How Parikshit Received the Age of Kali

Verse 1 (bhagavata.1.16.1)

सूत उवाच ततः परीक्षिद् द्विजवर्यशिक्षया महीं महाभागवतः शशास ह । यथा हि सूत्यामभिजातकोविदाः समादिशन् विप्र महद्गुणस्तथा ॥ १ ॥

sūta uvāca tataḥ parīkṣid dvija-varya-śikṣayā mahīṁ mahā-bhāgavataḥ śaśāsa ha yathā hi sūtyām abhijāta-kovidāḥ samādiśan vipra mahad-guṇas tathā

Suta Gosvami said: Thereafter Maharaja Parikshit, the great devotee of the Lord, ruled the earth exactly according to the great qualities foretold by expert astrologers at his birth, following the instruction of the finest of the twice-born brahmanas.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.1.16.2)

स उत्तरस्य तनयामुपयेम इरावतीम् । जनमेजयादींश्चतुरस्तस्यामुत्पादयत् सुतान् ॥ २ ॥

sa uttarasya tanayām upayema irāvatīm janamejayādīṁś caturas tasyām utpādayat sutān

He married Iravati, the daughter of King Uttara, and begot in her four sons, headed by Janamejaya.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.1.16.3)

आजहाराश्वमेधांस्त्रीन् गङ्गायां भूरिदक्षिणान् । शारद्वतं गुरुं कृत्वा देवा यत्राक्षिगोचराः ॥ ३ ॥

ājahārāśva-medhāṁs trīn gaṅgāyāṁ bhūri-dakṣiṇān śāradvataṁ guruṁ kṛtvā devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ

Having accepted Kripacharya, son of Sharadvan, as his guru, he performed three horse sacrifices on the bank of the Ganga, with abundant gifts — sacrifices at which even the demigods became visible to the eye.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.1.16.4)

निजग्राहौजसा वीरः कलिं दिग्विजये क्वचित् । नृपलिङ्गधरं शूद्रं घ्नन्तं गोमिथुनं पदा ॥ ४ ॥

nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ kaliṁ digvijaye kvacit nṛpa-liṅga-dharaṁ śūdraṁ ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā

Once, while conquering the four directions, that heroic king, by his own strength, caught hold of Kali, who — disguised as a king, though truly lower than a shudra — was striking a cow and a bull with his foot.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.1.16.5)

शौनक उवाच कस्य हेतोर्निजग्राह कलिं दिग्विजये नृपः । नृदेवचिह्नधृक्शूद्रकोऽसौ गां यः पदाहनत् । तत्कथ्यतां महाभाग यदि कृष्णकथाश्रयम् ॥ ५ ॥

śaunaka uvāca kasya hetor nijagrāha kaliṁ digvijaye nṛpaḥ nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk śūdra- ko ’sau gāṁ yaḥ padāhanat tat kathyatāṁ mahā-bhāga yadi kṛṣṇa-kathāśrayam

Shaunaka said: For what reason did the King, while conquering the world, thus seize Kali — that shudra-like being adorned with the marks of royalty, who had struck a cow with his foot? Please tell us this, O fortunate one, if it relates to the topics of Krishna.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.1.16.6)

अथवास्य पदाम्भोजमकरन्दलिहां सताम् । किमन्यैरसदालापैरायुषो यदसद्व्ययः ॥ ६ ॥

athavāsya padāmbhoja- makaranda-lihāṁ satām kim anyair asad-ālāpair āyuṣo yad asad-vyayaḥ

Or rather — what use is there in other, worthless talk for saints who relish the honey of His lotus feet? Any waste of one's life on such idle discourse is truly a waste.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.1.16.7)

क्षुद्रायुषां नृणामङ्ग मर्त्यानामृतमिच्छताम् । इहोपहूतो भगवान्मृत्युः शामित्रकर्मणि ॥ ७ ॥

kṣudrāyuṣāṁ nṛṇām aṅga martyānām ṛtam icchatām ihopahūto bhagavān mṛtyuḥ śāmitra-karmaṇi

O Suta, for men whose lives are brief, mortal beings that yet long for the eternal — here, in this very discourse, the lord of death himself has, as it were, been called upon, as if for a rite of pacification.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.1.16.8)

न कश्चिन्म्रियते तावद् यावदास्त इहान्तकः । एतदर्थं हि भगवानाहूतः परमर्षिभिः । अहो नृलोके पीयेत हरिलीलामृतं वचः ॥ ८ ॥

na kaścin mriyate tāvad yāvad āsta ihāntakaḥ etad-arthaṁ hi bhagavān āhūtaḥ paramarṣibhiḥ aho nṛ-loke pīyeta hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ

