According to the major Sanskrit epic Mahabharata and the vast genre of Indian literature Puranas, Parikshit was a Kuru king who succeeded his grand uncle Yudhishthira to the throne of Hastinapur. Along with his son and successor Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns into collections, and the development of the orthodox srauta ritual, transforming the Kuru realm into the dominant political and cultural center of the then northern India. Parikshit is believed to be a reincarnation of Satya Yuga, the personified first yuga in Hindu mythology. After his coronation, he performed three sacrifices. While performing the sacrifices he traveled throughout the country. Once he saw a man beating a one-legged bull with a rod, and kicking a cow. He became angry at this sight and arrested the man. Parikshit was about to kill him when the man revealed his true identity as Kali. Kali begged forgiveness from Parikshit, who forgave him but ordered him to leave the kingdom. Kali obeyed this order and left Parikshit's kingdom. Satisfied, the cow revealed herself as the Prithvi, who was grief-stricken for Krishna had returned to his abode (Vaikuntha) and had left earth. The bull was Dharma whose other three legs were mutilated and and he now only stood one leg in the Kali Yuga. (Credit: Parikshit, Wikipedia)
Indian History
