Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 1 Chapter 12

Birth of Emperor Parīkṣit

VERSE 1.12.1

śaunaka uvāca

aśvatthāmnopasṛṣṭena
brahma-śīrṣṇoru-tejasā
uttarāyā hato garbha
īśenājīvitaḥ punaḥ

SYNONYMS

śaunakaḥ uvāca — the sage Śaunaka said; aśvatthāmna — of Aśvatthāmā (the son of Droṇa); upasṛṣṭena — by release of; brahma-śīrṣṇā — the invincible weapon, brahmāstra; uru-tejasā — by high temperature; uttarāyāḥ — of Uttarā (mother of Parīkṣit); hataḥ — being spoiled; garbhaḥ — womb; īśena — by the Supreme Lord; ājīvitaḥ — brought to life; punaḥ — again.

TRANSLATION

The sage Śaunaka said: The womb of Uttarā, mother of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, was spoiled by the dreadful and invincible brahmāstra weapon released by Aśvatthāmā. But Mahārāja Parīkṣit was saved by the Supreme Lord.

VERSE 1.12.2

tasya janma mahā-buddheḥ
karmāṇi ca mahātmanaḥ
nidhanaṁ ca yathaivāsīt
sa pretya gatavān yathā

SYNONYMS

tasya — his (of Mahārāja Parīkṣit); janma — birth; mahā-buddheḥ — of great intelligence; karmāṇi — activities; ca — also; mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the great devotee; nidhanam — demise; ca — also; yathā — as it was; eva — of course; āsīt — happened; saḥ — he; pretya — destination after death; gatavān — achieved; yathā — as it were.

TRANSLATION

How was the great emperor Parīkṣit, who was a highly intelligent and great devotee, born in that womb? How did his death take place, and what did he achieve after his death?

VERSE 1.12.3

tad idaṁ śrotum icchāmo
gadituṁ yadi manyase
brūhi naḥ śraddadhānānāṁ
yasya jñānam adāc chukaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — all; idam — this; śrotum — to hear; icchāmaḥ — all willing; gaditum — to narrate; yadi — if; manyase — you think; brūhi — please speak; naḥ — we; śraddadhānānām — who are very much respectful; yasya — whose; jñānam — transcendental knowledge; adāt — delivered; śukaḥ — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

TRANSLATION

We all respectfully want to hear about him [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] to whom Śukadeva Gosvāmī imparted transcendental knowledge. Please speak on this matter.

VERSE 1.12.4

sūta uvāca

apīpalad dharma-rājaḥ
pitṛvad rañjayan prajāḥ
niḥspṛhaḥ sarva-kāmebhyaḥ
kṛṣṇa-pādānusevayā

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; apīpalat — administered prosperity; dharma-rājaḥ — King Yudhiṣṭhira; pitṛ-vat — exactly like his father; rañjayan — pleasing; prajāḥ — all those who took birth; niḥspṛhaḥ — without personal ambition; sarva — all; kāmebhyaḥ — from sense gratification; kṛṣṇa-pāda — the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; anusevayā — by dint of rendering continuous service.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: Emperor Yudhiṣṭhira administered generously to everyone during his reign. He was exactly like his father. He had no personal ambition and was freed from all sorts of sense gratification because of his continuous service unto the lotus feet of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

VERSE 1.12.5

sampadaḥ kratavo lokā
mahiṣī bhrātaro mahī
jambudvīpādhipatyaṁ ca
yaśaś ca tri-divaṁ gatam

SYNONYMS

sampadaḥ — opulence; kratavaḥ — sacrifices; lokāḥ — future destination; mahiṣī — the queens; bhrātaraḥ — the brothers; mahī — the earth; jambu-dvīpa — the globe or planet of our residence; ādhipatyam — sovereignty; ca — also; yaśaḥ — fame; ca — and; tri-divam — celestial planets; gatam — spread over.

TRANSLATION

News even reached the celestial planets about Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira’s worldly possessions, the sacrifices by which he would attain a better destination, his queen, his stalwart brothers, his extensive land, his sovereignty over the planet earth, his fame, etc.

