॥
Sudarsha, who was like another Soma, supported the protector of widows, the helpless, and the distressed, and was a source of comfort for all beings.
tuṣṭapuṣṭajanaḥ śrīmānsatyavāgdṛḍhavikramaḥ। dhanurvede ca śiṣyo'bhūnnṛpaḥ śāradvatasya saḥ ॥1-45-11॥
He was a prosperous and truthful king, firm in valor, who became a disciple of Śāradvata in the art of archery.
govindasya priyaścāsītpitā te janamejaya। lokasya caiva sarvasya priya āsīnmahāyaśāḥ ॥1-45-12॥
Your father Janamejaya was dear to Govinda. He was also beloved by the entire world and was of great fame.
parikṣīṇeṣu kuruṣu uttarāyāmajāyata। parikṣidabhavattena saubhadraḥsyātmajo balī ॥1-45-13॥
When the Kurus were weakened, Parikshit was born in Uttarā. He became the strong son of Subhadra.
rājadharmārthakuśalo yuktaḥ sarvaguṇairnṛpaḥ। jitendriyaścātmavāṃśca medhāvī vṛddhasevitaḥ ॥1-45-14॥
The king, proficient in the duties of royalty and wealth, endowed with all virtues, who has mastery over his senses, is self-possessed, wise, and respected by the elders.
ṣaḍvargavinmahābuddhirnītidharmaviduttamaḥ। prajā imāstava pitā ṣaṣṭiṃ varṣāṇyapālayat ॥1-45-15॥
Your father, who was wise and knowledgeable in ethics and duty, ruled these subjects for sixty years.
tato diṣṭāntamāpannaḥ sarpeṇānativartitam ॥1-45-15॥
Then the example set by the snake was not surpassed.
tatastvaṃ puruṣaśreṣṭha dharmeṇa pratipedivān। idaṃ varṣasahasrāya rājyaṃ kurukulāgatam ॥ bāla evābhijāto'si sarvabhūtānupālakaḥ ॥1-45-16॥
Then, O best of men, you righteously obtained this kingdom of the Kuru dynasty for a thousand years. Even as a child, you are born to be the protector of all beings.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya spoke:
nāsmin kule jātu babhūva rājā; yo na prajānāṃ hitakṛtpriyaśca। viśeṣataḥ prekṣya pitāmahānāṃ; vṛttaṃ mahadvṛttaparāyaṇānām ॥1-45-17॥
In this lineage, there has never been a king who was not both a benefactor and beloved by his people, particularly when reflecting on the noble conduct of the forefathers who were devoted to righteousness.
kathaṁ nidhanam āpannaḥ pitā mama tathāvidhaḥ। ācakṣadhvaṁ yathāvanme śrotumicchāmi tattvataḥ ॥1-45-18॥
How did my father meet his end in such a manner? Please tell me the truth, I wish to hear it as it truly happened.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
evaṃ sañcoditā rājñā mantriṇaste narādhipam। ūcuḥ sarve yathāvṛttaṃ rājñaḥ priyahite ratāḥ ॥1-45-19॥
Thus, prompted by the king, the ministers, who were devoted to the king's welfare and happiness, narrated everything to the lord of men as it had occurred.
babhūva mṛgayāśīlastava rājanpitā sadā। yathā pāṇḍurmahābhāgo dhanurdharavaro yudhi ॥ asmāsvāsajya sarvāṇi rājakāryāṇyaśeṣataḥ ॥1-45-20॥
Your father, O king, was always fond of hunting, just like the fortunate Pandu, who was the best archer in battle. He entrusted all the royal duties to us completely.
sa kadācidvanacaro mṛgaṃ vivyādha patriṇā| viddhvā cānvasarattūrṇaṃ taṃ mṛgaṃ gahane vane ॥1-45-21॥
Once, a forest-dweller shot a deer with an arrow and quickly pursued it into the thick forest.
padātirbaddhanistriṃśastatāyudhakalāpavān। na cāsasāda gahane mṛgaṃ naṣṭaṃ pitā tava ॥1-45-22॥
Your father, the foot-soldier equipped with a bound sword and weapon-bundle, did not find the lost deer in the dense forest.
pariśrānto vayaḥsthaśca ṣaṣṭivarṣo jarānvitaḥ। kṣudhitaḥ sa mahāraṇye dadarśa munimantike ॥1-45-23॥
A tired and aged man, sixty years old and afflicted with old age, hungry, saw a sage nearby in the great forest.
sa taṃ papraccha rājendro muniṃ maunavratānvitam। na ca kiñciduvācainaṃ sa muniḥ pṛcchato'pi san ॥1-45-24॥
The king of kings asked the silent sage, but the sage did not respond to him, even though he was being questioned.
tato rājā kṣucchr̥mārtastaṁ muniṁ sthāṇuvatsthitam। maunavratadharaṁ śāntaṁ sadyo manyuvaśaṁ yayau ॥1-45-25॥
Then the king, troubled by hunger, saw the sage standing silently like a pillar, calm and composed, and was immediately overcome by anger.
na bubodha hi taṃ rājā maunavratadharaṃ munim। sa taṃ manyusamāviṣṭo dharṣayāmāsa te pitā ॥1-45-26॥
The king could not comprehend the sage who was observing a vow of silence. In his anger, your father insulted the sage.
mṛtaṃ sarpaṃ dhanuṣkoṭyā samutkṣipya dharātalāt। tasya śuddhātmanaḥ prādātskandhe bharatasattama ॥1-45-27॥
The dead snake was lifted from the ground with the end of a bow and placed on the shoulder of the pure-hearted one, O noble Bharata.
na covāca sa medhāvī tamatho sādhvasādhu vā। tasthau tathaiva cākrudhyan sarpaṃ skandhena dhārayan ॥1-45-28॥
The wise man did not speak to him, whether it was good or bad. He simply stood there, holding the snake on his shoulder, feeling angry.