As long as this ender of life remains present here, so engaged, no one shall die. It is for this very reason that the great sages have invited him — so that, in human society, people may drink the nectar-like words of Hari's transcendental pastimes.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.1.16.9)

मन्दस्य मन्दप्रज्ञस्य वयो मन्दायुषश्च वै । निद्रया ह्रियते नक्तं दिवा च व्यर्थकर्मभिः ॥ ९ ॥

mandasya manda-prajñasya vayo mandāyuṣaś ca vai nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ divā ca vyartha-karmabhiḥ

Of the lazy, the dull-witted, and those of short life indeed, the nights pass away in sleep, and the days in activities that are utterly without meaning.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.1.16.10)

सूत उवाच यदा परीक्षित् कुरुजाङ्गलेऽवसत् कलिं प्रविष्टं निजचक्रवर्तिते । निशम्य वार्तामनतिप्रियां ततः शरासनं संयुगशौण्डिराददे ॥ १० ॥

sūta uvāca yadā parīkṣit kuru-jāṅgale ’vasat kaliṁ praviṣṭaṁ nija-cakravartite niśamya vārtām anatipriyāṁ tataḥ śarāsanaṁ saṁyuga-śauṇḍir ādade

Suta said: When Maharaja Parikshit, residing in the land of the Kurus, heard the unwelcome news that Kali had entered his own empire, he, ever eager for combat, at once took up his bow.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.1.16.11)

स्वलङ्कृतं श्यामतुरङ्गयोजितं रथं मृगेन्द्रध्वजमाश्रितः पुरात् । वृतो रथाश्वद्विपपत्तियुक्तया स्वसेनया दिग्विजयाय निर्गतः ॥ ११ ॥

svalaṅkṛtaṁ śyāma-turaṅga-yojitaṁ rathaṁ mṛgendra-dhvajam āśritaḥ purāt vṛto rathāśva-dvipapatti-yuktayā sva-senayā digvijayāya nirgataḥ

Mounting his well-adorned chariot, yoked with black horses and bearing the emblem of a lion, he set out from the capital to conquer the four directions, surrounded by his own army of chariots, cavalry, elephants and infantry.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.1.16.12)

भद्राश्वं केतुमालं च भारतं चोत्तरान् कुरून् । किम्पुरुषादीनि वर्षाणि विजित्य जगृहे बलिम् ॥ १२ ॥

bhadrāśvaṁ ketumālaṁ ca bhārataṁ cottarān kurūn kimpuruṣādīni varṣāṇi vijitya jagṛhe balim

Conquering Bhadrashva, Ketumala, Bharata-varsha, the northern Kuru lands, Kimpurusha and other regions, he received tribute from all of them.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.1.16.13)

तत्र तत्रोपशृण्वानः स्वपूर्वेषां महात्मनाम् । प्रगीयमाणं च यशः कृष्णमाहात्म्यसूचकम् ॥ १३ ॥

tatra tatropaśṛṇvānaḥ sva-pūrveṣāṁ mahātmanām pragīyamāṇaṁ ca yaśaḥ kṛṣṇa-māhātmya-sūcakam

Wherever he went, he heard again and again the fame of his own great forefathers being sung, fame that pointed always to the glory of Krishna —

Verse 14 (bhagavata.1.16.14)

आत्मानं च परित्रातमश्वत्थाम्नोऽस्त्रतेजसः । स्नेहं च वृष्णिपार्थानां तेषां भक्तिं च केशवे ॥ १४ ॥

ātmānaṁ ca paritrātam aśvatthāmno ’stra-tejasaḥ snehaṁ ca vṛṣṇi-pārthānāṁ teṣāṁ bhaktiṁ ca keśave

— how he himself had been saved from the blazing power of Ashvatthama's weapon, and of the deep affection between the Vrishnis and the sons of Pritha, and of their devotion to Keshava.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.1.16.15)

तेभ्यः परमसन्तुष्टः प्रीत्युज्जृम्भितलोचनः । महाधनानि वासांसि ददौ हारान् महामनाः ॥ १५ ॥

tebhyaḥ parama-santuṣṭaḥ prīty-ujjṛmbhita-locanaḥ mahā-dhanāni vāsāṁsi dadau hārān mahā-manāḥ

Deeply pleased by those who sang of these things, his eyes wide with affection, the large-hearted King gave them precious wealth, garments and necklaces.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.1.16.16)

