तस्य प्रीतमना राजा विप्रैर्धौम्यकृपादिभिः ।
जातकं कारयामास वाचयित्वा च मङ्गलम् ॥१३॥

tasya prÄ«ta-manÄ rÄjÄ
viprair dhaumya-ká¹›pÄdibhiḥ
jÄtakaá¹ kÄrayÄm Äsa
vÄcayitvÄ ca maá¹…galam

 tasya - his; prÄ«ta-manÄḥ - satisfied; rÄjÄ - King Yudhiṣṭhira; vipraiḥ - by the learned brÄhmaṇas; dhaumya - Dhaumya; ká¹›pa - Ká¹›pa; Ädibhiḥ - and others also; jÄtakam - one of the purificatory processes performed just after the birth of a child; kÄrayÄm Äsa - had them performed; vÄcayitvÄ - by recitation; ca - also; maá¹…galam - auspicious.


Text

King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was very satisfied with the birth of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned brÄhmaṇas, headed by Dhaumya and Ká¹›pa, recited auspicious hymns.

Purport

There is a need for a good and intelligent class of brÄhmaṇas who are expert in performing the purificatory processes prescribed in the system of varṇÄÅ›rama-dharma. Unless such purificatory processes are performed, there is no possibility of good population, and in the Age of Kali the population all over the world is of śūdra quality or lower for want of this purificatory process. It is not possible, however, to revive the Vedic process of purification in this age, for want of proper facilities and good brÄhmaṇas, but there is the PÄñcarÄtrika system also recommended for this age. The PÄñcarÄtrika system acts on the śūdra class of men, supposedly the population of the Kali-yuga, and it is the prescribed purificatory process suitable to the age and time. Such a purificatory process is allowed only for spiritual upliftment and not for any other purpose. Spiritual upliftment is never conditioned by higher or lower parentage.

After the garbhÄdhÄna purificatory process, there are certain other saá¹skÄras like sÄ«mÄntonnayana, sadha-bhaká¹£aṇam, etc., during the period of pregnancy, and when the child is born the first purificatory process is jÄta-karma. This was performed duly by MahÄrÄja Yudhiṣṭhira with the help of good and learned brÄhmaṇas like Dhaumya, the royal priest, and Ká¹›pÄcÄrya, who was not only a priest but also a great general. Both these learned and perfect priests, assisted by other good brÄhmaṇas, were employed by MahÄrÄja Yudhiṣṭhira to perform the ceremony. Therefore all the saá¹skÄras, purificatory processes, are not mere formalities or social functions only, but they are all for practical purposes and can be successfully performed by expert brÄhmaṇas like Dhaumya and Ká¹›pa. Such brÄhmaṇas are not only rare, but also not available in this age, and therefore, for the purpose of spiritual upliftment in this fallen age, the GosvÄmÄ«s prefer the purificatory processes under PÄñcarÄtrika formulas to the Vedic rites.

Ká¹›pÄcÄrya is the son of the great Ṛṣi Sardban and was born in the family of Gautama. The birth is said to be accidental. By chance, the great Ṛṣi Sardban met JanapadÄ«, a famous society girl of heaven, and the Ṛṣi Sardban discharged semen in two parts. By one part immediately a male child and by the other part a female child were born as twins. The male child was later on known as Ká¹›pa, and the female child was known as Ká¹›pÄ«. MahÄrÄja Åšantanu, while engaged in chase in the jungle, picked up the children and brought them up to the brahminical status by the proper purificatory process. Ká¹›pÄcÄrya later became a great general like DroṇÄcÄrya, and his sister was married to DroṇÄcÄrya. Ká¹›pÄcÄrya later on took part in the Battle of Kuruká¹£etra and joined the party of Duryodhana. Ká¹›pÄcÄrya helped kill Abhimanyu, the father of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, but he was still held in esteem by the family of the PÄṇá¸avas due to his being as great a brÄhmaṇa as DroṇÄcÄrya. When the PÄṇá¸avas were sent to the forest after being defeated in the gambling game with Duryodhana, Dhá¹›tarÄṣṭra entrusted the PÄṇá¸avas to Ká¹›pÄcÄrya for guidance. After the end of the battle, Ká¹›pÄcÄrya again became a member of the royal assembly, and he was called during the birth of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it for recitation of auspicious Vedic hymns to make the ceremony successful. MahÄrÄja Yudhiṣṭhira, while quitting the palace for his great departure to the HimÄlayas, entrusted Ká¹›pÄcÄrya with MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it as his disciple, and he left home satisfied because of Ká¹›pÄcÄrya’s taking charge of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it. The great administrators, kings and emperors were always under the guidance of learned brÄhmaṇas like Ká¹›pÄcÄrya and thus were able to act properly in the discharge of political responsibilities.