VERSE 1.12.6

kiṁ te kāmāḥ sura-spārhā
mukunda-manaso dvijāḥ
adhijahrur mudaṁ rājñaḥ
kṣudhitasya yathetare

SYNONYMS

kim — what for; te — all those; kāmāḥ — objects of sense enjoyment; sura — of the denizens of heaven; spārhāḥ — aspirations; mukunda-manasaḥ — of one who is already God conscious; dvijāḥ — O brāhmaṇas; adhijahruḥ — could satisfy; mudam — pleasure; rājñaḥ — of the king; kṣudhitasya — of the hungry; yathā — as it is; itare — in other things.

TRANSLATION

O brāhmaṇas, the opulence of the King was so enchanting that the denizens of heaven aspired for it. But because he was absorbed in the service of the Lord, nothing could satisfy him except the Lord’s service.

VERSE 1.12.7

mātur garbha-gato vīraḥ
sa tadā bhṛgu-nandana
dadarśa puruṣaṁ kañcid
dahyamāno ’stra-tejasā

SYNONYMS

mātuḥ — mother; garbha — womb; gataḥ — being situated there; vīraḥ — the great fighter; saḥ — child Parīkṣit; tadā — at that time; bhṛgu-nandana — O son of Bhṛgu; dadarśa — could see; puruṣam — the Supreme Lord; kañcit — as someone else; dahyamānaḥ — suffering from being burned; astra — the brahmāstra; tejasā — temperature.

TRANSLATION

O son of Bhṛgu [Śaunaka], when the child Parīkṣit, the great fighter, was in the womb of his mother, Uttarā, and was suffering from the burning heat of the brahmāstra [thrown by Aśvatthāmā], he could observe the Supreme Lord coming to him.

VERSE 1.12.8

aṅguṣṭha-mātram amalaṁ
sphurat-puraṭa-maulinam
apīvya-darśanaṁ śyāmaṁ
taḍid vāsasam acyutam

SYNONYMS

aṅguṣṭha — by the measure of a thumb; mātram — only; amalam — transcendental; sphurat — blazing; puraṭa — gold; maulinam — helmet; apīvya — very beautiful; darśanam — to look at; śyāmam — blackish; taḍit — lightning; vāsasam — clothing; acyutam — the Infallible (the Lord).

TRANSLATION

He [the Lord] was only thumb high, but He was all transcendental. He had a very beautiful, blackish, infallible body, and He wore a dress of lightning yellow and a helmet of blazing gold. Thus He was seen by the child.

VERSE 1.12.9

śrīmad-dīrgha-catur-bāhuṁ
tapta-kāñcana-kuṇḍalam
kṣatajākṣaṁ gadā-pāṇim
ātmanaḥ sarvato diśam
paribhramantam ulkābhāṁ
bhrāmayantaṁ gadāṁ muhuḥ

SYNONYMS

śrīmat — enriched; dīrgha — prolonged; catuḥ-bāhum — four-handed; tapta-kāñcana — molten gold; kuṇḍalam — earrings; kṣataja-akṣam — eyes with the redness of blood; gadā-pāṇim — hand with a club; ātmanaḥ — own; sarvataḥ — all; diśam — around; paribhramantam — loitering; ulkābhām — like shooting stars; bhrāmayantam — encircling; gadām — the club; muhuḥ — constantly.

TRANSLATION

The Lord was enriched with four hands, earrings of molten gold and eyes blood red with fury. As He loitered about, His club constantly encircled Him like a shooting star.

VERSE 1.12.10

astra-tejaḥ sva-gadayā
nīhāram iva gopatiḥ
vidhamantaṁ sannikarṣe
paryaikṣata ka ity asau

SYNONYMS

astra-tejaḥ — radiation of the brahmāstra; sva-gadayā — by means of His own club; nīhāram — drops of dew; iva — like; gopatiḥ — the sun; vidhamantam — the act of vanishing; sannikarṣe — nearby; paryaikṣata — observing; kaḥ — who; iti asau — this body.

TRANSLATION

The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the brahmāstra, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. He was observed by the child, who thought about who He was.

