Shrimad Baagavatam - Parikshit

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Like Arjuna in the Bhagavath Geetha, Parikshith is the principal personage who hears, and Suka is, like Sri Krishna the teacher, who clears all the doubts of the pupil, and narrates the whole of the Bhaagavatha Purana. Parikshith was cursed by a brahmin boy that his life should come to an end in seven days by the bite of a snake. When he heard of this Parikshith immediately decided to utilize the seven days at his disposal in an attempt to merge with the Infinite. During these seven days the whole of the Bhaagavatham was told him by Suka Maharshi. This was a noble example of Satsang, the association of Satpurushas, saints, sages and learned men in direct communion with the Lord. The soul was in association with Paramaatma, the fulfillment of "He and Thou are One. Tatvam Asi".

Parikshith was the posthumous son of Abhimanyu, the young hero of the Mahabharatha war, and the grand-son of Arjuna. He was the only male member of the Paandava dynasty that was available to ascend the throne of Hastinapura after Yudisthira. He was born after the war ended.

Aswathaamaa, son of Dronaachaaryaa, though a brahmin, behaved as a mean kshatriya. Having taken the side of Duryodhana, he wanted to please his master and so killed all the young children of the Paandavas at dead of night, when they were all sleeping in their tents. Not being satisfied with this heinous crime, he wanted to destroy even the baby in the womb of Utaraa, widow of Abhumanyu. But Lord Krishna saved the baby in the womb. The son that was born to Uttaraa later, was this Parikshith. This child, out of his previous samskaaraas, could hear from within the womb, the wailing of his mother for the loss of her husband, a young widow without any help. And when the weapon of Aswathaama began to torture him, he began to pray to the Lord to bestow all mercy on him.

The Lord appeared to the child within the womb, of the size of a little finger, blessed him and disappeared. That child, after birth, could judge, that Lord who gave him darsan in the womb was no other than the Omnipresent Lord Himself. He became an ardent bhakta even from his birth. He was able to discriminate the Lord whether within or without, the Lord of the Universe and so he was called Parikshith.

Parikshith was duly educated in every branch of art and was enthroned before the Paandavas decided to make their last journey towards Kailaas. He reigned over the country as the personification of the Lord Himself with perfectness. He was very righteous and acted up to the Dharmasaastraas. He was a man without a flaw, a perfect man and an ideal king. He was greatly loved by his subjects.

One day he went out to the forest for a hunt, struggled hard and was exhausted. In the forest his followers could not follow him. He felt extremely thirsty. He could not get water any where. He saw a kutir nearby. He went there and asked the brahmin who was sitting there for water. But the brahmin could not hear his words because he was fully merged in meditation and his senses were all withdrawn.

The king was hurt by the disrespect that was shown towards him by the brahmin. He could not swallow it. He wanted to teach a lesson to the brahimn. He saw a dead snake nearby. He took it up with the end of his bow and placed it round the neck of the brahmin and went sway, ie, he came down from his state of a perfect king and identified himself with the thirst and anger and stooped down to a level which he was not likely to. His action could not have satisfied his thirst for water but he went away to his palace.

About the author
This article has been written for the Vedanta Vani magazine of Chinmaya Mission.