Shloka 28
The Birth of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Prophecies of His Greatness
जिज्ञासितात्मयाथार्थ्यो मुनेर्व्याससुतादसौ । हित्वेदं नृप गङ्गायां यास्यत्यद्धाकुतोभयम् ॥ २८ ॥
jijñāsitātma-yāthārthyo muner vyāsa-sutād asau hitvedaṁ nṛpa gaṅgāyāṁ yāsyaty addhākutobhayam
ഹേ രാജാവേ! വ്യാസപുത്രനായ മഹർഷിയിൽ നിന്ന് ആത്മതത്ത്വത്തിന്റെ യഥാർത്ഥ ജ്ഞാനം അന്വേഷിച്ചറിഞ്ഞ ശേഷം, അവൻ എല്ലാം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് ഗംഗാതീരത്തേക്ക് പോയി, സംശയമില്ലാതെ ഭയരഹിതമായ നില പ്രാപിക്കും।
Material knowledge means ignorance of the knowledge of one’s own self. Philosophy means to seek after the right knowledge of one’s own self, or the knowledge of self-realization. Without self-realization, philosophy is dry speculation or a waste of time and energy. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the right knowledge of one’s own self, and by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one can get free from material attachment and enter into the kingdom of fearlessness. This material world is fearfulness. Its prisoners are always fearful as within a prison house. In the prison house no one can violate the jail rules and regulations, and violating the rules means another term for extension of prison life. Similarly, we in this material existence are always fearful. This fearfulness is called anxiety. Everyone in the material life, in all species and varieties of life, is full of anxieties, either by breaking or without breaking the laws of nature. Liberation, or mukti, means getting relief from these constant anxieties. This is possible only when the anxiety is changed to the devotional service of the Lord. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives us the chance to change the quality of anxiety from matter to spirit. This is done in the association of a learned philosopher like the self-realized Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the great son of Śrī Vyāsadeva. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after receiving warning of his death, took advantage of this opportunity by association with Śukadeva Gosvāmī and achieved the desired result.
FAQs
In this verse, 'akuto-bhayam' indicates the condition beyond all fear—attained through realizing the self and taking shelter of Bhagavan by hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from a pure devotee like Śukadeva.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the realized sage who teaches Parīkṣit the absolute truth and devotional conclusion of the Bhāgavatam, enabling him to renounce the body peacefully and attain fearlessness.
Seek authentic spiritual guidance, regularly hear and study Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, and cultivate remembrance of Krishna; this shifts identity from the temporary body to the eternal self and reduces fear.