Text 4] How Panksit Received the Age of Kali 839

sacrifices performed by influential kings and emperors. Herein also we find
that during the time of the horse sacrifice ceremony of Maharaja Pariksit,
the demigods from other planets were visible even for the common man
due to the sacrificial ceremony. The demigods are not generally visible to
common men, as the Lord is not visible. But as the Lord also, by His
causeless mercy, descends to be visible to the common man, similarly the
demigods also become visible to the common man by their own grace.
Although celestial beings are not visible to the naked eyes of the inhabitants
of this earth, it was due to the influence of Maharaja Pariksit that the
demigods also agreed to be visible. The kings used to spend lavishly during
such sacrifices, as a cloud distributes rains. A cloud is nothing but another
form of water, or, in other words, the waters of the earth transform into
clouds. Similarly, the charity made by the kings in such sacrifices are but
another form of the taxes collected from the citizens. But, as the rains
fall down very lavishly and appear to be more than necessary, the charity
made by such kings also seems to be more than what the citizen needs.
Satisfied citizens will never organize agitation against the king, and thus
there was no need in changing the monarchial state.

Even for a king like Maharaja Yudhisthira there was need of a spiritual
master for guidance. Without such guidance one cannot make progress in
spiritual life. The spiritual master must be bona fide, and one who wants
to have self-realization must approach and take shelter of a bona fide
spiritual master to achieve real success.

TEXT 4

ferasretsren are: HAS Rasa ATT |
mien ad cad mfr wel

niyagrahaujasa virah
kalim digvijaye kvacit
nrpa-linga-dharam sudram
ghnantam go-mithunam pada

nijagraha —sufficiently punished; ojasa—by prowess; virah—valiant hero;
kalim—unto Kali, the master of the age; digvijaye—on his way to conquei
the world; kvacit—once upon a time; nrpa-linga-dharam—one who passes
in the dress of a king; sidram—the lower class; ghnantamn—hurting; go-
mithunam—a cow and bull; pada—on the leg.
