1000 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 19
process, and Maharaja Pariksit, although honored by all the ysis and kings,
welcomed all the big men in that humble etiquette in order to be excused
from any offenses. Generally at the last stage of one’s life this humble
method is adopted by every sensible man in order to be excused before
departure. In this way Maharaja Pariksit implored everyone’s good will for
going back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 12
aanieaa a a:
Sama: 9 araaltid aq |
ete 4 ~~
Sasa: «NRA
sukhopavistesv atha tesu bhuyah
krta-pranamah sva-cikirsitam yat
vijfiapayamasa viviktaceta
upasthito ‘gre ‘bhigrhita-panih
sukha—happily; upavistesu—all sitting down; atha—thereupon; tesu—
unto them (the visitors); bhityah—again; krta-pranamah—having offered
obeisances; sva—his own; cikirsitam—decision of fasting; yat—who;
vijfidpayamasa—submitted; vivik ta-cetah—one whose mind is detached from
worldly affairs; upasthitah—being present; agre—before them; abhigrhita-
panih—humbly with folded hands.
TRANSLATION
After all the rsis and others had seated themselves comfortably, the
King, humbly standing before them with folded hands, told them of his
decision to fast until death.
PURPORT
Although the King had already decided to fast until death on the bank
of the Ganges, still he humbly expressed his decision to elicit the opinions
of the great authorities present there. Any decision, however important,
should be confirmed by some authority. That makes the matter perfect.
This means that the monarchs who ruled the earth in those days were not
irresponsible dictators. They scrupulously followed the authoritative deci-
