Shloka 32
Parīkṣit’s Vow on the Gaṅgā and the Advent of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
परीक्षिदुवाच अहो अद्य वयं ब्रह्मन् सत्सेव्या: क्षत्रबन्धव: । कृपयातिथिरूपेण भवद्भिस्तीर्थका: कृता: ॥ ३२ ॥
parīkṣid uvāca aho adya vayaṁ brahman sat-sevyāḥ kṣatra-bandhavaḥ kṛpayātithi-rūpeṇa bhavadbhis tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ
പരീക്ഷിത് പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ! ഇന്ന് ഞങ്ങൾ വെറും ക്ഷത്രബന്ധുക്കളായിരുന്നാലും ധന്യരായി; കാരണം സത്സംഗത്തിന്റെ സേവയ്ക്ക് അർഹരായി. നിങ്ങളുടെ കൃപയാൽ നിങ്ങൾ അതിഥിരൂപത്തിൽ ഇവിടെ വന്ന് ഞങ്ങളെ തീർത്ഥസ്ഥലങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ പവിത്രമാക്കി.
Saintly devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī generally do not approach worldly enjoyers, especially those in royal orders. Mahārāja Pratāparudra was a follower of Lord Caitanya, but when he wanted to see the Lord, the Lord refused to see him because he was a king. For a devotee who desires to go back to Godhead, two things are strictly prohibited: worldly enjoyers and women. Therefore, devotees of the standard of Śukadeva Gosvāmī are never interested in seeing kings. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was, of course, a different case. He was a great devotee, although a king, and therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī came to see him in his last stage of life. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, out of his devotional humility, felt himself an unworthy descendant of his great kṣatriya forefathers, although he was as great as his predecessors. The unworthy sons of the royal orders are called kṣatra-bandhavas, as the unworthy sons of the brāhmaṇas are called dvija-bandhus or brahma-bandhus. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was greatly encouraged by the presence of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He felt himself sanctified by the presence of the great saint whose presence turns any place into a place of pilgrimage.
FAQs
This verse teaches that when a saintly person is welcomed as a guest, their presence sanctifies the home itself, making it like a tīrtha (holy place).
Having been cursed to die in seven days, Parīkṣit sought the highest spiritual good; when Śukadeva arrived, the King humbly honored him as a merciful, saintly guest whose association could deliver him.
Cultivate humility and consciously honor saintly association—by welcoming sincere devotees, hearing hari-kathā, and treating such encounters as sacred opportunities for spiritual transformation.