The Birth of Parikshit

After the war the treasury was empty. On Vyasa's advice the Pandavas brought back from the Himalayas the gold left over from the sacrifice of the ancient King Marutta. In these days Arjuna said to Krishna, 'Tell me again the wisdom you gave me in the war.' Krishna said it had been spoken in a state of yoga, and he explained its essence again; this is called the Anugita.

Meanwhile in Hastinapur, Abhimanyu's wife Uttara gave birth to a son. But because of Ashwatthama's weapon, the baby was born lifeless: no breath, no movement. The palace filled with weeping. Kunti, Subhadra and Draupadi cried out in grief.

Uttara held the child and said, 'My son, your father went away in the war, and now you too? Get up and bow to your great-uncle Krishna.' Subhadra caught her brother Krishna's feet and said, 'You promised to give him life.'

Krishna went into the birth chamber and said before everyone, 'If I have never told a lie, even in jest; if I have never turned my back in battle; if dharma has always been dear to me, then let this child live.' At that very moment the baby drew breath and began to move his arms and legs.

Joy spread everywhere. Because he was born when the Kuru line had almost dwindled away, he was named Parikshit. A popular belief also says he spent his life testing everyone he met, looking for the divine person who had protected him in the womb. This Parikshit would later become king.