FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.17.43-44

स एष एतर्ह्यध्यास्त आसनं पार्थिवोचितम् । पितामहेनोपन्यस्तं राज्ञारण्यं विविक्षता ॥ ४३ ॥ आस्तेऽधुना स राजर्षि: कौरवेन्द्रश्रियोल्लसन् । गजाह्वये महाभागश्चक्रवर्ती बृहच्छ्रवा: ॥ ४४ ॥
sa eṣa etarhy adhyāsta
[sa esha etarhy adhyaasta]
āsanaṁ pārthivocitam
[aasanam paarthivochitam]
pitāmahenopanyastaṁ
[pitaamahenopanyastam]
rājñāraṇyaṁ vivikṣatā
[raajnaaranyam vivikshataa]
āste ’dhunā sa rājarṣiḥ
[aaste ’dhunaa sa raajarshih]
kauravendra-śriyollasan
[kauravendra-shriyollasan]
gajāhvaye mahā-bhāgaś
[gajaahvaye mahaa-bhaagash]
cakravartī bṛhac-chravāḥ
[chakravartee brihach-chravaah]
saḥ — he eṣaḥ — this etarhi — at the present adhyāste — is ruling over āsanam — the throne pārthiva-ucitam — just befitting a king pitāmahena — by the grandfather upanyastam — being handed over rājñā — by the King araṇyam — forest vivikṣatā — desiring āste — is there adhunā — at present saḥ — that rāja-ṛṣiḥ — the sage amongst the kings kaurava-indra — the chief amongst the Kuru kings śriyā — glories ullasan — spreading gajāhvaye — in Hastināpura mahā-bhāgaḥ — the most fortunate cakravartī — the Emperor bṛhat-śravāḥ — highly famous.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa eṣa etarhy adhyāsta
saḥ
he
eṣaḥ
this
etarhi
at the present
adhyāste
is ruling over
āsanaṁ pārthivocitam
āsanam
the throne
pārthiva-ucitam
just befitting a king
pitāmahenopanyastaṁ
pitāmahena
by the grandfather
upanyastam
being handed over
rājñāraṇyaṁ vivikṣatā
rājñā
by the King
araṇyam
forest
vivikṣatā
desiring
āste ’dhunā sa rājarṣiḥ
āste
is there
adhunā
at present
saḥ
that
rāja-ṛṣiḥ
the sage amongst the kings
kauravendra-śriyollasan
kaurava-indra
the chief amongst the Kuru kings
śriyā
glories
ullasan
spreading
gajāhvaye mahā-bhāgaś
gajāhvaye
in Hastināpura
mahā-bhāgaḥ
the most fortunate
cakravartī bṛhac-chravāḥ
cakravartī
the Emperor
bṛhat-śravāḥ
highly famous.
The most fortunate emperor Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was entrusted with the kingdom of Hastināpura by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira when he desired to retire to the forest, is now ruling the world with great success due to his being glorified by the deeds of the kings of the Kuru dynasty.

The prolonged sacrificial ceremonies undertaken by the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya were begun shortly after the demise of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The sacrifice was to continue for one thousand years, and it is understood that in the beginning some of the contemporaries of Baladeva, the elder brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa, also visited the sacrificial place. According to some authorities, the present tense is also used to indicate the nearest margin of time from the past. In that sense, the present tense is applied to the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit here. For a continuous fact, also, present tense can be used. The principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit can be still continued, and human society can still be improved if there is determination by the authorities. We can still purge out from the state all the activities of immorality introduced by the personality of Kali if we are determined to take action like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He allotted some place for Kali, but in fact Kali could not find such places in the world at all because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was strictly vigilant to see that there were no places for gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter. Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state. They want the kingdom of God without God consciousness. How can it be possible to adjust two contradictory matters? If we want to drive out corruption from the state, we must first of all organize society to accept the principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, and to make the condition favorable we must close all places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and falsity. These are some of the practical lessons from the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He is presently sitting on the throne given by his grandfather King Yudhiṣṭhira who desired to go to the forest. This sage among kings, who is greatly fortunate, famous, ruling the world, shining with the wealth of a Kuru king, is now residing in Hastināpura.
Commentary

Because of his influence, you can perform sacrifice here. This is expressed in three verses. Adhyāste means “he is presently protecting the kingdom.” The present tense is used because of nearness to the present (Parīkṣit had already disappeared).

The most fortunate Parīkṣit, entrusted with the kingdom by Yudhiṣṭhira, is now ruling the world with great success due to being glorified by Bhīṣma and others' deeds. Standing on others' deeds is its own gift.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose deeds am I 'standing on' in my current work?
  • How does acknowledging that lineage shape my service?
📝 My note

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