|| Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 16 – The  Legend of King Katvanga

The nectar-like legends of Sri Bhagavath Mahapurana begins from the parrot faced Shukadev Maharaj, he imparted the knowledge of Bhramam, love, and devotion to the Supreme Lord in seven days and at the end, King Pareekshith attained the abode of Lord.  Shukadev Maharaj answered all the queries of Pareekshith with great enthusiasm, they have completed till the seventeenth chapter, Pareekshith said “ Oh! Sages, my humble salutations to you, I have seven days to live on this Earth,  I want to purify my soul by listening to the endless glories of supreme Lord and attain highest of the spiritual state.  Kindly advise me what should I do? How to meditate upon supreme Lord? What are the austerities I should follow? What are the sacred chants I should recite? Which is the spiritual place I should visit? What are the Yogi practices I should follow? What are the fire sacrifices I should perform? Kindly narrate which is the highest Dharmic rite should I perform?”

Shukadev Maharaj began to explain “ Pareekshith, your qualms are significant for spiritual welfare, all the living beings have to die in this Prithvi Lok, it is important to know how to become fearless of death.  The extreme fear causes due to the attachment to worldly affairs, fear of poverty is caused by wealth, fear of illnesses caused by sensual pleasures, attachment of fame causes the fear of humiliation.  Therefore the practice of renunciation/abandonment only can remove all these fears, sense of detachment provides fearlessness.”  Pareekshith revealed his concern that he has only seven days to live on Earth, how to practice all those.  Shukadev Maharaj describes the legend of King Katvanga to Pareekshith.

There was a King Katvanga in the Raghu dynasty.  He immensely provided help to deities in a battle with the demons.  Finally, the deities won the battle, deities were highly pleased with King Katvanga and Lord Indra offered a boon to King Katvanga who wanted to know about his life span on the Earth.  Lord Indra advised King Katvanga to ask for some other boon, it is not permitted for the living beings on Earth to know their life span which could create chaos in the Prithvi Loka, therefore it always remained highly confidential between the deities.   King Katvanga was firm to know about his life span.  Lord Indra said “ Oh! King, you have 48 minutes left to live on the Earth.”  King Katvanga was not anxious at all; he rushed to Prithvi Loka, arranged an assembly of members and offered his throne to his son, the wealth was equally distributed among his sons and a huge amount of charities were performed.  He seated upon contemplating on supreme Lord and attained the abode of the Lord.