Parikshit
Maharaja
Parikshit in Javanese Wayang
Janamejaya
Predecessor	Yudhishtira
Successor	Janamejaya
Wife	Madrvati
Detail Issue
Janamejaya
Royal House	Kuru
Father	Abhimanyu
Mother	Uttara
Religion	Hindu Kshatriya

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2010)

Parikshit (Sanskrit: परिक्षित्, IAST: Parikṣit, with the alternative form: परीक्षित्, IAST: Parīkṣit) was a Kuru king, who succeeded Yudhisthira to the throne of Hastinapura, according to the Mahabharata and the Puranas. He was the grandson of Arjuna and the son of Abhimanyu and Uttarā.^[1] His bodily existence ended due to the curse of a Brahmana, which used the Nāga king, Takshaka, the ruler of Takshashila as the instrument of death.^[2] Parikshit succeeded by his son Janamejaya.^[3] According to the Mahabharata, he ruled for 24 years and died at the age of sixty.^[4]

Etymology[link]

His name came from the Sanskrit verb root परि-क्षि pari-kṣi = "around-possess" (or, less likely here, "around-destroy"). An alternate suggestion from Nirala's translation is Pariskhit means the one who has been tested. The test (Parikhsha) being of coming back from death by efforts of Krishna.

Alternate modern, not all of them correct as regards the original Sanskrit, spellings of his name are Pariksita, Pariksit, Parikshat, Parixit, and Parikshita. His name is a common Hindu name across India today.

He was also referred to as the "King of the Kurus".

Birth[link]

Parikshit was the son of Uttara, the Matsya princess and Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and his Vrishni queen Subhadra. He was born only after the end of the Kurukshetra war.

Uttara was carrying their son in her womb when Abhimanyu was mercilessly and unfairly slain by the Kauravas. Later, Ashwathama attempts to kill the unborn child and his mother by directing the Bhrama-Sheer Astra towards her tent off the battlefields. She is saved by Lord Krishna, who was also the maternal uncle of Abhimanyu (Arjuna's wife Subhadra was the sister of Lord Krishna and mother of Abhimanyu.)

Prophecy of Life[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2010)

The chief priest Dhaumya predicts to king Yudhisthira after Parikshit's birth that he will be a great devotee of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, and since he was saved by the Lord Krishna, he will be known as Vishnurata (One who is always protected by the Lord).

Dhaumya Rishi predicts that Parikshit would be ever-devoted to virtue, religious principles and the truth and would be a wise monarch, exactly as Ikshvaku and Rama of Ayodhya. He would be as exemplary a warrior as Arjuna, his own grandfather, and would expand the fame of his family.

He is given the name Parikshit as he would search and test for the Supreme Lord, whom he had witnessed as an unborn child, across the world and within every human being.

King of Hastinapura[link]

The location of the Kuru kingdom in ancient India

Upon the commencement of the Kali yuga, the dark age of sin, and the departure of Krishna Avatar from the world, the five Pandava brothers retire. Young Parikshit is duly invested as king, with Kripa as his counselor. He performed three aswamedha yajnas under the guidance of Kripa.

Last years[link]

King Parikshit Hunting

Once Parikshit went hunting in the forest, the demon Kali, the embodiment of Kali Yuga, appeared before him and asked permission to enter his kingdom, which the king denied. Upon insisting, Parikshit allowed him five places to reside: where there is gambling, alcohol consumption, prostitution, animal slaughter and gold. Kali smartly entered into Parikshit's golden crown and spoiled his thoughts.

Parikshit entered the hut of a sage named Samika as he was thirsty. He found the sage in deep meditation. He bowed to him several times but as there was no response he took a dead snake and threw it around the sage's neck. Later when the sage's son, Sringin, heard of this incident he cursed the king to die of snake bite on the 7th day.

On hearing this, the king forswore the throne for his son Janamejaya and spent his last 7 days listening to the discourses of Sage Śuka, compiled as the Bhagavata Purana. As prophesied, the snake king Takshaka bit Parikshit, who left his mortal remains behind and attained Moksha.

Other thesis say that Kali had entered the gold and thus creating man's desire for gold. Parikshit had gone hunting into the forest. He stops at one point and gets into the lake for a bath. He removes his crown and keeps it on the bank of river. Takshaka, a naga king sees the golden crown and desires to get it. He steals the crown, but he was got by Parikshit guards. Parikshit jails him. On his release Takshaka avenges Parikshit and kills him mercilessly.

On hearing this, Parikshit's son Janamejaya vows to kill Takshaka within a week. He starts the Sharpamedha Yajna, which forces Takshaka to arrive when he tries to kill it, but is stopped from doing so by Astika Muni, as a result of which Takshaka lives.