VERSE 1.12.11

vidhūya tad ameyātmā
bhagavān dharma-gub vibhuḥ
miṣato daśamāsasya
tatraivāntardadhe hariḥ

SYNONYMS

vidhūya — having completely washed off; tat — that; ameyātmā — the all-pervading Supersoul; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; dharma-gup — the protector of righteousness; vibhuḥ — the Supreme; miṣataḥ — while observing; daśamāsasya — of one who is dressed by all directions; tatra eva — then and there; antaḥ — out of sight; dadhe — became; hariḥ — the Lord.

TRANSLATION

While thus being observed by the child, the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul of everyone and the protector of the righteous, who stretches in all directions and who is unlimited by time and space, disappeared at once.

VERSE 1.12.12

tataḥ sarva-guṇodarke
sānukūla-grahodaye
jajñe vaṁśa-dharaḥ pāṇḍor
bhūyaḥ pāṇḍur ivaujasā

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — thereupon; sarva — all; guṇa — good signs; udarke — having gradually evolved; sa-anukūla — all favorable; grahodaye — constellation of stellar influence; jajñe — took birth; vaṁśa-dharaḥ — heir apparent; pāṇḍoḥ — of Pāṇḍu; bhūyaḥ — being; pāṇḍuḥ iva — exactly like Pāṇḍu; ojasā — by prowess.

TRANSLATION

Thereupon, when all the good signs of the zodiac gradually evolved, the heir apparent of Pāṇḍu, who would be exactly like him in prowess, took birth.

VERSE 1.12.13

tasya prīta-manā rājā
viprair dhaumya-kṛpādibhiḥ
jātakaṁ kārayām āsa
vācayitvā ca maṅgalam

SYNONYMS

tasya — his; prīta-manāḥ — satisfied; rājā — King Yudhiṣṭhira; vipraiḥ — by the learned brāhmaṇas; dhaumya — Dhaumya; kṛpa — Kṛpa; ādibhiḥ — and others also; jātakam — one of the purificatory processes performed just after the birth of a child; kārayām āsa — had them performed; vācayitvā — by recitation; ca — also; maṅgalam — auspicious.

TRANSLATION

King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was very satisfied with the birth of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned brāhmaṇas, headed by Dhaumya and Kṛpa, recited auspicious hymns.

VERSE 1.12.14

hiraṇyaṁ gāṁ mahīṁ grāmān
hasty-aśvān nṛpatir varān
prādāt svannaṁ ca viprebhyaḥ
prajā-tīrthe sa tīrthavit

SYNONYMS

hiraṇyam — gold; gām — cows; mahīm — land; grāmān — villages; hasti — elephants; aśvān — horses; nṛpatiḥ — the King; varān — rewards; prādāt — gave in charity; su-annam — good food grains; ca — and; viprebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas; prajā-tīrthe — on the occasion of giving in charity on the birthday of a son; saḥ — he; tīrtha-vit — one who knows how, when and where charity is to be given.

TRANSLATION

Upon the birth of a son, the King, who knew how, where and when charity should be given, gave gold, land, villages, elephants, horses and good food grains to the brāhmaṇas.

VERSE 1.12.15

tam ūcur brāhmaṇās tuṣṭā
rājānaṁ praśrayānvitam
eṣa hy asmin prajā-tantau
purūṇāṁ pauravarṣabha

SYNONYMS

tam — unto him; ūcuḥ — addressed; brāhmaṇāḥ — the learned brāhmaṇas; tuṣṭāḥ — very much satisfied; rājānam — unto the King; praśraya-anvitam — very much obliging; eṣaḥ — this; hi — certainly; asmin — in the chain of; prajā-tantau — descending line; purūṇām — of the Pūrus; paurava-ṛṣabha — the chief among the Pūrus.

TRANSLATION

The learned brāhmaṇas, who were very satisfied with the charities of the King, addressed him as the chief amongst the Pūrus and informed him that his son was certainly in the line of descent from the Pūrus.

