A
King Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna and the last great ruler of the Kuru dynasty, has a very significant story at the end of his life that connects the Mahābhārata and the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Here’s the summary of his end-of-life story:
🌿 Background
-
Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu (who was killed in the Kurukshetra war) and Uttarā.
-
He was saved in the womb by Lord Krishna when Ashvatthama released the Brahmāstra to destroy him.
-
Parikshit grew up to be a righteous king and ruled Hastinapura after Yudhishthira.
⚡ The Curse
-
Once, while hunting in the forest, King Parikshit became thirsty and tired.
-
He entered the hermitage of a sage named Śamīka Ṛṣi.
-
The sage was deep in meditation and did not respond to the king’s request for water.
-
Feeling insulted, Parikshit in anger placed a dead snake around the sage’s neck as a mock garland and left.
-
When Śamīka’s son, Śṛṅgi, heard of this, he became enraged. He cursed Parikshit:
“Within seven days, you will be bitten by Takṣaka, the king of serpents, and die.”
📖 The King’s Decision
-
When Parikshit learned of the curse, instead of panicking, he accepted it calmly.
-
He renounced his kingdom, handed over the throne to his young son Janamejaya, and went to the banks of the Ganga to prepare for death.
-
Great sages and rishis gathered around him. Among them was the young sage Śukadeva Goswami, son of Vyasa.
🌺 The Last Seven Days
-
Parikshit asked: “What should a man do at the time of death to achieve liberation?”
-
Śukadeva Goswami narrated to him the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) — stories of Lord Krishna, devotion (bhakti), and the nature of the eternal soul.
-
For seven days and nights, Parikshit listened with full attention, without food or water, absorbed in devotion to God.
-
This event is the reason the Bhāgavata Purāṇa is considered so sacred — it was first spoken at the threshold of death, for ultimate liberation.
🐍 The Death of Parikshit
-
On the seventh day, as destined, the serpent king Takṣaka came.
-
Despite protective rituals performed by some sages, Takṣaka entered in disguise and eventually bit Parikshit.
-
The curse was fulfilled — Parikshit died instantly.
-
But because he departed while fully immersed in hearing the glories of Lord Krishna, he attained moksha (liberation).
🌟 Legacy
-
Parikshit’s son Janamejaya later performed the famous Sarpa Satra (snake sacrifice) to destroy Takṣaka and the serpent race, though it was eventually stopped by sages.
-
Parikshit is remembered as a devoted listener, whose last seven days gave the world one of the greatest scriptures, the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
👉 Would you like me to retell this story in a storytelling style (like a narrative with dialogues and scenes), or would you prefer a timeline/chronology for clarity?
No comments:
Post a Comment