Text 3]
Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
987
certainly to be punished by the laws of the Lord, and he was expecting something very difficult in the very near future. He therefore desired the imminent calamity to fall on him and not on his family members. A man's personal misconduct affects all family members. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit desired the calamity to fall on him alone. By suffering personally he would be restrained from future sins, and at the same time the sin which he had committed would be counteracted so that his descendants would not suffer. That is the way a responsible devotee thinks. The family members of a devotee also share the effects of a devotee's service unto the Lord. Mahārāja Prahlāda saved his demon father by his personal devotional service. A devotee son in the family is the greatest boon or blessing of the Lord.
TEXT 3
अद्यैव राज्यं बलमृद्धकोशं 
    प्रकोपितब्रह्मकुलानलो मे । 
    दहत्वभद्रस्य पुनर्न मेऽभूत् 
    पापीयसी धीर्द्धिजदेवगोभ्यः ॥ ३ ॥
adyaiva rājyam balam ṛddha-kośam 
    prakopita-brahma-kulānalo me 
    dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhūt 
    pāpīyasī dhīr dvija-deva-gobhyaḥ
adya—this day; eva—on the very; rājyam—kingdom; balam ṛddha—strength and riches; kośam—treasury; prakopita—ignited by; brahma-kula—by the brāhmaṇa community; analaḥ—fire; me dahatu—let it burn me; abhadrasya—inauspiciousness; punaḥ—again; na—not; me—unto me; abhūt—may occur; pāpīyasī—sinful; dhīḥ—intelligence; dvija—brāhmaṇas; deva—the Supreme Lord; gobhyaḥ—and the cows.
TRANSLATION
I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brāhmaṇa's wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.