VERSE 1.12.16

daivenāpratighātena
śukle saṁsthām upeyuṣi
rāto vo ’nugrahārthāya
viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā

SYNONYMS

daivena — by supernatural power; apratighātena — by what is irresistible; śukle — unto the pure; saṁsthām — destruction; upeyuṣi — having been enforced; rātaḥ — restored; vaḥ — for you; anugraha-arthāya — for the sake of obliging; viṣṇunā — by the all-pervasive Lord; prabhaviṣṇunā — by the all-powerful.

TRANSLATION

The brāhmaṇas said: This spotless son has been restored by the all-powerful and all-pervasive Lord Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead, in order to oblige you. He was saved when he was doomed to be destroyed by an irresistible supernatural weapon.

VERSE 1.12.17

tasmān nāmnā viṣṇu-rāta
iti loke bhaviṣyati
na sandeho mahā-bhāga
mahā-bhāgavato mahān

SYNONYMS

tasmāt — therefore; nāmnā — by the name; viṣṇu-rātaḥ — protected by Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead; iti — thus; loke — in all the planets; bhaviṣyati — shall become well known; na — no; sandehaḥ — doubts; mahā-bhāga — most fortunate; mahā-bhāgavataḥ — the first-class devotee of the Lord; mahān — qualified by all good qualities.

TRANSLATION

For this reason this child will be well known in the world as one who is protected by the Personality of Godhead. O most fortunate one, there is no doubt that this child will become a first-class devotee and will be qualified with all good qualities.

VERSE 1.12.18

śrī-rājovāca

apy eṣa vaṁśyān rājarṣīn
puṇya-ślokān mahātmanaḥ
anuvartitā svid yaśasā
sādhu-vādena sattamāḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-rājā — the all-good king (Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira); uvāca — said; api — whether; eṣaḥ — this; vaṁśyān — family; rāja-ṛṣīn — of saintly kings; puṇya-ślokān — pious by the very name; mahā-ātmanaḥ — all great souls; anuvartitā — follower; svit — will it be; yaśasā — by achievements; sādhu-vādena — by glorification; sat-tamāḥ — O great souls.

TRANSLATION

The good King [Yudhiṣṭhira] inquired: O great souls, will he become as saintly a king, as pious in his very name and as famous and glorified in his achievements, as others who appeared in this great royal family?

VERSE 1.12.19

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ

pārtha prajāvitā sākṣād
ikṣvākur iva mānavaḥ
brahmaṇyaḥ satya-sandhaś ca
rāmo dāśarathir yathā

SYNONYMS

brāhmaṇāḥ — the good brāhmaṇas; ūcuḥ — said; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); prajā — those who are born; avitā — maintainer; sākṣāt — directly; ikṣvākuḥ iva — exactly like King Ikṣvāku; mānavaḥ — son of Manu; brahmaṇyaḥ — followers and respectful to the brāhmaṇas; satya-sandhaḥ — truthful by promise; ca — also; rāmaḥ — the Personality of Godhead Rāma; dāśarathiḥ — the son of Mahārāja Daśaratha; yathā — like Him.

TRANSLATION

The learned brāhmaṇas said: O son of Pṛthā, this child shall be exactly like King Ikṣvāku, son of Manu, in maintaining all those who are born. And as for following the brahminical principles, especially in being true to his promise, he shall be exactly like Rāma, the Personality of Godhead, the son of Mahārāja Daśaratha.

VERSE 1.12.20

eṣa dātā śaraṇyaś ca
yathā hy auśīnaraḥ śibiḥ
yaśo vitanitā svānāṁ
dauṣyantir iva yajvanām

SYNONYMS

eṣaḥ — this child; dātā — donor in charity; śaraṇyaḥ — protector of the surrendered; ca — and; yathā — as; hi — certainly; auśīnaraḥ — the country named Uśīnara; śibiḥ — Śibi; yaśaḥ — fame; vitanitā — disseminator; svānām — of the kinsmen; dauṣyantih iva — like Bharata, the son of Duṣyanta; yajvanām — of those who have performed many sacrifices.

