Shloka 2
Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy (Śṛṅgi) and the Moral Crisis of Kali-yuga
ब्रह्मकोपोत्थिताद् यस्तु तक्षकात्प्राणविप्लवात् । न सम्मुमोहोरुभयाद् भगवत्यर्पिताशय: ॥ २ ॥
brahma-kopotthitād yas tu takṣakāt prāṇa-viplavāt na sammumohorubhayād bhagavaty arpitāśayaḥ
Moreover, because Mahārāja Parīkṣit had always offered his heart to Bhagavān, he was neither afraid nor shaken, even by the deadly threat of Takṣaka, brought about by the wrath of a young brāhmaṇa.
A self-surrendered devotee of the Lord is called nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Such a person is never afraid of any place or person, not even of death. For him nothing is as important as the Supreme Lord, and thus he gives equal importance to heaven and hell. He knows well that both heaven and hell are creations of the Lord, and similarly life and death are different conditions of existence created by the Lord. But in all conditions and in all circumstances, remembrance of Nārāyaṇa is essential. The nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa practices this constantly. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was such a pure devotee. He was wrongfully cursed by an inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa, who was under the influence of Kali, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit took this to be sent by Nārāyaṇa. He knew that Nārāyaṇa (Lord Kṛṣṇa) had saved him when he was burned in the womb of his mother, and if he were to be killed by a snake bite, it would also take place by the will of the Lord. The devotee never goes against the will of the Lord; anything sent by God is a blessing for the devotee. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit was neither afraid of nor bewildered by such things. That is the sign of a pure devotee of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse says that one who has offered the heart to Bhagavān is not bewildered even by death—whether it comes through Takṣaka or any other cause.
Takṣaka is the serpent destined to cause Parīkṣit’s death due to a curse; the verse highlights that a surrendered devotee remains steady despite such a threat.
Practice steady remembrance of the Lord—through hearing (śravaṇam), chanting (kīrtanam), and living with surrender—so fear and anxiety lose their power over the mind.