Story of the great Parikshit maharaja
Parikshit, the great Bhaagavatottama, was the son of veera Abhimanyu and Viraata's daughter, Uttara and was the only successor of Pandavas (see Aswatthaama killing Upa-Paandavas story). He, while in maatru-garbham itself, used to examine carefully all directions (paritaH eekshate) for God! Krishna, the sthiti kaaraka, saved Parikshit in Uttara's garbham, from the devastating Brahmaastra of Ashwatthaama. Parikshit was such a great favourite of God, to the extent that God suppressed the unstoppable Brahmaastra, because he was a great Bhakta and never deviated from the path of Dharma.
After Shri Krishna left to Vaikuntam, the Bhu-devi (who is realized to be in the form of Goomaata) again sank into uncontrollable sorrow. The Dharma-devata (who is realized to be in Vrishabha form) was tortured and legs cut off by Kali. Due to the entrance of Kali, all kinds of adharma kaaryas were encouraged. There is no shuchi-shubhrata, no daya-daanam, no vedas, puraanaas, or shaastra knowledge, no adherence to satyam etc. But Parikshit, with his power, controlled everything and taught Kali a lesson. Kali begged Parikshit mahaaraaja not to kill him saying that, following the kaala-dharma, since it is the start of Kalikaalam, he must be allowed to come and must not be killed. Parikshit to obey the kaala-dharmam allows him some specific places to stay in.
Though Parikshit was so great, due to Kaala Mahima (also see Kaala mahima story) and due to the effect of Kali, unfortunately did a mistake — for which the punishment was death! Once after Mrugaya-vihaaram and killing the trouble causing wild beasts in the forest, completely exhausted, Parikshit reaches the ashram of the great Semeeka maharshi. The maharshi at that time was in deep Daiva-dhyaanam and completely detached from his karmendriyas. Hence, he did not notice the exhausted Parikshit mahaaraaja. King Parikshit, completely exhausted, thought that the maharshi, knowing his exhaustion, did not offer him even water, leave aside aatithyam. So he puts a dead snake around the neck of Semeeka to insult him and leaves the place. Shrungi, the kid of Semeeka, realizing that Parikshit did such an insult to his father, who was a great maharshi, gives Parikshit a shaapam that in seven days Parikshit will die of Takshaka's vishaagnijwaalas. Meanwhile Semeeka maharshi comes back from dhyaanam and comes to know about the entire story.
Semeeka tells Shrungi "Krodham is the main hinderence to tapas. Krodham only stops Animaadi Ashtasiddhis. It is a big hurdle for following the path of Dharma. A tapaswi never should get krodham. Similar to how water unknowingly leakes away quitely from a filled pot, the tapas of a tapaswi who does not have kshama, the dhanam of a dhanavanta who has garvam and the kingdom of a ruler who does not follow Dharma also fade away. Parikshit mahaaraaja is not an ordinary king. It is because of him that Dharma-devata has all four legs. It is because of him Kali has been restricted. Why did you give such a big irrevocable shaapam for a small mistake Parikshit mahaaraaja committed? One must always think twice before he acts and never come into the clutches of anger. One's anger is his greatest enemy. A person looses his dharma-adharma gnyaanam, does not think and causes harm to others and himself because of anger. On receiving scoldings or beatings or whatever harm, a parama-bhakta will experience it with shaantam and will not take pratikaaram. I am quite sure, Parikshit mahaaraaja will not give you a prati-shaapam. Sajjana's do Upakaaram to Upakaaris and Apakaaris. Mahaatmas do not even feel the pleasures and sorrows, everything is same". Semeeka, knowing that now nothing can be done (since the words of Shrungi, who is a firm satya-vaak-paripaalaka, cannot be undone!), sends his shihsya, Gauramukha, to atleast inform Parikshit about the Shrungi's shaapam. Parikshit mahaaraaja comes to know about Shrungi's shaapam.