TRANSLATION

This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of the surrendered, like the famous King Śibi of the Uśīnara country. And he will expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta.

VERSE 1.12.21

dhanvinām agraṇīr eṣa
tulyaś cārjunayor dvayoḥ
hutāśa iva durdharṣaḥ
samudra iva dustaraḥ

SYNONYMS

dhanvinām — of the great bowmen; agraṇīḥ — the foreman; eṣaḥ — this child; tulyaḥ — equally good; ca — and; arjunayoḥ — of the Arjunas; dvayoḥ — of the two; hutāśaḥ — fire; iva — like; durdharṣaḥ — irresistible; samudraḥ — ocean; iva — like; dustaraḥ — unsurpassable.

TRANSLATION

Amongst great bowmen, this child will be as good as Arjuna. He will be as irresistible as fire and as unsurpassable as the ocean.

VERSE 1.12.22

mṛgendra iva vikrānto
niṣevyo himavān iva
titikṣur vasudhevāsau
sahiṣṇuḥ pitarāv iva

SYNONYMS

mṛgendraḥ — the lion; iva — like; vikrāntaḥ — powerful; niṣevyaḥ — worthy of taking shelter; himavān — the Himālaya Mountains; iva — like; titikṣuḥ — forbearance; vasudhā iva — like the earth; asau — the child; sahiṣṇuḥ — tolerant; pitarau — parents; iva — like.

TRANSLATION

This child will be as strong as a lion, and as worthy a shelter as the Himālaya Mountains. He will be forbearing like the earth, and as tolerant as his parents.

VERSE 1.12.23

pitāmaha-samaḥ sāmye
prasāde giriśopamaḥ
āśrayaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
yathā devo ramāśrayaḥ

SYNONYMS

pitāmaha — the grandfather, or Brahmā; samaḥ — equally good; sāmye — in the matter; prasāde — in charity or in munificence; giriśa — Lord Śiva; upamaḥ — comparison of equilibrium; āśrayaḥ — resort; sarva — all; bhūtānām — of the living beings; yathā — as; devaḥ — the Supreme Lord; ramā-āśrayaḥ — the Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

This child will be like his grandfather Yudhiṣṭhira or Brahmā in equanimity of mind. He will be munificent like the lord of the Kailāsa Hill, Śiva. And he will be the resort of everyone, like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, who is even the shelter of the goddess of fortune.

VERSE 1.12.24

sarva-sad-guṇa-māhātmye
eṣa kṛṣṇam anuvrataḥ
rantideva ivodāro
yayātir iva dhārmikaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarva-sat-guṇa-māhātmye — glorified by all godly attributes; eṣaḥ — this child; kṛṣṇam — like Lord Kṛṣṇa; anuvrataḥ — a follower in His footsteps; rantidevaḥ — Rantideva; iva — like; udāraḥ — in the matter of magnanimity; yayātiḥ — Yayāti; iva — like; dhārmikaḥ — concerning religion.

TRANSLATION

This child will be almost as good as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa by following in His footsteps. In magnanimity he will become as great as King Rantideva. And in religion he will be like Mahārāja Yayāti.

VERSE 1.12.25

dhṛtyā bali-samaḥ kṛṣṇe
prahrāda iva sad-grahaḥ
āhartaiṣo ’śvamedhānāṁ
vṛddhānāṁ paryupāsakaḥ

SYNONYMS

dhṛtyā — by patience; bali-samaḥ — like Bali Mahārāja; kṛṣṇe — unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; prahrāda — Prahlāda Mahārāja; iva — like; sat-grahaḥ — devotee of; āhartā — performer; eṣaḥ — this child; aśvamedhānām — of Aśvamedha sacrifices; vṛddhānām — of the old and experienced men; paryupāsakaḥ — follower.

TRANSLATION

This child will be like Bali Mahārāja in patience, a staunch devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a performer of many aśvamedha [horse] sacrifices and a follower of the old and experienced men.

