Parikshit - Miracle Child Who Ruled Kali Yuga

Dadi**: Guddu beta, do you know who ruled India when Lord Krishna left this world?

Guddu**: Who, Dadi?

Dadi**: A miracle child who had been saved from death even before he was born. His name was Parikshit, and his story marks the beginning of the age we live in now - the Kali Yuga.

Guddu**: He was saved before being born?

Dadi**: Yes! When the Mahabharata war ended, Ashwatthama - son of Drona - was consumed by rage. He wanted revenge against the Pandavas for killing his father and friends.

Guddu**: What did he do?

Dadi**: He released the deadliest weapon of all - the Brahmastra - but not at the warriors. He aimed it at the baby growing in Uttara's womb. He wanted to end the Pandava line forever!

Guddu**: At an unborn baby?! That's so evil!

Dadi**: Krishna was still present in the world at that time. Uttara's mother-in-law Subhadra prayed desperately for help. And Krishna answered - He entered the womb and protected the baby with His own divine power.

Guddu**: Krishna saved the baby inside his mother!

Dadi**: The child survived and was named Parikshit - meaning "the one who tests the world." He grew up to be a righteous king, ruling Hastinapura after the Pandavas retired.

Guddu**: What made him special as a king?

Dadi**: His encounter with Kali himself - the spirit of the dark age! One day, while traveling through his kingdom, Parikshit saw a disturbing sight: a bull standing on just one leg, being beaten, with a cow weeping beside it.

Guddu**: Who was hurting them?

Dadi**: An evil-looking figure was striking the bull. Parikshit immediately knew through divine insight what this meant. The bull was Dharma itself! In ancient times, Dharma had four legs - Truth, Compassion, Austerity, and Cleanliness.

Guddu**: And now only one leg remained?

Dadi**: Only Truth was left standing. The other three had been broken by the coming of Kali Yuga. The weeping cow was Mother Earth herself, mourning the loss of righteousness.

Guddu**: Who was the evil figure?

Dadi**: It was Kali - the personification of the dark age! Parikshit raised his sword to kill him, but Kali fell at his feet, begging for mercy.

Guddu**: Did the king forgive him?

Dadi**: Parikshit couldn't just kill him - Kali was destined to exist in this age. So instead, he banished him. "Leave my kingdom," he commanded. "You have no place here."

Guddu**: Where could Kali go?

Dadi**: Kali begged for somewhere to live. Finally, Parikshit granted him five places: wherever there is gambling, alcohol, prostitution, animal slaughter, or dishonestly obtained gold.

Guddu**: Those are bad places!

Dadi**: Exactly! By limiting Kali to those places, the king protected his people. As long as they avoided those vices, Kali couldn't touch them.

Guddu**: That was clever!

Dadi**: But Kali was also clever, beta. He secretly entered a golden crown that Parikshit wore - gold that had been taken by force. The dark spirit began to affect the king's mind.

Guddu**: Oh no! What happened?

Dadi**: One day, while hunting, the king came upon a sage named Shamika who was deep in meditation. Parikshit asked him about a deer, but the sage didn't respond - he was in a trance.

Guddu**: Did the king wait?

Dadi**: Under Kali's influence, anger overtook him. He found a dead snake and threw it around the sage's neck as an insult. This was completely out of character for the righteous king!

Guddu**: That was mean!

Dadi**: The sage's son, upon learning what happened, cursed Parikshit to die from a snake bite within seven days. When the king heard about the curse, he didn't run or hide.

Guddu**: What did he do?

Dadi**: He spent his last seven days listening to the Bhagavata Purana from the sage Shuka. All the stories of Krishna, all the wisdom of the ages - he absorbed it all, preparing his soul for death.

Guddu**: He died at peace?

Dadi**: He did, beta. The snake Takshaka came and fulfilled the curse, but Parikshit's soul, filled with divine knowledge, went straight to liberation.

Guddu**: So even a bad end can be turned to good?

Dadi**: That's the teaching, beta. Our last moments can redeem everything. And remember - avoid those five places where Kali lives, and you'll be protected from his influence!

Guddu**: Goodnight, Dadi!

Dadi**: Goodnight, beta!