Parikshit mahaaraaja, thinking why he was taken over by kaama-kroodhaadi (Arishadvargas), says to himself "Why did I insult the great maharshi, knowing that they must always be respected? Why did I venture into such unpardonable Paapakaaryas? Anyway, who can change Daiva-sankalpam. One has to experience the result of his own paapam. Truly speaking what is the mistake of Shrungi? With the ahankaar of a king I act like this. Which son wont give shaapam for such an insult to his father? How can I always make sure that I wont unnecessarily cause pain to goomaatas, devatas and braahmanas?". Being a winner over Arishadvargaas, due to his undisturbed Bhakti on Parameshwara, Parikshit mahaaraaja did not get even a bit angry on Shrungi. Being capable of giving a pratishaapam, he did not give shaapam to Shrungi. Later, due to listening to Srimad Bhaagavatam from none other than Shri Shuka maharshi, Parikshit attains the unattainable Moksham.
Morals in the story:
- The importance of being able to control one's anger (and other Arishadvargaas) is well portrayed in the story. One small mistake of Parikshit mahaaraaja costed him his life. (Think — Why Krishna who saved him from the Brahmaastra did not save him from this also)
- The conversations between Semeeka maharshi and Shrungi; Parikshit and himself, are a great treasure for morals. Importance of shaantam, being unaffected by joy and sorrow, nature of a true Bhakta etc. can be learnt from the conversations.
- The end result for good people is always good (also see King Nruga's story). So though Parikshit mahaaraaja had to experience the result of his mistake, in the end, because he was a true Bhakta and firm-follower of Dharma got Paramapadam in the end.
- Knowing that he will be dying in 7 days, Parikshit mahaaraaja did not want to, in hurry, enjoy off all the pleasures before he dies nor he wasted time in trying to protect himself from Takshaka. This shows what unnata-bhaavas a Bhaagavatottama's (true Bhakta) will have!
Maharaja ParikshitRuler of the world for 60 years and life long devotee of Sri Krsna
After being cursed by a brahmin boy ( another syptom of the arrival of Kali yuga ) Parikshit maharaja went to the Naimasaryana forest to hear Srimand Bhagavatam fro the youthful son of Srila Vyasadev, Sri Suka dev Goswami. With out food or drink the discourse lasted seven days, afterward he returned to his Kingdom
Parikshit was the grandson of the Pandavas. His father was Abhimanyu, Arjun's son. Parikshit's son Janmejaya was curious about the way in which his father had died. He asked his ministers the cause of his father's death. Then the ministers told him the whole story of how Parikshit lived and met with his death. Parikshit was a great and just king who looked after his subjects well. He was considered to be the personification of goodness and nobody could match him in valour. He had no enemies and neither did he feel enmity towards anyone for he was a pure unalloyed devotee of the supreme personality of godhead. He had learnt the art of archery from Guru Kripacharya. He was a favourite of Krishna. As he was born when the Kuru Clan was put to a great test (the Mahabharata), he got the name Parikshit (which is derived from the word "Parikshan" meaning `One who has been put to a test'). He ruled for sixty years when he died and left Janmejaya as his heir. Janmejaya was still not satisfied and told his ministers that they had not answered his question, which was how his father had died.
He said that all the rulers of his clan had been noble and just and were devoted to the personality of godhead, what he wanted to know was how his father was killed.
The ministers told him that Parikshit, like his great-grandfather Pandu, was very fond of hunting. Once he was on a hunting trip when he aimed at a deer but the deer, although hit managed to escape. Parikshit followed it deep into the forest but was unable to locate it. He was sixty years old and the deer chase had made him hungry and tired. As he was wandering in the woods alone looking for food he came across a Rishi in deep meditation and who had taken the vow of silence. Parikshit, who did not know this asked him where he could find food and shelter. The ascetic did not answer the king. The king was tired and very hungry and ascetic was being rude. To insult the ascetic he picked up a dead snake by the tip of his bow and laid the dead snake on the shoulders of the silent Rishi. The ascetic did not speak even after that and the king, who was by now very tired left for his kingdom. The ascetic was called Rishi Shameek and he had a son named Shringi. Shringi was a great ascetic and had great powers. When he heard that King Parikshit had insulted his father while he was under a vow of silence, he was very angry. He took some holy water in his hand and cursed King Parikshit. He said that the poisonous snake Takshak would bite the man who insulted my innocent father and put a dead snake on his shoulders, within seven days. Thus cursing, Shringi went to his father and narrated the whole incident to him. Rishi Shameek was not pleased to hear what his son had done. He knew the deep meening of what Parikshit had done. So he sent his most intelligent pupil, Gaurmukh to Parikshit to warn him of the impending danger and to protect himself in any way that he can. King Parikshit listens and accepted his fate with out argument.
