Did Maharaja Parikshit Go To The Banks Of Yamuna Instead Of Ganga?

Did Maharaja Parikshit Go To The Banks Of Yamuna Instead Of Ganga?

By His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Maharaja Parikshit, just after receiving the news of his death within seven days, at once retired from family life and shifted himself to the sacred bank of the Yamuna River. Generally it is said that the King took shelter on the bank of the Ganges, but according to Srila Jiva Goswami, the King took shelter on the bank of the Yamuna. Srila Jiva Goswami’s statement appears to be more accurate because of the geographical situation. Maharaja Parikshit resided in his capital Hastinapura, situated near present Delhi, and the River Yamuna flows down past the city. Naturally, the King would take shelter of the River Yamuna because she was flowing past his palace door. And as far as sanctity is concerned, the River Yamuna is more directly connected with Lord Krishna than the Ganges. The Lord sanctified the River Yamuna from the beginning of His transcendental pastimes in the world. While His father Vasudeva was crossing the Yamuna with the baby Lord Krishna for a safe place at Gokula on the other bank of the river from Mathura, the Lord fell down in the river, and by the dust of His lotus feet, the river at once became sanctified. It is especially mentioned herein that Maharaja Parikshit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, mixed with tulasi leaves. Lord Krishna’s lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasi leaves, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rivers become at once sanctified. The Lord, however, contacted the River Yamuna more than the Ganges. According to the Varaha Purana, as quoted by Srila Jiva Gosvami, there is no difference between the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, but when the water of the Ganges is sanctified one hundred times, it is called the Yamuna. Similarly, it is said in the scriptures that one thousand names of Vishnu are equal to one name of Rama, and three names of Lord Rama are equal to one name of Krishna.

— Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) » Canto 1: Creation » Chapter 19 : The The appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī » Verses: 6 Purport By His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.