सारथ्यपारषदसेवनसख्यदौत्य- वीरासनानुगमनस्तवनप्रणामान् । स्निग्धेषु पाण्डुषु जगत्प्रणतिं च विष्णो- र्भक्तिं करोति नृपतिश्चरणारविन्दे ॥ १६ ॥

sārathya-pāraṣada-sevana-sakhya-dautya- vīrāsanānugamana-stavana-praṇāmān snigdheṣu pāṇḍuṣu jagat-praṇatiṁ ca viṣṇor bhaktiṁ karoti nṛ-patiś caraṇāravinde

Hearing how Lord Vishnu — obeyed by the entire universe — had, out of love, rendered every kind of service to the sons of Pandu, as their charioteer, attendant, friend, messenger and night-watchman, following after them, offering them prayers and obeisances, the King's devotion to those lotus feet grew ever deeper.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.1.16.17)

तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य पूर्वेषां वृत्तिमन्वहम् । नातिदूरे किलाश्चर्यं यदासीत् तन्निबोध मे ॥ १७ ॥

tasyaivaṁ vartamānasya pūrveṣāṁ vṛttim anvaham nātidūre kilāścaryaṁ yad āsīt tan nibodha me

While he thus remained absorbed day after day in the noble conduct of his forefathers, an astonishing event occurred nearby — hear now of it from me.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.1.16.18)

धर्मः पदैकेन चरन् विच्छायामुपलभ्य गाम् । पृच्छति स्माश्रुवदनां विवत्सामिव मातरम् ॥ १८ ॥

dharmaḥ padaikena caran vicchāyām upalabhya gām pṛcchati smāśru-vadanāṁ vivatsām iva mātaram

Dharma, wandering on a single leg, came upon the earth-goddess in the form of a cow, her radiance gone, and questioned her, her face streaked with tears, like a mother who has lost her calf.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.1.16.19)

धर्म उवाच कच्चिद्भद्रेऽनामयमात्मनस्ते विच्छायासि म्लायतेषन्मुखेन । आलक्षये भवतीमन्तराधिं दूरे बन्धुं शोचसि कञ्चनाम्ब ॥ १९ ॥

dharma uvāca kaccid bhadre ’nāmayam ātmanas te vicchāyāsi mlāyateṣan mukhena ālakṣaye bhavatīm antarādhiṁ dūre bandhuṁ śocasi kañcanāmba

Dharma said: Madam, are you in good health? Why has your face grown so pale, its brightness gone? I sense some deep distress within you — are you grieving, O mother, for some kinsman who is far away?

Verse 20 (bhagavata.1.16.20)

पादैर्न्यूनं शोचसि मैकपाद- मात्मानं वा वृषलैर्भोक्ष्यमाणम् । आहो सुरादीन् हृतयज्ञभागान् प्रजा उत स्विन्मघवत्यवर्षति ॥ २० ॥

pādair nyūnaṁ śocasi maika-pādam ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam āho surādīn hṛta-yajña-bhāgān prajā uta svin maghavaty avarṣati

Do you grieve for me, reduced now to a single leg where I once had four? Or for yourself, soon to be exploited by lowborn men? Or for the demigods, deprived of their share in sacrifice, or for the people, suffering under Indra's failure to send rain?

Verse 21 (bhagavata.1.16.21)

अरक्ष्यमाणाः स्त्रिय उर्वि बालान् शोचस्यथो पुरुषादैरिवार्तान् । वाचं देवीं ब्रह्मकुले कुकर्म- ण्यब्रह्मण्ये राजकुले कुलाग्रयान् ॥ २१ ॥

arakṣyamāṇāḥ striya urvi bālān śocasy atho puruṣādair ivārtān vācaṁ devīṁ brahma-kule kukarmaṇy abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān

Or do you grieve, O earth, for women and children left unprotected, suffering as if at the hands of cannibals; or for the goddess of speech, now held by brahmanas engaged in wicked deeds, unfit for brahminical dignity, kept in the houses of kings?

Verse 22 (bhagavata.1.16.22)

किं क्षत्रबन्धून् कलिनोपसृष्टान् राष्ट्राणि वा तैरवरोपितानि । इतस्ततो वाशनपानवासः स्नानव्यवायोन्मुखजीवलोकम् ॥ २२ ॥

kiṁ kṣatra-bandhūn kalinopasṛṣṭān rāṣṭrāṇi vā tair avaropitāni itas tato vāśana-pāna-vāsaḥ- snāna-vyavāyonmukha-jīva-lokam

Or is it for the unworthy rulers, seized by the influence of Kali, and the kingdoms cast into disorder through their misrule — or for human society, now here and there given over wholly to eating, drinking, dressing, bathing and mating without restraint?

