The Birth of Parīkṣit

This chapter contains thirty-six verses, out of which the first three are spoken by Śaunaka, and the remaining verses are spoken by Śrī Sūta. In the midst of his narration, Sūta reported a conversation between Yudhiṣṭhira and a group of brāhmaṇa astrologers who were present at the birth of Parīkṣit. Thus, within Sūta’s overall narrative, verses 15–17 are spoken by the brāhmaṇas, verse 18 is a question by Yudhiṣṭhira, and verses 19–28 are spoken by the brāhmaṇas in response. The final eight verses are again spoken directly by Sūta.

The previous chapter ended with Sūta’s description of Kṛṣṇa’s entrance into Dvārakā. At this point in the conversation, Śaunaka saw an opportunity to revisit the topic of Parīkṣit’s birth, actions, and final liberation— a subject that Sūta first proposed to speak about in SB 1.7.12. Accordingly, in Chapter 8, Sūta took up the topic of Parīkṣit’s being protected in the womb of Uttarā from the brahmāstra released by Aśvatthāmā. When Uttarā prayed to Kṛṣṇa for protection, He extinguished the brahmāstra with His Sudarśana disc. This topic led in the same chapter to the prayers of Kuntī, which in the three following chapters led to the discussion of Bhīṣma’s passing away, Kṛṣṇa’s departure from Hastināpura, and His entrance into Dvārakā. Consequently, nothing more was said about Parīkṣit in Chapters 8–11. Seizing the appropriate moment in the discussion, Śaunaka inquired again about Parīkṣit in a specific manner (verses 1–3).

In reply to Śaunaka’s question, Sūta first summarized Yudhiṣṭhira’s ideal reign and his exclusive fixity in Śrī Kṛṣṇa (verses 4–6). He then described Parīkṣit’s experience of suddenly seeing Kṛṣṇa in a tiny Viṣṇu form within the womb of his mother while being burnt by the brahmāstra. Being struck by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s form and witnessing Him extinguish the brahmāstra, the child in the womb thought to himself, “Who can He be?” Immediately thereafter, Kṛṣṇa disappeared from where He was seen just a moment before (verses 7–11).

After this, on the auspicious occasion of Parīkṣit’s birth, Yudhiṣṭhira bestowed lavish charity upon the brāhmaṇas (verses 12–14). Being pleased with his gifts, the brāhmaṇas praised the child and announced that he would be celebrated in the world by the name Viṣṇurāta, because he was “given” (rāta) by Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa (verses 15–17). Yudhiṣṭhira then inquired from the brāhmaṇas, who were expert in astrology, whether Parīkṣit was destined to follow in the footsteps of the saintly kings of his dynasty (verse 18). In reply, the brāhmaṇas described Parīkṣit’s extraordinary qualities (verses 19–24), the remarkable deeds he would perform, his uncommon death, and final liberation (verses 25–28).

Sūta then concluded the topic concerning Parīkṣit by saying that he became renowned in the world as Parīkṣit, “the examiner,” because after his birth, he “examined” (parīkṣeta) each and every man that he met with the thought, “Is he the same person that I saw while in my mother’s womb?” (verses 29–31).

On this note, Sūta returned to a discussion of Yudhiṣṭhira, taking up Śaunaka’s question from the first verse of Chapter 10, in which he asked what Yudhiṣṭhira did after assuming the throne (kim akāraṣīt tataḥ). With this in mind, Sūta described Yudhiṣṭhira’s apprehension in regard to the sin of killing his relatives. He thus performed three aśvamedha-yajñas to worship Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter, Kṛṣṇa spent several months in Hastināpura to please His friends and relatives and then departed for Dvārakā (verses 32–36), as described previously in Chapter 10. The discussion regarding the final stage of the lives of Yudhiṣṭhira, his brothers, and other key surviving members of the dynasty is continued in the next chapter up to the end of Chapter 15.