A king's humility before brahminical power and destiny reveals the Vedic system's perfection.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.2 — December 30, 1973, Los Angeles 731230SB-LOS ANGELES [26:58 Minutes] SB-01.16.02_731230SB-LOS ANGELES Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] sa uttarasya tanayām upayema irāvatīm janamejayādīṁś caturas tasyām utpādayat sutān [SB 1.16.2] saḥ—he; uttarasya—of King Uttara; tanayām—daughter; upayeme—married; irāvatīm—Irāvatī; janamejaya-ādīn—headed by Mahārāja Janamejaya; caturaḥ—four; tasyām—her; utpādayat—begot; sutān—sons.
Prabhupāda: [indistinct] "married"? This is wrong. Pradyumna: Should be "produced." Prabhupāda: "Begotten." It should be "begotten." Who has corrected? [03:09] Pradyumna: "King Parīkṣit married the daughter of King Uttara and begot four sons, headed by Mahārāja Janamejaya." Prabhupāda: Hm.
Sa uttarasya tanayām. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, his mother's name was Uttarā, Uttarā. Means King Virāṭa, he had two issues—one son, one daughter. The son's name was Uttara and the daughter's name was Uttarā.
This Uttarā was taught dancing by Arjuna. When Arjuna was staying at Mahārāja Virāṭa's house as a ordinary dancing master, they did not know that he is Arjuna. Because the promise was for one year, they should remain incognito. If they are detected, then again for twelve years they will be banished. So Arjuna, Bhīma and others, they took different types of services in the house, palace, of Mahārāja Uttarā..., er, Mahārāja Virāṭa.
So he was appointed as a dancing master, teacher, to the daughter, Uttarā. Just see. Arjuna was a great warrior, and he was expert dancing master also. So when it was disclosed that "These servants, they are the Pāṇḍavas.
They remained here as ordinary servant," so Mahārāja Virāṭa was very much pleased, that "Such exalted persons are living in my house incognito." So he offered Uttarā to Arjuna, that "You marry my daughter. You have taught her dancing." So Arjuna said, "How can I marry her? I am teacher, and she is my disciple. She is my daughter.
How can I marry her?" Then Arjuna said that "If you want to keep this daughter in our family, I have got a grown-up son, sixteen years old." That means Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadrā, this Subhadrā: Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Subhadrā. So Subhadrā was married to Arjuna, and the son was Abhimanyu. So Uttarā was married to Abhimanyu, and the son was Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Abhimanyu was just married and the war was declared. So when Abhimanyu had to go to fight, so he went in fight in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra on behalf of his father.