Parikshit Conquers All Nations to Establish Dharma Not for Land – Wars Are to Chastise the Godless

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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.12 — January 9, 1974, Los Angeles 740109SB-LOS ANGELES [40:15 Minutes] SB-01.16.12_740109SB-LOS ANGELES Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] bhadrāśvaṁ ketumālaṁ ca bhārataṁ cottarān kurūn kimpuruṣādīni varṣāṇi vijitya jagṛhe balim [SB 1.16.12] [break] [03:00] Translation: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet—Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern portion of Kuru-jāṅgala, Kimpuruṣa, etc.—and exacted tributes from their respective rulers." Prabhupāda: So in this verse it is descriptive, different parts of the world.

So the important word is here, vijitya jagṛhe balim. Balim [referring to synonyms], I do not know how it is said "strength." Tax, tributes. The king, the emperor, would conquer a country and levy tax. Must give at least token.

Doesn't matter even one pound or one dollar per year, but he must pay something, token. That means he agrees to become subordinate. Just like according to rent act, a poor man must pay something—it may be; in our country it is so—so that the landlord have the claim. Without rent, after some years it becomes his property.

So this conquering of other countries was not like the Napoleon conqueror or Hitler conqueror. No. As it will be evident from the character of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the idea was to keep the whole world Kṛṣṇa conscious. If certain countries, certain portion of the world, would not be Kṛṣṇa conscious, then this king would go and chastise them.

Just like Kṛṣṇa used to kill the demons. There was one Pauṇḍraka. Even during Kṛṣṇa's time, he placed himself as Viṣṇu. He artificially made four hands.

So he challenged Kṛṣṇa that "I am Viṣṇu." So Kṛṣṇa immediately cut his head. So any imposter, pretender, representing as the incarnation of God or something like that, in those days the king could not tolerate; immediately cut his head, what to speak of thieves and rogues. So the king's going to other country, conquering, it did not mean that to acquire some possession, land possession. No, that was not the aim. The aim was...

All the fights in Mahābhārata or in Rāmāyaṇa, it was meant for chastising the godless. Godless. Just like Rāmacandra. Rāmacandra, Lord Rāmacandra, chastised Rāvaṇa.

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