A life of absolute renunciation is the only way to realise the eternal and superior bliss of the Infinite. This is the final word in the Upanishads. Very rarely are some souls inspired by vairagya, the strong impulse to turn away with determination from the world and its myriad attractions, to seek salvation with single mindedness. Parikshit meets his moment of realisation when he unwittingly commits a wrong against a sadhu, and soon repents for it with utmost sincerity, pointed out Sri Krishnamurthy Sastrigal in a discourse.
Parikshit is at the height of his successful reign and as the heir of the Pandava clan, he has established high standards of righteousness in his kingdom. His domestic life too is impeccable, having fulfilled all his duties towards family and kingdom. He even confronts Kali Purusha who tries to invade his kingdom. He subdues him and, in response to his pleas, grants him five places to stay in his kingdom — gambling, drinking, immoral living, slaughtering of cows and gold — which are the sources of evil. But during one of his hunting trips when he is thirsty, he hurls a dead serpent on a rishi in meditation, an act alien to his own rightful nature.
He is filled with remorse at his own unpardonable deed, and as atonement for it, decides to renounce all his possessions, kingdom, riches, family, etc, even as he is informed of the curse of the rishi’s son condemning him to die of snake bite in seven days. He undertakes a vow of fast unto death and goes to the banks of the Ganga to spend the time on hand in meditation that might free him of sinful tendencies. It is the Lord’s Sankalpa that Suka, the sage always established in Brahma Nishta, arrives in their midst and seeing Parikshit as the very embodiment of vairagya, decides to narrate the Bhagavata Purana to him.
