Thursday, May 1, 2014

Bhagavatam - The story of Lord Krishna




....contd.....

Why and how Bhagavatam was first told to King Pariskshit?

Coming to Bhagavatam, Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhadra.  Subhadra was the sister of Lord Krishna.  That way Uttara was the daughter-in-law of Krishna's sister.  So, Uttara sought Lord's protection and pleaded him to protect her unborn child.  Krishna promised to do so.  So, when Ashwattama used 'Brahma-Astram" Lord Krishna entered Uttara's womb and became it's shield.  The foetus saw the glimpse of the Lord's form for a moment and remembered it even after taking birth and hence kept looking for the divine form in one and all and hence came to be called as "Parikshit" - "the one in search of Lord" - though he was originally called as "Vishnudatta" the one born because of Vishnu's grace.

He was humble, kind, just and a wonderful ruler liked and respected by one and all!  Once, when he had gone for hunting, he lot his way.  He was famished and went into the hut of a sage seeking food.  But, the sage was in deep meditation and didnot listen to his request for food.  Hunger clouded his senses and in his anger, he thought the sage was actually acting as if in meditation and hence put a dead snake around his neck.  When the sage didnot move inspite of this gross act, he came to his senses, sought his forgiveness and went his way.

The sage's son when he returned and saw the dead snake around his father's neck, found out what happened and cursd that Parikshit should die in seven days - being bitten by the snake Takshak. 

...contd....

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