FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.32

परीक्षिदुवाच अहो अद्य वयं ब्रह्मन् सत्सेव्या: क्षत्रबन्धव: । कृपयातिथिरूपेण भवद्भ‍िस्तीर्थका: कृता: ॥ ३२ ॥
parīkṣid uvāca
[pareekshid uvaacha]
aho adya vayaṁ brahman
[aho adya vayam brahman]
sat-sevyāḥ kṣatra-bandhavaḥ
[sat-sevyaah kshatra-bandhavah]
kṛpayātithi-rūpeṇa
[kripayaatithi-roopena]
bhavadbhis tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ
[bhavadbhis teerthakaah kritaah]
parīkṣit uvāca — the fortunate Mahārāja Parīkṣit said aho — ah adya — today vayam — we brahman — O brāhmaṇa sat-sevyāḥ — eligible to serve the devotee kṣatra — the ruling class bandhavaḥ — friends kṛpayā — by your mercy atithi-rūpeṇa — in the manner of a guest bhavadbhiḥ — by your good self tīrthakāḥ — qualified for being places of pilgrimage kṛtāḥ — done by you.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
parīkṣid uvāca
parīkṣit uvāca
the fortunate Mahārāja Parīkṣit said
aho adya vayaṁ brahman
aho
ah
adya
today
vayam
we
brahman
O brāhmaṇa
sat-sevyāḥ kṣatra-bandhavaḥ
sat-sevyāḥ
eligible to serve the devotee
kṣatra
the ruling class
bandhavaḥ
friends
kṛpayātithi-rūpeṇa
kṛpayā
by your mercy
atithi-rūpeṇa
in the manner of a guest
bhavadbhis tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ
bhavadbhiḥ
by your good self
tīrthakāḥ
qualified for being places of pilgrimage
kṛtāḥ
done by you.
The fortunate King Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa, 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.

Saintly devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī generally do not approach worldly enjoyers, especially those in royal orders. Mahārāja Pratāparudra 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 Śukadeva Gosvāmī are never interested in seeing kings. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was, of course, a different case. He was a great devotee, although a king, and therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī came to see him in his last stage of life. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, out of his devotional humility, felt himself an unworthy descendant of his great kṣatriya forefathers, although he was as great as his predecessors. The unworthy sons of the royal orders are called kṣatra-bandhavas, as the unworthy sons of the brāhmaṇas are called dvija-bandhus or brahma-bandhus. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was greatly encouraged by the presence of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He felt himself sanctified by the presence of the great saint whose presence turns any place into a place of pilgrimage.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa! Today we low kṣatriyas have become respected by the saints because we have been purified by your coming as a guest out of your mercy. Simply from remembering you, men’s houses even become immediately purified. What to speak of seeing, touching, washing your feet and giving you a seat!
Commentary

Parīkṣit speaks in eight verses. O brāhmaṇa! We low kṣatriyas have become respected by the saints because we have been purified (tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ) by your coming as a guest. By remembering you, or by being remembered by you, our houses become purified, what to speak of the bodies of our wives and sons.

Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa, by your mercy you have sanctified us, making us like places of pilgrimage by your presence as my guest. We unworthy royalty become eligible to serve. Presence as sanctification.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose presence has sanctified my space recently?
  • Where could I receive such presence with the gratitude due?
📝 My note

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