On the seventh day as the serpent Takshak was coming to bite Parikshit, he met a brahmin called Kashyap on his way. Takshak asked the brahmin where he was going in such a hurry. The brahmin replied that he was going to the court of Parikshit because he could save him from the poison of Takshak. Takshak was surprised at the confidence of this brahmin and told him that he was Takshak and there was no one in the world who could save the man whom he had bitten. The brahmin smiled and said that he could prove that he had an antidote for the poison of Takshak. So Takshak tried to test him. He bit a green tree and within seconds the tree was turned into ashes as the poison of Takshak was so strong. The brahmin chanted a few mantras and the tree was back to life as lush green as before! Takshak was amazed to see the power of the brahmin. He asked the brahmin whether he was going to Parikshit's court hoping for rewards. The brahmin said that he hoped to get a lot of wealth from Parikshit if he could bring him back to life. Takshak said that he would give the brahmin even more than he expected to get from Parikshit and that he should go back. The brahmin took the wealth from Takshak and went back happily from where he had come. Having got rid of the brahmin, Takshak went to the kingdom of Parikshit and found that there was no way in which he could get in. He then converted himself into a caterpillar and entered into one of the fruits in the basket which were being taken to the king as an offering.
Once inside the king's chambers, Takshak came out of the fruit, assumed his original form and bit Parikshit. Parikshit immediately died and his body turned into ashes. Later Janmejaya was crowned the king. The ministers having told the story to Janmejaya asked him to do whatever he deemed fit. Janmejaya asked the ministers how they were so sure of the story of the brahmin Kashyap and of how he revived the tree. The ministers told him that unknown to both Takshak and the brahmin, there was a man sitting in the branches of the tree that Takshak had killed with his poison. The man had also died when the tree was burnt to ashes due to the poison and revived when the brahmin read his mantras. He had heard the whole conversation of Takshak and the brahmin and he had later related the whole story to the ministers. Janmejaya was incensed and filled with a desire to avenge his father's death. He decided to do something to punish the snakes for having killed his father.
| Stories for Children from Mahabharata | |||||||||||||||||||||
| by Dr. C.S. Shah | |||||||||||||||||||||
After Bharata, his descendants flourished as mighty Kurus. Their kingdom extended in north India, the capital city of which was Hastinapur. The successive great kings ruled from here; great not only in material prosperity but also in their strength of character. Their whole life and activity was centered around upholding the rule of Dharma – righteousness. To these noble rulers, life was meaningless if not lived according to the Dharma. For this, they even went as far as sacrificing their own lives. The Mahabharata stories presented here are in chronological order and are aimed to provide a fair amount of knowledge to our young readers.  Once, nobody knows when, sage Vishwamitra was engaged in great austerities and penance that would give him almost absolute power over kingdom of Earth and Heaven. He had successfully completed requisite sacrificial rituals and now was engaged in meditation and Yogic practices. The king of Heaven, God Indra, was shaken to know this effort of Vishmamitra that could pose danger to his throne! Therefore, Indra decided to put obstacles in his austerities and thereby break his sadhana - spiritual discipline. Indra thought of using weapon of lust to this end. Accordingly, the most beautiful and ever youthful Apsara, Menaka, was sent from heaven to distract and seduce Vishwamitra, who was gaining alarming levels of yogic power through his concentrated meditation. (Apsara in Hindu mythology, heavenly nymph of great beauty, is often represented as a dancer at the court of the Hindu god Indra in his heavenly kingdom.) She descended down to earth from heaven and tried to tempt Vishmamitra by various charming dances and songs. After some efforts Vishmamitra fell to the lure of her beauty and youthful attraction. They were married and the tapas of Vishmamitra was broken. A beautiful daughter was born to them whom they named Shakuntala. Her assignment completed, Menaka left back to the kingdom of heaven, and Vishmamitra, his tapas broken, left for forest retreat after handing over the new born baby to the sage Kanva, head of a forest ashrama. Under his fatherly love and care Shakuntala grew up as a simple but most beautiful lady. Her voice was sweet and her manners sober and graceful. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar