1006
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 19]
iti —thus;  sma —as in the past;  rājā —the King;  adhyavasāya —perseverance;  yuktaḥ —being engaged;  prācīna —eastern;  mūleṣu —with the root;  kuśeṣu —on a seat made of  kuśa  straw;  dhīraḥ —self-controlled;  udanmukhaḥ —facing the northern side;  dakṣīṇa —on the southern;  kūla —bank;  āste —situated;  samudra —the sea;  patnyāḥ —wife of (the Ganges);  sva —own;  suta —son;  nyasta —given over;  bhāraḥ —the charge of administration.
TRANSLATION
In perfect self-control Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat down on a seat of straw, with straw-roots facing the east, placed on the southern bank of the Ganges, and he himself faced the north. Just previously he had given charge of his kingdom over to his sons.
PURPORT
The River Ganges is celebrated as the wife of the sea. The seat of  kuśa  straw is considered to be sanctified if the straw is taken out of the earth complete with root, and if the root is pointed towards the east it is considered to be auspicious. Facing the north is still more favorable for attaining spiritual success. Mahārāja Parīkṣit handed over the charge of administration to his son before leaving home. He was thus fully equipped for all favorable conditions.
TEXT 18
एवं च तस्मिन्नरदेवदेवे प्रायोपविष्टे दिवि देवसङ्घाः । प्रशस्य भूमौ व्यक्तिरन् प्रसन्ने- मुदा मुदुर्दुन्दुमयश्च नेदुः ॥१८॥
evam ca tasmin nara-deva-deve prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-saṅghāḥ praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair mudā muhur dundubhayaśca neduḥ
evam —thus;  ca —and;  tasmin —in that;  nara-deva-deve —upon the King’s;  prāya-upaviṣṭe —being engaged in fasting to death;  divi —in the sky;  deva —demigods;  saṅghāḥ —all of them;  praśasya —having praised the action;