Shloka 44
Parīkṣit Confronts Kali: Dharma (Bull) and Bhūmi (Cow) at the Dawn of Kali-yuga
स एष एतर्ह्यध्यास्त आसनं पार्थिवोचितम् । पितामहेनोपन्यस्तं राज्ञारण्यं विविक्षता ॥ ४३ ॥ आस्तेऽधुना स राजर्षि: कौरवेन्द्रश्रियोल्लसन् । गजाह्वये महाभागश्चक्रवर्ती बृहच्छ्रवा: ॥ ४४ ॥
sa eṣa etarhy adhyāsta āsanaṁ pārthivocitam pitāmahenopanyastaṁ rājñāraṇyaṁ vivikṣatā
นี่คือพระจักรพรรดิผู้เปี่ยมบุญญาธิการ มหาราชปริกษิต ผู้ซึ่งมหาราชยุธิษฐิระได้มอบราชอาณาจักรหัสตินาปุระให้ เมื่อทรงประสงค์จะเสด็จสู่ป่าเพื่อบำเพ็ญธรรม บัดนี้พระองค์ประทับบนราชบัลลังก์ ณ คชาหวยะ และทรงปกครองโลกอย่างรุ่งเรืองด้วยเกียรติแห่งวงศ์กุรุ
The prolonged sacrificial ceremonies undertaken by the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya were begun shortly after the demise of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The sacrifice was to continue for one thousand years, and it is understood that in the beginning some of the contemporaries of Baladeva, the elder brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa, also visited the sacrificial place. According to some authorities, the present tense is also used to indicate the nearest margin of time from the past. In that sense, the present tense is applied to the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit here. For a continuous fact, also, present tense can be used. The principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit can be still continued, and human society can still be improved if there is determination by the authorities. We can still purge out from the state all the activities of immorality introduced by the personality of Kali if we are determined to take action like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He allotted some place for Kali, but in fact Kali could not find such places in the world at all because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was strictly vigilant to see that there were no places for gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter. Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state. They want the kingdom of God without God consciousness. How can it be possible to adjust two contradictory matters? If we want to drive out corruption from the state, we must first of all organize society to accept the principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, and to make the condition favorable we must close all places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and falsity. These are some of the practical lessons from the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
FAQs
This verse describes a lawful, dharmic transfer of rule: the elder king, wishing to retire to the forest, entrusts the royal seat to the qualified successor, emphasizing orderly succession grounded in duty.
After completing his responsibilities, Yudhishthira desired renunciation and retirement; therefore he entrusted the kingdom to Parikshit, who was fit to protect dharma—especially crucial as Kali-yuga approached.
Leadership should be transferred responsibly: prepare qualified successors, hand over duties transparently, and prioritize protection of values (dharma) over personal attachment to position.