VERSE 1.12.26

rājarṣīṇāṁ janayitā
śāstā cotpatha-gāminām
nigrahītā kaler eṣa
bhuvo dharmasya kāraṇāt

SYNONYMS

rāja-ṛṣīṇām — of kings as good as sages; janayitā — producer; śāstā — chastiser; ca — and; utpatha-gāminām — of the upstarts; nigrahītā — molester; kaleḥ — of the quarrelsome; eṣaḥ — this; bhuvaḥ — of the world; dharmasya — of religion; kāraṇāt — on account of.

TRANSLATION

This child will be the father of kings who will be like sages. For world peace and for the sake of religion, he will be the chastiser of the upstarts and the quarrelsome.

VERSE 1.12.27

takṣakād ātmano mṛtyuṁ
dvija-putropasarjitāt
prapatsyata upaśrutya
mukta-saṅgaḥ padaṁ hareḥ

SYNONYMS

takṣakāt — by the snakebird; ātmanaḥ — of his personal self; mṛtyum — death; dvija-putra — the son of a brāhmaṇa; upasarjitāt — being sent by; prapatsyate — having taken shelter of; upaśrutya — after hearing; mukta-saṅgaḥ — freed from all attachment; padam — position; hareḥ — of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

After hearing about his death, which will be caused by the bite of a snakebird sent by a son of a brāhmaṇa, he will get himself freed from all material attachment and surrender unto the Personality of Godhead, taking shelter of Him.

VERSE 1.12.28

jijñāsitātma-yāthārthyo
muner vyāsa-sutād asau
hitvedaṁ nṛpa gaṅgāyāṁ
yāsyaty addhākutobhayam

SYNONYMS

jijñāsita — having inquired of; ātma-yāthārthyaḥ — right knowledge of one’s own self; muneḥ — from the learned philosopher; vyāsa-sutāt — the son of Vyāsa; asau — he; hitvā — quitting; idam — this material attachment; nṛpa — O King; gaṅgāyām — on the bank of the Ganges; yāsyati — will go; addhā — directly; akutaḥ-bhayam — the life of fearlessness.

TRANSLATION

After inquiring about proper self-knowledge from the son of Vyāsadeva, who will be a great philosopher, he will renounce all material attachment and achieve a life of fearlessness.

VERSE 1.12.29

iti rājña upādiśya
viprā jātaka-kovidāḥ
labdhāpacitayaḥ sarve
pratijagmuḥ svakān gṛhān

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; rājñe — unto the King; upādiśya — having advised; viprāḥ — persons well versed in the Vedas; jātaka-kovidāḥ — persons expert in astrology and in the performance of birth ceremonies; labdha-apacitayaḥ — those who had received sumptuously as remuneration; sarve — all of them; pratijagmuḥ — went back; svakān — their own; gṛhān — houses.

TRANSLATION

Thus those who were expert in astrological knowledge and in performance of the birth ceremony instructed King Yudhiṣṭhira about the future history of his child. Then, being sumptuously remunerated, they all returned to their respective homes.

VERSE 1.12.30

sa eṣa loke vikhyātaḥ
parīkṣid iti yat prabhuḥ
pūrvaṁ dṛṣṭam anudhyāyan
parīkṣeta nareṣv iha

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he; eṣaḥ — in this; loke — world; vikhyātaḥ — famous; parīkṣit — one who examines; iti — thus; yat — what; prabhuḥ — O my King; pūrvam — before; dṛṣṭam — seen; anudhyāyan — constantly contemplating; parīkṣeta — shall examine; nareṣu — unto every man; iha — here.

TRANSLATION

So his son would become famous in the world as Parīkṣit [examiner] because he would come to examine all human beings in his search after that personality whom he saw before his birth. Thus he would come to constantly contemplate Him.

VERSE 1.12.31

sa rāja-putro vavṛdhe
āśu śukla ivoḍupaḥ
āpūryamāṇaḥ pitṛbhiḥ
kāṣṭhābhir iva so ’nvaham

SYNONYMS

saḥ — that; rāja-putraḥ — the royal prince; vavṛdhe — grew up; āśu — very soon; śukle — waxing moon; iva — like; uḍupaḥ — the moon; āpūryamāṇaḥ — luxuriantly; pitṛbhiḥ — by the parental guardians; kāṣṭhābhiḥ — plenary development; iva — like; saḥ — he; anvaham — day after day.

