|| Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 14 – The curse on King Pareekshith

Once, King Pareekshith adorned in the magnificent crown, attired in grand royal garments, accompanied by his men went for a hunting expedition.  Soon, he began chasing the animal, after some time, he found left alone in the middle of the forest.  He was tired of hunger and thirst, little far from the place he could see a hermitage.  He approached the hermitage where Sage Sameeka was in deep meditation.  The King went close to the Sage and said “ Oh! Revered Sage, I am worn out of hunger and thirst.  Could you offer some water to quench my thirst?”  The Sage was deeply immersed in the meditation, so he could not hear or respond to King Pareekshith who was already wearied, he felt humiliated became so angry, he shouted at the Sage and took a coil of a dead serpent which was found close to the seat of the Sage and garlanded around his neck.  The Kalipurusha who was already dwelling on the marvelous crown of King Pareekshith started polluting his intellect; the King was completely under the influence of Kalipurusha left the hermitage of Sage Sameeka in a rage.  While returning to the Palace, King Pareekshith already started feeling guilty for his immoral conduct; he was confused and thought “why did I do such an immoral act? What happened to me? I should not have behaved like that to a noble soul.  I have committed a grave sin.”

Shrungi,  son of Sage Sameeka returned from ablation and saw dead serpent around his father’s neck, was in deep meditation.  He could realize all that happened in his absence with his mental power.  He felt so disappointed at the behavior of King Pareekshith who is obliged to protect the righteousness and saintly people.  Shrungi decided the King forgot to show the basic manner to a noble soul so he is deserved to be punished.  He was so infuriated and cursed the King that he would face death by serpent Thakshaka bite in seven days.  Sage Sameeka got out of the meditation and saw his son before him.  Shrungi was in a rage, he detailed all that happened to his father while he was in deep meditation.  Sage Sameeka became unhappy and advised his son “Dear son, You have made a terrible sin.  You should not have cursed the King who is our protector.  You should not have done that.  He is a righteous King; hence you should inform the King about the curse immediately.”

Shrungi informed the King about the curse, but the King was grown far too dispassionate from the material world, he left the Palace and his family, he gracefully accepted the curse, he abandoned the thrown of Hasthinapur and left his Kingdom forever.  He arrived on the banks of river Ganga and seated contemplating upon supreme Lord.