30 verses
Sūta said: O brāhmaṇa! Just as those who knew about his birth had described him, Parīkṣit, the great devotee, possessing qualities of a great person, ruled the earth under the guidance of the best brāhmaṇas.
He married Iṛāvatī, the daughter of King Uttara, and bore four sons starting with Janamejaya.
The third pada has nine syllables instead of eight. This is special version of anuṣṭubh meter with nine syllables in one line, as in a sentence like pradhāne karmaṇy abhidheye nyādīn āhur dvi-karmaṇām
Accepting Kṛpa as his guru and giving profuse donations, he performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Gaḍgā, in which the devatās became visible.
Śāradvata is Kṛpa.
One time, while touring his kingdom, the hero valiantly punished Kali, a śūdra dressed as a king, who was kicking a cow and bull.
Śaunaka said: Why did the king while touring punish Kali but not kill him? The person dressed as a king who was kicking the cow was a very low śūdra.
Why did he punish him but not kill him (nijagrāha)? That low śūdra deserved to be killed.
O great soul! Please tell us if it concerns Kṛṣṇa, or concerns his devotees who lick the honey from his lotus feet.
If the punishment of Kali is related to the devotees, please tell us.
O Sūta! For those men who desire Kṛṣṇa, what is use of material talks which are a waste of life for short-lived humanity?
Ṛtam means the true object, Kṛṣṇa.
The Lord as death has been called here to this sacrifice of animals. As long as he is here, no one will die.
How can we hear auspicious talks about Kṛṣṇa if we are perishable? In this place (iha) there is animal sacrifice with death as the executioner. Death has been called for that. Then what happens? No one dies.
The sages have called death here so that no one dies. Therefore, men should drink the words containing sweet pastimes of the Lord.
Then what should men do? They should drink the nectar of the Lords pastimes.
The lives of those who are lazy, foolish and short lived, are wasted at night in sleeping and in the day by useless actions.
Anything other than hearing about the Lord is useless.
Sūta said: When Parīkṣit, expert in battle, was staying in Kuru-jāḍgala inspecting his kingdom, hearing the rather unpleasant news that Kali had entered, he took up his bow.
When Parīkṣit was inspecting his kingdom protected by his troops, hearing the rather unpleasant news that Kali had entered, he took up his bow. It was somewhat pleasant also, since he had the opportunity to punish him. This is expression is used to make it the subject of discussion later. This sentence is connected with the next verse. Śauṇòi means skilful. An alternative version is saṁyuga-śauriḥ with the same meaning.
He had gone out from his city to gather tribute with his troops along with chariots, horses, and elephants on a chariot with lion flag, pulled by black horses and well decorated.
Conquering Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kuru provinces, and other countries such as Kimpuruṣa, he received taxes.
ātmānaṁ ca paritrātam aśvatthāmno 'stra-tejasaḥ | snehaṁ ca vṛṣṇi-pārthānāṁ teṣāṁ bhaktiṁ ca keśave || In those places, hearing the glories of his ancestors being sung which indicated glory to Kṛṣṇa, his deliverance from the brahmāstra of Aśvatthāmā, and the great devotion and affection of the Pāṇòavas and Vṛṣṇis for Kṛṣṇa, highly satisfied and very generous, his eyes filled with affection, he gave those glorifiers great wealth and cloth.
tebhyaḥ parama-santuṣṭaḥ prīty-ujjṛmbhita-locanaḥ |
mahā-dhanāni vāsāṁsi dadau hārān mahā-manāḥ ||
Hearing through their praises that Kṛṣṇa acted as charioteer, follower, servant, friend and messenger of the dear Pāṇòavas and that Viṣṇu was respected by the whole world, he expressed devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord.
Hearing the activities such as being the charioteer for the dear Pāṇòavas, and hearing that the whole world offered respects to him, Parīkṣit showed devotion to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa acted as follower by presiding over the assembly. He acted as servant by satisfying their wishes such as staying up at night with sword in hand protecting them.
Hear from me the most astonishing event that suddenly occurred while he was following this procedure of the previous kings daily.
An extra anu should be added. Thus every day (anu aham) he followed the procedure (anuvartamānasya).
Dharma, moving about on one leg, seeing a cow with no effulgence, with tears in her eyes as if she had lost her calf, inquired from her.
The moment that Kali-yuga had started dharma, the earth and Kali appeared in this situation. Though this was not seen by the people, Parīkṣit, who meditated with a desire to see this, saw it with his mystic eyes. Dharma in the form of a bull asked questions to the cow who had lost her effulgence (vicchāyām).