Verse 23 (bhagavata.1.16.23)

यद्वाम्ब ते भूरिभरावतार कृतावतारस्य हरेर्धरित्रि । अन्तर्हितस्य स्मरती विसृष्टा कर्माणि निर्वाणविलम्बितानि ॥ २३ ॥

yadvāmba te bhūri-bharāvatāra- kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri antarhitasya smaratī visṛṣṭā karmāṇi nirvāṇa-vilambitāni

Or perhaps, O mother earth, you grieve remembering the deeds of Hari, who took birth to relieve your heavy burden and who has now withdrawn from sight — deeds that, though performed here, lead ultimately to liberation.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.1.16.24)

इदं ममाचक्ष्व तवाधिमूलं वसुन्धरे येन विकर्शितासि । कालेन वा ते बलिनां बलीयसा सुरार्चितं किं हृतमम्ब सौभगम् ॥ २४ ॥

idaṁ mamācakṣva tavādhi-mūlaṁ vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam

Tell me now, O treasury of all riches, the true root of this affliction by which you have been so weakened — has time itself, more powerful than the powerful, taken from you that good fortune once revered even by the demigods?

Verse 25 (bhagavata.1.16.25)

धरण्युवाच भवान् हि वेद तत् सर्वं यन्मां धर्मानुपृच्छसि । चतुर्भिर्वर्तसे येन पादैर्लोकसुखावहैः ॥ २५ ॥

dharaṇy uvāca bhavān hi veda tat sarvaṁ yan māṁ dharmānupṛcchasi caturbhir vartase yena pādair loka-sukhāvahaiḥ

The earth replied: You yourself already know all that you have asked me, O Dharma — for you too once stood on those same four legs, by which you brought happiness to every world.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.1.16.26)

सत्यं शौचं दया क्षान्तिस्त्यागः सन्तोष आर्जवम् । शमो दमस्तपः साम्यं तितिक्षोपरतिः श्रुतम् ॥ २६ ॥

satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam

Truthfulness, purity, compassion, forbearance, renunciation, contentment, honesty, control of the mind, control of the senses, austerity, evenness of vision, tolerance, indifference to gain and loss, and faithfulness to scripture —

Verse 27 (bhagavata.1.16.27)

ज्ञानं विरक्तिरैश्वर्यं शौर्यं तेजो बलं स्मृतिः । स्वातन्त्र्यं कौशलं कान्तिर्धैर्यं मार्दवमेव च ॥ २७ ॥

jñānaṁ viraktir aiśvaryaṁ śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntir dhairyaṁ mārdavam eva ca

knowledge, detachment, sovereignty, valor, radiance, strength, right memory, self-sufficiency, skillfulness, beauty, steadiness and gentleness —

Verse 28 (bhagavata.1.16.28)

प्रागल्भ्यं प्रश्रयः शीलं सह ओजो बलं भगः । गाम्भीर्यं स्थैर्यमास्तिक्यं कीर्तिर्मानोऽनहङ्कृतिः ॥ २८ ॥

prāgalbhyaṁ praśrayaḥ śīlaṁ saha ojo balaṁ bhagaḥ gāmbhīryaṁ sthairyam āstikyaṁ kīrtir māno ’nahaṅkṛtiḥ

boldness, humility, good conduct, endurance, vigor, capability, prosperity, gravity, firmness, faith in the sacred, fame, honor, and freedom from pride —

Verse 29 (bhagavata.1.16.29)

एते चान्ये च भगवन्नित्या यत्र महागुणाः । प्रार्थ्या महत्त्वमिच्छद्भिर्न वियन्ति स्म कर्हिचित् ॥ २९ ॥

ete cānye ca bhagavan nityā yatra mahā-guṇāḥ prārthyā mahattvam icchadbhir na viyanti sma karhicit

these and countless other great qualities, O Dharma, dwell eternally in Him, ever sought by those who desire true greatness, and never in Him do they diminish, at any time.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.1.16.30)

तेनाहं गुणपात्रेण श्रीनिवासेन साम्प्रतम् । शोचामि रहितं लोकं पाप्मना कलिनेक्षितम् ॥ ३० ॥

tenāhaṁ guṇa-pātreṇa śrī-nivāsena sāmpratam śocāmi rahitaṁ lokaṁ pāpmanā kalinekṣitam

For that very Lord — the vessel of all such virtues, the abode of Shri — I now grieve, seeing this world bereft of Him and overtaken by the sinfulness of Kali.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.1.16.31)

आत्मानं चानुशोचामि भवन्तं चामरोत्तमम् । देवान् पितृनृषीन् साधून् सर्वान् वर्णांस्तथाश्रमान् ॥ ३१ ॥

ātmānaṁ cānuśocāmi bhavantaṁ cāmarottamam devān pitṝn ṛṣīn sādhūn sarvān varṇāṁs tathāśramān

I grieve too for myself, and for you, O best among the immortals, and for the demigods, the ancestors, the sages, the saints, and for all the classes and stages of human society.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.1.16.32)

ब्रह्मादयो बहुतिथं यदपाङ्गमोक्ष- कामास्तपः समचरन् भगवत्प्रपन्नाः । सा श्रीः स्ववासमरविन्दवनं विहाय यत्पादसौभगमलं भजतेऽनुरक्ता ॥ ३२ ॥

brahmādayo bahu-tithaṁ yad-apāṅga-mokṣa- kāmās tapaḥ samacaran bhagavat-prapannāḥ sā śrīḥ sva-vāsam aravinda-vanaṁ vihāya yat-pāda-saubhagam alaṁ bhajate ’nuraktā

Brahma and the other gods, day after day, longing for even a sidelong glance of grace from her, performed penances, surrendering wholly to the Lord — that same Shri, forsaking her own abode, the forest of lotuses, now clings without hesitation to the blessed fortune of His feet.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.1.16.33)

तस्याहमब्जकुलिशाङ्कुशकेतुकेतैः श्रीमत्पदैर्भगवतः समलङ्कृताङ्गी । त्रीनत्यरोच उपलभ्य ततो विभूतिं लोकान् स मां व्यसृजदुत्स्मयतीं तदन्ते ॥ ३३ ॥

tasyāham abja-kuliśāṅkuśa-ketu-ketaiḥ śrīmat-padair bhagavataḥ samalaṅkṛtāṅgī trīn atyaroca upalabhya tato vibhūtiṁ lokān sa māṁ vyasṛjad utsmayatīṁ tad-ante

I too, my body adorned with the marks of His glorious feet — the lotus, the thunderbolt, the elephant-goad and the banner — once outshone the three worlds in splendor. Yet, having granted me this fortune, He, at the end, cast me aside as I stood there vain with pride.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.1.16.34)

यो वै ममातिभरमासुरवंशराज्ञा- मक्षौहिणीशतमपानुददात्मतन्त्रः । त्वां दुःस्थमूनपदमात्मनि पौरुषेण सम्पादयन् यदुषु रम्यमबिभ्रदङ्गम् ॥ ३४ ॥

yo vai mamātibharam āsura-vaṁśa-rājñām akṣauhiṇī-śatam apānudad ātma-tantraḥ tvāṁ duḥstham ūna-padam ātmani pauruṣeṇa sampādayan yaduṣu ramyam abibhrad aṅgam

He, self-sufficient and independent, who once removed my unbearable burden of a hundred divisions of atheistic kings' armies, also assumed, for your sake, a delightful body among the Yadus, through His own power, to relieve you when you stood weak and helpless.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.1.16.35)

का वा सहेत विरहं पुरुषोत्तमस्य प्रेमावलोकरुचिरस्मितवल्गुजल्पैः । स्थैर्यं समानमहरन्मधुमानिनीनां रोमोत्सवो मम यदङ्घ्रिविटङ्कितायाः ॥ ३५ ॥

kā vā saheta virahaṁ puruṣottamasya premāvaloka-rucira-smita-valgu-jalpaiḥ sthairyaṁ samānam aharan madhu-māninīnāṁ romotsavo mama yad-aṅghri-viṭaṅkitāyāḥ

Who indeed could bear separation from that Supreme Person, whose loving glances, charming smiles and sweet words conquered even the composed pride of His most cherished beloveds? Whenever His feet touched me, my very hairs, in the form of grass, would stand on end in joy.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.1.16.36)

तयोरेवं कथयतोः पृथिवीधर्मयोस्तदा । परीक्षिन्नाम राजर्षिः प्राप्तः प्राचीं सरस्वतीम् ॥ ३६ ॥

tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ pṛthivī-dharmayos tadā parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ prāptaḥ prācīṁ sarasvatīm

While the earth and Dharma were thus conversing, the royal sage named Parikshit arrived there, at the eastward-flowing Sarasvati.