24
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 2, Ch. 1
Khaṭvāṅga, being very much alert to his prime duty, inquired from the demigods about his remaining duration of life. This means that he was not as anxious to accumulate some material benediction from the demigods as he was to prepare himself for the next life. He was, however, informed by the demigods that his life would last only a moment longer. The King at once left the heavenly kingdom, which is always full of material enjoyment of the highest standard, and coming down on this earth, took ultimate shelter of the all-safe Personality of Godhead. He was successful in his great attempt and got liberation. This attempt, even for a moment, by the saintly King, was successful because he was always alert to his prime duty. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was thus encouraged by the great Śukadeva Gosvāmī, even though he had only seven days left in his life to execute the prime duty of hearing the glories of the Lord in the form of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . By the will of the Lord, Mahārāja Parīkṣit instantly met the great Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and the great treasure of spiritual success left by him is nicely mentioned in the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam .
TEXT 14
तवाप्येतर्हि कौरव्य ममाहं जीवितावधिः । उपकल्पय तत्सर्वं तावद्यन्साम्परायिकम् ॥१४॥
tavāpy etarhi kauravya saptāham jīvitāvadhiḥ upakalpaya tat sarvam tāvad yat sāmparāyikam
tava—your; api—also; etarhi—therefore; kauravya—born in the family of Kuru; saptāham—seven days; jīvita—duration of life; avadhiḥ—up to the limit of; upakalpaya—get them performed; tat—those; sarvam—all; tāvat—so long; yat—which are; sāmparāyikam—rituals for the next life.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, now your duration of life is limited to seven more days, so during this time you can perform all those rituals which are needed for the best purpose of your next life.