202
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 4]
their own benefit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a pious king. He conquered his enemies, and therefore the kingdom was full of prosperity. There was enough milk, grains and metals, and all the rivers and mountains were full of potency. So materially everything was satisfactory. Therefore, there was no question of untimely giving up his kingdom and life. They were eager to hear about all this.
TEXT 12
शिवाय लोकस्य भवाय भूतये 
  य उत्तमश्लोकपरायणा जनाः । 
  जीवन्ति नात्मार्थमसौ पराश्रयं 
  मुमोच निर्विद्य कुतः कलेवरम् ॥१२॥
śivāya lokasya bhavāya bhūtaye 
  ya uttama-śloka-parāyaṇā janāḥ 
  jīvanti nātmārtham asau parāśrayam 
  mumoca nirvidya kutaḥ kalevaram
śivāya—welfare; lokasya—of all living beings; bhavāya—for flourishing; bhūtaye—for economic development; ye—one who is; uttama-śloka-parāyaṇāḥ—devoted to the cause of the Personality of Godhead; janāḥ—men; jīvanti—do live; na—but not; ātma-artham—selfish interest; asau—that; parāśrayam—shelter for others; mumoca—gave up; nirvidya—being freed from all attachment; kutaḥ—for what reason; kalevaram—mortal body.
TRANSLATION
Those who are devoted to the cause of the Personality of Godhead live only for the welfare, development and happiness of others. They do not live for any selfish interest. So even though the Emperor [Parīkṣit] was free from all attachment to worldly possessions, how could he give up his mortal body, which was shelter for others?
PURPORT
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was an ideal king and householder because he was a devotee of the Personality of Godhead. A devotee of the Lord has automatically all good qualifications. And the Emperor was a typical