sūta uvāca tataḥ parīkṣid dvija-varya-śikṣayā mahīṁ mahā-bhāgavataḥ śaśāsa ha yathā hi sūtyām abhijāta-kovidāḥ samādiśan vipra mahad-guṇas tathā
Universal Translation
Sūta Gosvāmī said: O learned brāhmaṇas, Mahārāja Parīkṣit then began to rule over the world as a great devotee of the Lord under the instructions of the best of the twice-born brāhmaṇas. He ruled by those great qualities which were foretold by expert astrologers at the time of his birth.
sa uttarasya tanayām upayema irāvatīm janamejayādīṁś caturas tasyām utpādayat sutān
Universal Translation
King Parīkṣit married the daughter of King Uttara and begot four sons, headed by Mahārāja Janamejaya.
ājahārāśva-medhāṁs trīn gaṅgāyāṁ bhūri-dakṣiṇān śāradvataṁ guruṁ kṛtvā devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ
Universal Translation
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after having selected Kṛpācārya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods.
nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ kaliṁ digvijaye kvacit nṛpa-liṅga-dharaṁ śūdraṁ ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā
Universal Translation
Once, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on his way to conquer the world, he saw the master of Kali-yuga, who was lower than a śūdra, disguised as a king and hurting the legs of a cow and bull. The King at once caught hold of him to deal sufficient punishment.
śaunaka uvāca kasya hetor nijagrāha kaliṁ digvijaye nṛpaḥ nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk śūdra- ko ’sau gāṁ yaḥ padāhanat tat kathyatāṁ mahā-bhāga yadi kṛṣṇa-kathāśrayam
Universal Translation
Śaunaka Ṛṣi inquired: Why did Mahārāja Parīkṣit simply punish him, since he was the lowest of the śūdras, having dressed as a king and having struck a cow on the leg? Please describe all these incidents if they relate to the topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
athavāsya padāmbhoja- makaranda-lihāṁ satām kim anyair asad-ālāpair āyuṣo yad asad-vyayaḥ
Universal Translation
The devotees of the Lord are accustomed to licking up the honey available from the lotus feet of the Lord. What is the use of topics which simply waste one’s valuable life?
kṣudrāyuṣāṁ nṛṇām aṅga martyānām ṛtam icchatām ihopahūto bhagavān mṛtyuḥ śāmitra-karmaṇi
Universal Translation
O Sūta Gosvāmī, there are those amongst men who desire freedom from death and get eternal life. They escape the slaughtering process by calling the controller of death, Yamarāja.
na kaścin mriyate tāvad yāvad āsta ihāntakaḥ etad-arthaṁ hi bhagavān āhūtaḥ paramarṣibhiḥ aho nṛ-loke pīyeta hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ
Universal Translation
As long as Yamarāja, who causes everyone’s death, is present here, no one shall meet with death. The great sages have invited the controller of death, Yamarāja, who is the representative of the Lord. Living beings who are under his grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.
mandasya manda-prajñasya vayo mandāyuṣaś ca vai nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ divā ca vyartha-karmabhiḥ
Universal Translation
Lazy human beings with paltry intelligence and a short duration of life pass the night sleeping and the day performing activities that are for naught.
sūta uvāca yadā parīkṣit kuru-jāṅgale ’vasat kaliṁ praviṣṭaṁ nija-cakravartite niśamya vārtām anatipriyāṁ tataḥ śarāsanaṁ saṁyuga-śauṇḍir ādade
Universal Translation
Sūta Gosvāmī said: While Mahārāja Parīkṣit was residing in the capital of the Kuru empire, the symptoms of the Age of Kali began to infiltrate within the jurisdiction of his state. When he learned about this, he did not think the matter very palatable. This did, however, give him a chance to fight. He took up his bow and arrows and prepared himself for military activities.
svalaṅkṛtaṁ śyāma-turaṅga-yojitaṁ rathaṁ mṛgendra-dhvajam āśritaḥ purāt vṛto rathāśva-dvipapatti-yuktayā sva-senayā digvijayāya nirgataḥ
Universal Translation
Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat on a chariot drawn by black horses. His flag was marked with the sign of a lion. Being so decorated and surrounded by charioteers, cavalry, elephants and infantry soldiers, he left the capital to conquer in all directions.
bhadrāśvaṁ ketumālaṁ ca bhārataṁ cottarān kurūn kimpuruṣādīni varṣāṇi vijitya jagṛhe balim
Universal Translation
Mahārāja Parīkṣit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet — Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kuru, Kimpuruṣa, etc. — and exacted tributes from their respective rulers.