Text 47] Maharaja Panksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy 979

PURPORT

After explaining the general codes relating to the royal position and
asserting that the king can do no wrong and therefore is never to be con-
demned, the sage Samik wanted to say something about Emperor Pariksit
specifically. The specific qualification of Maharaja Panksit is summarized
herein. The King, even calculated as a king only, was most celebrated as a
ruler who administered the religious principles of the royal order. In the
S§astras the duties of all castes and orders of society are prescribed. All the
qualities of a ksatriya mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita (18.43) were present
in the person of the Emperor. He was also a great devotee of the Lord and
a self-realized soul. Cursing such a king, when he was tired and fatigued
with hunger and thirst, was not at all proper. The Samik Rsi thus admitted
from all sides that Maharaja Pariksit was cursed most unjustly. Although
all the brahmanas were aloof from the incidence, still for the childish action
of a brahmana boy, the whole world situation was changed. Thus the Rsi
Samik, a brahmana, took responsibility for all deterioration of the good
orders of the world.

TEXT 47

TMT GY WHET ST |
att Hd IMA Adie FeqHets Nivel

apapesu sva-bhrtyesu
balenapakva-buddhina

papam krtarm tad bhagavan
sarvatma ksantum arhati

apapesu—unto one who is completely free from all sins; sva-bhrtyesu—
unto one who is subordinate and deserves to be protected; balena—by a
child; apakva—who is immature; buddhina—by intelligence; papam—
sinful act; krtam—has been done; tat bhagavan—therefore the Personality
of Godhead; sarva-atma—who is all-pervading; ksantum—just to pardon;
arhati—deserve.

TRANSLATION

Then the rsi prayed to the all-pervading Personality of Godhead to
pardon his immature boy who had no intelligence and who committed the
