Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 13

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मभूतस्य राजर्षेर्देहोऽहिगरलाग्निना । बभूव भस्मसात् सद्य: पश्यतां सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

brahma-bhūtasya rājarṣer deho ’hi-garalāgninā babhūva bhasmasāt sadyaḥ paśyatāṁ sarva-dehinām

Translation

Trước mắt muôn loài, thân thể của vị thánh vương đã an trú trong Brahman ấy lập tức bị lửa độc của rắn thiêu thành tro.

Synonyms

• ब्रह्म-भूतस्य: of the Brahman-realized
• ब्रह्म-भूतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (भू-धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समास: ब्रह्मरूपे भूतः (तत्पुरुष)

• राजर्षेः: of the royal sage
• राजर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समास: राजन् + ऋषि

• देहः: body
• देहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहि-गरल-अग्निना: by the fire of serpent poison
• अहि-गरल-अग्निना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक) + गरल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समास: अहेः गरलम् (षष्ठी) + तेन अग्निः (तत्पुरुषार्थ) = ‘by the fire of serpent-poison’

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भस्मसात्: into ashes
• भस्मसात्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Result)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भस्मसात् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययभावे (indeclinable adverbial form) = ‘to ashes/into ashes’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पश्यताम्: of those watching
• पश्यताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) ‘पश्यत्’ षष्ठी (genitive) बहुवचन; ‘while (they) were seeing’/‘of those seeing’

• सर्व-देहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्व-देहिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समास: सर्वे देहिनः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थ)

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Parikshit Maharaja’s death?

This verse states that Parīkṣit—already situated in Brahman consciousness—had his body instantly burned to ashes by the fiery potency arising from the serpent’s poison, in full view of onlookers.

Why is Parikshit Maharaja called a “brahma-bhūta” (situated in Brahman) here?

Because by hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam with full absorption and devotion, he became spiritually fixed beyond bodily identity, so the destruction of the body did not touch his realized state.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Remember the body is temporary and cultivate steady spiritual hearing and remembrance; inner realization and devotion prepare one to face inevitable change and death with clarity and faith.