Maharaja Parikshit is Cursed
(From Srimad Bhagavatam Canto-1, Chap-18)
Once upon a time Maharaja Parikṣit, while engaged in hunting in the forest with bow and arrows, became extremely fatigued, hungry and thirsty while following the stags.
While searching for a reservoir of water, he entered the hermitage of the well-known Samika Ṛṣi (Rishi) and saw the sage sitting silently with closed eyes.
The muni’s sense organs, breath, mind and intelligence were all restrained from material activities, and he was situated in a trance apart from the three [wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness], having achieved a transcendental position qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute.
(Bhisma deva’s Prayers to Krishna before leaving his body! READ HERE!)
The sage, in meditation, was covered by the skin of a stag, and long, compressed hair was scattered all over him.
The King, whose palate was dry from thirst, asked him for water.
The King, not received by any formal welcome by means of being offered a seat, place, water and sweet addresses, considered himself neglected, and so thinking he became angry.
The circumstances having distressed him with extreme hunger and thirst, the King directed toward the sage his anger and envy, which he had never before directed toward a brāhmaṇa.
While leaving, the King, being so insulted, picked up a lifeless snake with his bow and angrily placed it on the shoulder of the sage. Then he returned to his palace.
Upon returning, he began to contemplate and argue within himself whether the sage had actually been in meditation, with senses concentrated and eyes closed, or whether he had just been feigning trance just to avoid receiving a lower kṣatriya.
The sage had a son who was very powerful, being a brahmaṇa’s son. While he was playing with inexperienced boys, he heard of his father’s distress, which was occasioned by the King. Then and there the boy spoke as follows.
The brahmaṇa’s son, Srngi, said:
“O just look at the sins of the rulers who, like crows and watchdogs at the door, perpetrate sins against their masters, contrary to the principles governing servants.
The descendants of the kingly orders are definitely designated as watchdogs, and they must keep themselves at the door. On what grounds can dogs enter the house and claim to dine with the master on the same plate?
After the departure of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead and supreme ruler of everyone, these upstarts have flourished, our protector being gone.
Therefore I myself shall take up this matter and punish them. Just witness my power.”
The son of the rishi, his eyes red-hot with anger, touched the water of the River Kausika while speaking to his playmates and discharged the following thunderbolt of words.
The brahmaṇa’s son cursed the King thus:
“On the seventh day from today a snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty [Maharaja Parikṣit] because of his having broken the laws of etiquette by insulting my father.
Thereafter, when the boy returned to the hermitage, he saw a snake on his father’s shoulder, and out of his grief he cried very loudly.
The rishi, who was born in the family of Angira Muni, hearing his son crying, gradually opened his eyes and saw the dead snake around his neck.
He threw the dead snake aside and asked his son why he was crying, whether anyone had done him harm.
On hearing this, the son explained to him what had happened.
The father heard from his son that the King had been cursed, although he should never have been condemned, for he was the best amongst all human beings.
(Arjuna Punishes Asvatthama! READ HERE!)
The rishi did not congratulate his son, but, on the contrary, began to repent, saying:
“Alas! What a great sinful act was performed by my son. He has awarded heavy punishment for an insignificant offense. O my boy, your intelligence is immature, and therefore you have no knowledge that the king, who is the best amongst human beings, is as good as the Personality of Godhead. He is never to be placed on an equal footing with common men. The citizens of the state live in prosperity, being protected by his unsurpassable prowess.”
“My dear boy, the Lord, who carries the wheel of a chariot, is represented by the monarchical regime, and when this regime is abolished the whole world becomes filled with thieves, who then at once vanquish the unprotected subjects like scattered lambs. Due to the termination of the monarchical regimes and the plundering of the people’s wealth by rogues and thieves, there will be great social disruptions. People will be killed and injured, and animals and women will be stolen. And for all these sins we shall be responsible.”
“At that time the people in general will fall systematically from the path of a progressive civilization in respect to the qualitative engagements of the castes and the orders of society and the Vedic injunctions. Thus they will be more attracted to economic development for sense gratification, and as a result there will be an unwanted population on the level of dogs and monkeys.”
“The Emperor Parikṣit is a pious king. He is highly celebrated and is a first-class devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a saint amongst royalty, and he has performed many horse sacrifices. When such a king is tired and fatigued, being stricken with hunger and thirst, he does not at all deserve to be cursed.”
Then the rishi prayed to the all-pervading Personality of Godhead to pardon his immature boy, who had no intelligence and who committed the great sin of cursing a person who was completely free from all sins, who was subordinate and who deserved to be protected.
The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves.
The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the insult paid by the King very seriously.
Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure [in worldly things], for they are transcendentally engaged.
(KRISHNA SAVES PARIKSHIT! READ HERE!)