Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 15
Karmic Aspirations, Demigod Worship, and the Supreme Duty of Bhakti
Hari-kathā as Life’s True Gain
स वै भागवतो राजा पाण्डवेयो महारथ: । बालक्रीडनकै: क्रीडन् कृष्णक्रीडां य आददे ॥ १५ ॥
sa vai bhāgavato rājā pāṇḍaveyo mahā-rathaḥ bāla-krīḍanakaiḥ krīḍan kṛṣṇa-kṛīḍāṁ ya ādade
பாண்டவர்களின் பேரன், மகாரதன் அரசன் பரீக்ஷித் உண்மையான பகவதன். சிறுவயதிலேயே பொம்மைகளுடன் விளையாடிக்கொண்டே குடும்பத் தெய்வத்தின் பூஜையைப் போலச் செய்து ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணனை வழிபட்டார்.
In the Bhagavad-gītā (6.41) it is stated that even a person who has failed in the proper discharge of yoga practice is given a chance to take birth in the house of devout brāhmaṇas or in the houses of rich men like kṣatriya kings or rich merchants. But Mahārāja Parīkṣit was more than that because he had been a great devotee of the Lord since his previous birth, and as such he took his birth in an imperial family of the Kurus, and especially that of the Pāṇḍavas. So from the very beginning of his childhood he had the chance to know intimately the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa in his own family. The Pāṇḍavas, all being devotees of the Lord, certainly venerated family Deities in the royal palace for worship. Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities, even in the way of childhood play. By the grace of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, we had the chance of being born in a Vaiṣṇava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa by imitating our father. Our father encouraged us in all respects to observe all functions such as the Ratha-yātrā and Dola-yātrā ceremonies, and he used to spend money liberally for distributing prasāda to us children and our friends. Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaiṣṇava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaiṣṇava father, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda. That is the way of all lucky Vaiṣṇava families. The celebrated Mīrā Bāī was a staunch devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the great lifter of Govardhana Hill.
FAQs
This verse states that King Parīkṣit was a true bhāgavata because even in childhood play he naturally embraced Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, showing that early remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is a hallmark of deep devotion.
Śukadeva highlights Parīkṣit’s innate attraction to Kṛṣṇa-līlā—even as a child—to establish that his later eagerness to hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is rooted in genuine, lifelong devotion.
Bring Kṛṣṇa into everyday life by making time for hearing, reading, and remembering His pastimes—so devotion becomes natural, not occasional, just as Parīkṣit’s play became Kṛṣṇa-centered.