TRANSLATION

As the moon, in its waxing fortnight, develops day after day, so the royal prince [Parīkṣit] very soon developed luxuriantly under the care and full facilities of his guardian grandfathers.

VERSE 1.12.32

yakṣyamāṇo ’śvamedhena
jñāti-droha-jihāsayā
rājā labdha-dhano dadhyau
nānyatra kara-daṇḍayoḥ

SYNONYMS

yakṣyamāṇaḥ — desiring to perform; aśvamedhena — by the horse sacrifice ceremony; jñāti-droha — fighting with kinsmen; jihāsayā — for getting free; rājā — King Yudhiṣṭhira; labdha-dhanaḥ — for getting some wealth; dadhyau — thought about it; na anyatra — not otherwise; kara-daṇḍayoḥ — taxes and fines.

TRANSLATION

Just at this time, King Yudhiṣṭhira was considering performing a horse sacrifice to get freed from sins incurred from fighting with kinsmen. But he became anxious to get some wealth, for there were no surplus funds outside of fines and tax collection.

VERSE 1.12.33

tad abhipretam ālakṣya
bhrātaro ’cyuta-coditāḥ
dhanaṁ prahīṇam ājahrur
udīcyāṁ diśi bhūriśaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — his; abhipretam — wishes of the mind; ālakṣya — observing; bhrātaraḥ — his brothers; acyuta — the infallible (Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa); coditāḥ — being advised by; dhanam — riches; prahīṇam — to collect; ājahruḥ — brought about; udīcyām — northern; diśi — direction; bhūriśaḥ — sufficient.

TRANSLATION

Understanding the hearty wishes of the King, his brothers, as advised by the infallible Lord Kṛṣṇa, collected sufficient riches from the north [left by King Marutta].

VERSE 1.12.34

tena sambhṛta-sambhāro
dharma-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
vājimedhais tribhir bhīto
yajñaiḥ samayajad dharim

SYNONYMS

tena — with that wealth; sambhṛta — collected; sambhāraḥ — ingredients; dharma-putraḥ — the pious king; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira; vājimedhaiḥ — by horse sacrifices; tribhiḥ — three times; bhītaḥ — being greatly afraid after the Battle of Kurukṣetra; yajñaiḥ — sacrifices; samayajat — perfectly worshiped; harim — the Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

By those riches, the King could procure the ingredients for three horse sacrifices. Thus the pious King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was very fearful after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, pleased Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 1.12.35

āhūto bhagavān rājñā
yājayitvā dvijair nṛpam
uvāsa katicin māsān
suhṛdāṁ priya-kāmyayā

SYNONYMS

āhūtaḥ — being called by; bhagavān — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; rājñā — by the King; yājayitvā — causing to be performed; dvijaiḥ — by the learned brāhmaṇas; nṛpam — on behalf of the King; uvāsa — resided; katicit — a few; māsān — months; suhṛdām — for the sake of the relatives; priya-kāmyayā — for the pleasure.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, being invited to the sacrifices by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, saw to it that they were performed by qualified [twice-born] brāhmaṇas. After that, for the pleasure of the relatives, the Lord remained a few months.

VERSE 1.12.36

tato rājñābhyanujñātaḥ
kṛṣṇayā saha-bandhubhiḥ
yayau dvāravatīṁ brahman
sārjuno yadubhir vṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — thereafter; rājñā — by the King; abhyanujñātaḥ — being permitted; kṛṣṇayā — as well as by Draupadī; saha — along with; bandhubhiḥ — other relatives; yayau — went to; dvāravatīm — Dvārakā-dhāma; brahman — O brāhmaṇas; sa-arjunaḥ — along with Arjuna; yadubhiḥ — by the members of the Yadu dynasty; vṛtaḥ — surrounded.

TRANSLATION

O Śaunaka, thereafter the Lord, having bade farewell to King Yudhiṣṭhira, Draupadī and other relatives, started for the city of Dvārakā, accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty.