1022 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 19
TEXT 32
al AI TH AAT ANAM: FTIR |
arnfatietn aafxeibien: Ha: Uz
partksid uvaca
aho adya vayam brahman
sat-sevyah ksatra-bandhavah
krpayatithi-rupena
bhavadbhis tirthakah krtah

pariksit uvdca—the fortunate Maharaja Pariksit said; aho—ah; adya—
today; vayam—we; brahman—O brahmanas; sat-sevyah—eligible to serve
the devotee; ksatra—the ruling class; bandhavah—friends; krpaya—by your
mercy; atithi-rupena—in the manner of the great; bhavadbhih—by your
good self; tirthakah—qualified for being places of pilgrimage; krtah—done
by you.

TRANSLATION

The fortunate King Pariksit said: O brahmana, by your mercy only
you have sanctified us, making us like unto places of pilgrimage, all by
your presence here as my guest. By your mercy, we, who are but unworthy
royalty, become eligible to serve the devotee.

PURPORT

Saintly devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami generally do not approach
worldly enjoyers, especially those in royal orders. Maharaja Prataparudra
was a follower of Lord Caitanya, but when he wanted to see the Lord, the
Lord refused to see him because he was a king. For a devotee who desires
to go back to Godhead, two things are strictly prohibited: worldly enjoyers
and women. Therefore, devotees of the standard of Sukadeva Gosvami are
never interestedin seeing kings. Maharaja Pariksit was, of course, a different
case. He was a great devotee, although a king, and therefore Sukadeva
Gosvami came to see him in his last stage of life. Maharaja Panksit, out of
his devotional humility, felt himself an unworthy descendant of his great
ksatriya forefathers, although he was as great as his predecessors. The
unworthy sons of the royal orders are called ksatra-bandhavas, as the
unworthy sons of the brahmanas are called dvija-bandhus or brahma-