Dharma said: Auspicious cow! Are you well? You appear pale and your face is slightly withered. I think that you are in great anxiety. O mother! Are you lamenting for a friend in a distant land?
Ātmanaḥ means of the body. Anāmayam means health. The bull asks the cause since she has internal affliction.
Do you lament because I am standing on only one leg? Or are you lamenting for yourself being enjoyed by sinners? Or are you lamenting because the devatās have been deprived of their share of the sacrifices? Or are you lamenting for the citizens without rain?
Mā means mām. Are you lamenting because you are being enjoyed by sinful persons (vṛṣalaiḥ). It is in the masculine gender in referring to ātmā.
O earth! Are you lamenting because the women are not protected by the husbands, children are not protected by parents and moreover suffer at the hands of merciless people? Are you lamenting about learned words being spoken in brāhmaṇa families with sinful conduct? Are you lamenting the best of brāhmaṇas serving kings with no respect for brāhmaṇas?
Are women are not protected by their husbands? The children are not protected by the parents. Moreover they are suffering because of merciless persons. Are you lamenting apparent learned words (devīm vācam) in brāhmaṇa families of bad conduct? Are you lamenting those of noble family who are serving kings who have no devotion to brāhmaṇas?
Are you lamenting about degraded kṣatriyas influenced by Kali, or countries ruled negligently by them? Are you lamenting because people are engaged in eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, and sexual relationships without regard for restrictions?
Upasṛṣtān means spread. Avaropitāni means abandoned.
O mother! O earth! Are you lamenting on remembering the activities which make a mockery of liberation by their sweetness of the Lord who appeared to relieve your heavy burden and then disappeared, leaving you alone?
Remembering the activities of the Lord who appeared (kṛtāvatārasya) to relieve (avatāra) your burden. The activities made liberation a laughing stock (vilambitāni) because of their sweetness. The syllables òa and la can be exchanged and thus the word becomes viòambitāni (mocking).
O earth! Please tell me the cause for your anxiety by which you have become extremely thin. O mother! Has time which is strongest of the strong, stolen your good fortune worshipped by the devatās?
Vikarśitāsi means made extremely thin.
satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam | śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam || jñānaṁ viraktir aiśvaryaṁ śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ | svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntir dhairyaṁ mārdavam eva ca || prāgalbhyaṁ praśrayaḥ śīlaṁ saha ojo balaṁ bhagaḥ | gāmbhīryaṁ sthairyam āstikyaṁ kīrtir māno 'nahaḍkṛtiḥ || ete cānye ca bhagavan nityā yatra mahā-guṇāḥ | prārthyā mahattvam icchadbhir na viyanti sma karhicit || The earth said: You know all the dharma about which you are asking me. I am lamenting the population which is now influenced by the sinful glance of Kali, and which is devoid of the Lord, the abode of Lakṣmī, the abode of qualities, by whose power you existed with four legs which gave benefit to the people, and in whom reside the following eternal, great qualities, which do not disappear at any time: truthfulness, purity, compassion, control of anger, generosity, self-satisfaction, straightforwardness, control of mind, control of external senses, following his caste role during pastimes, neutrality to all, tolerance, indifference to material enjoyment, consideration of scripture, omniscience, distaste for material enjoyment, control of others, determination in battle, influence, skill, defining social duties, independence, expertise in arts, beauty, lack of confusion, tenderness, boldness, modesty, being good-natured, sharpness of mind, sharpness of the knowledge senses and action senses, the abode of enjoyment, imperturbability, steadiness, faith, fame, respectability, lack of pride, and as well, other qualities desirable for those who want greatness.
tenāhaṁ guṇa-pātreṇa śrī-nivāsena sāmpratam |
śocāmi rahitaṁ lokaṁ pāpmanā kalinekṣitam ||
You know all about dharma since you are dharma personified.
Though I know, I want to hear from your mouth. Therefore she speaks. You know the dharma because of which you exist with four legs. Present tense is used since the condition is near the present. The sentence continues till verse 31.
Satyam means speaking about things as they are. Śaucam means purity. Dayā means sympathizing with others suffering, protecting those who have surrendered, and being friendly to devotees. Kṣānti means having control of the mind even when angry. Tyāga means generosity. Santoṣa means satisfied in the self. Ārjavam means honesty, not being crooked. Śama means control of the mind, by which one has firm vows. Dama means control of the external senses. Tapas means acting according to ones nature such as kṣatriya during pastimes. Sāmyam means devoid of thinking one is an enemy and another is a friend. Titikṣa is tolerance when others offend you. Uparati is indifference to attaining material enjoyment. Śrutam means judging by scripture. Jñānam means omniscience and gratitude etc. Virakti means absence of taste for material enjoyment. Aiśvaryam is control of others. Śauryam is determination in battle. Tejas is influence. Balam is skill. Smṛti means searching out what should be done as duty. Svātantryam is non-dependence on others. Kauśalam is skill in arts and play. Kāntih is beauty. Dhairyam is not being agitated. Mārdavam is being very young and being tender with prema. Prāgalbhyam is extreme boldness. Praśraya is mildness. Śīla means good natured. Sahas is sharpness of mind. Tejas is sharpness of knowledge senses. Ojas is sharpness of action senses. Bhaga is being the shelter of enjoyment. Gāmbhiryam means imperturbable. Sthairyam is not being fickle. Āstikyam is faith. Kīrti is fame. Māna is being worthy of worship. Anahaḍkṛti is absence of pride. Other qualities include being true to ones word, respecting brāhmaṇas and being affectionate to the devotees. These great qualities are eternalexisting over all time in the Lord. The Lord has said:
māṁ bhajanti guṇāḥ sarve nirguṇaṁ nirapekṣakam
suhṛdaṁ priyam ātmānaṁ sāmyāsaḍgādayo guṇāḥ
All superior qualities, which are eternal, such as equality to all beings and attachment to my devotee, reside in me, who am beyond the material guṇas, not dependent on material qualities, and the friend of my devotees, giving love to them. SB 11.13.40
Thus, though the Lord is beyond the guṇas, he possesses qualities, great qualities, which are spiritual, beyond matter, arising from his svarūpa. Even during universal destruction, these qualities do not disappear (na viyanti). If they continually reside in Kṛṣṇa, even during the final destruction, then the qualities just listed must all be eternal. If they are eternal, the objects in which they exist must also be eternal. Thus the pastimes, the participants in the pastimes, the places of the pastimes and all ingredients are eternal.
O best of the devatās! I lament for myself and you, and for the devatās, Pitṛs, sages, devotees and all the varṇas and āśramas.
The words devoid of the Lord apply to this sentence.
Lakṣmī, desiring whose glance Brahmā and others, surrendered to the Lord for a long time, perform great penance, has left her abode of the lotus forest and with great attachment worships the beauty of Kṛṣṇas feet.
Though Brahmā and others have surrendered to the Lord for a long time (bahu-titham), being devotees with material desires, they desire the glance of Lakṣmī.
Being ornamented with the footprints of the Lord marked with lotus, thunderbolt, goad, flag, I surpassed the three worlds in beauty. After I attained glory from the Lord, he left me who had become proud, even after the glory had dissipated.
Tasya refers to Kṛṣṇa. Keta is a mark. Surpassing the three worlds, I became most beautiful. After attaining glory from the Lord, after that glory had vanished, I still had inner pride, thinking, Vaikuṇṭha is not equal to me.
The independent Lord destroyed my great burden of a hundred auṣauhiṇīs of those who were previously of demonic dynasty of kings. By his prowess he made you whole when you were suffering with loss of your legs and had taken shelter of him. He appeared with a beautiful form in the Yadu family.
Āsura-vaṁśa-rājñām means made up of persons who were previously kings in the demon dynasty. It is a compound similar to chinnaprarūòha (cut but now grown up). An alternative version is asura-veśa, which means those who assumed the nature of asuras. He made you who were deficient in legs (ūna-padam) and had taken shelter of him (ātmani) whole (sampādayan).
Who can tolerate separation from that supreme person whose foot prints made my hair stand on end constantly, while he took away the pride and self-control of his queens who were proud by his loving glances, pleasant smiles and sweet speech?
Madhu-māninīnām means Satyabhāmā and others. He took away their steadiness (sthairyam) and pride (samānam). Vitāḍkitāyāḥ means ornamented. Among all the dear women, I was always independent (such a woman is called svādhīna-bhartṛkā), and was never separate from him (since his feet always touched me). That is the meaning of the verse.
While the earth and dharma were conversing, the king named Parīkṣit came to the Sarasvatī River flowing east.
Prācīm here means flowing east.
In the sixteenth chapter the victory tour of Parīkṣit, the question by dharma to the earth, and earths lamentation about separation from Kṛṣṇa are described.
O brāhmaṇa (vipra)! He who possessed qualities of a great person (tathā mahad-guṇas) ruled.