Parikshit in Vedic literature[link]

“Listen to the good praise of the King belonging to all people, who, (like) a god, is above men, (listen to the praise) of Pariksit! - ‘Pariksit has just now made us peaceful dwelling;40 darkness has just now run to its dwelling.’ The Kuru householder, preparing (grains) for milling, speaks (thus) with his wife. — ‘What shall I bring you, sour milk, the mantha [a barley/milk drink], (or)the Parisrut [liquor]?’ the wife keeps asking in the Realm of King Pariksit. — By itself, the ripe barley bends heavily (iva) over the deep track of the path. The tribe thrives auspiciously in the Realm of King Pariksit.”^{[5] [6]}

Parikshit is eulogised in a hymn of the Atharvaveda (XX.127.7-10) as the Kauravya king, whose rashtra (realm) flowed with milk and honey and people lived happily in his kingdom. He is mentioned as the raja vishvajanina (universal king).^[7] According to the Satapatha Brahmana (XIII.5.4), Parikshit had four sons, namely, Janamejaya, Bhimasena, Ugrasena and Śrutasena. All of them performed the Asvamedha Yajna (horse sacrifice).^[8]

See also[link]

• Mahābhārata
• Hindu mythology
• Story of the great Parikshit maharaja

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Parikshit

v t e Mahabharata Kuru Kingdom Shantanu · Ganga · Bhishma · Satyavati · Chitrāngada · Vichitravirya · Ambika · Ambalika · Vidura · Dhritarashtra · Gandhari · Shakuni · Pandu · Kunti · Madri · Yudhisthira · Bhima · Arjuna · Nakula · Sahadeva · Duryodhana · Dushasana · Yuyutsu · Dushala · Draupadi · Hidimbi · Ghatotkacha · Ahilawati · Subhadra · Uttara · Ulupi · Chitrāngadā  · Abhimanyu  · Iravan · Babruvahana · Barbarika · Parikshit  · Janamejaya Other characters Karna · Drona · Amba · Vyasa · Krishna · Satyaki · Dhristadyumna · Sanjaya · Virata · Kichaka · Kripa · Ashwatthama · Ekalavya · Kritavarma · Jarasandha · Mayasura · Durvasa · Jayadratha · Balarama · Drupada · Hidimba · Shalya · Adhiratha · Shikhandi Other Mahābhārata and the Indian caste system · Avatars · Pandava · Kaurava · Hastinapur · Indraprastha · Kingdoms · Kurukshetra War · Bhagavad Gita

v t e Hindu deities and texts Gods Deva Ganesha Brahma Vishnu Shiva Rama Krishna Murugan Hanuman Indra Surya more Goddesses Adi parashakti Devi Saraswati Lakshmi Sati Parvati Durga Shakti Kali Sita Radha Mahavidya Navadurga Matrikas more Texts Vedas Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita more Hinduism Hindu mythology

Parikshit Sahni (Hindi: परीक्षित साहनी) is an Indian film and television actor, who is most known for playing the lead in TV series Barrister Vinod, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (Doordarshan) and Gaatha (STAR Plus).^[1]

He is the son of noted actor Balraj Sahni and nephew of writer Bhisham Sahni.

He comes from a Punjabi background.

Early life[link]

He was born while his father was teaching English at Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan of Rabindranath Tagore, and his mother was doing her Bachelors. Schooled at Lawrence School, Sanawar,^[2] he went to study at Delhi's prestigious St. Stephen's College. Later, he began his career as a child artist, but couldn't match the rating of his father.^[3]

Career[link]

His most recent film is 3 Idiots where he got appreciation for playing R Madhavan's father. He had a major role in the TV series Heena as Nawab Mirza, Heena's father. Heena ended in 2003. Currently, Sahni is playing the role of Veer Singh (Kaka-sa) on the popular Zee serial, Saat Phere opposite Nivedita Bhattacharya.

He also starred in the classic Punjabi film Marhi Da Diva (1989), also starring Raj Babbar, Pankaj Kapur, Kanwaljeet Singh, and Deepti Naval. He played a remarkable role in Hindi film Pavitra Paapi (1970) which was based on a Punjabi novel by Nanak Singh (a famous novelist of the Punjabi language).

He acted in TV series The Great Maratha as Malhar Rao Holkar.

Selected filmography[link]

Films[link]

TV Series[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Parikshat Sahni at the Internet Movie Database
• I met a hermit on the run article by Parikshit Sahni

v t e Bollywood (Hindi cinema) Directors · Actors · Playback singers · Music Directors · Songs · Bibliography Hindi films A–Z—Highest-grossing Films by year: 1930s · 1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949 · 1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012

This article about an Indian actor or actress is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e