tataś ca vaḥ pṛcchyam imaṁ vipṛcche viśrabhya viprā iti kṛtyatāyām sarvātmanā mriyamāṇaiś ca kṛtyaṁ śuddhaṁ ca tatrāmṛśatābhiyuktāḥ
Synonyms
tataḥ—as such; ca—and; vaḥ—unto you; pṛcchyam—that which is to be asked; imam—this; vipṛcche—beg to ask you; viśrabhya—trustworthy; viprāḥ—brahmins; iti—thus; kṛtyatāyām—out of all different duties; sarva-ātmanā—by every one. Mriyamanais—especially those who are just to die; mriyamāṇaiḥ—and; ca—dutiful; kṛtyam—perfectly correct; śuddham—as well; ca—and; tatra—therein; āmṛśata—by complete deliberation; abhiyuktāḥ—just be fitting.
Translation
Oh the trustworthy brahmins, I am just putting the question before you all as to my immediate duty. You can, after proper deliberation, let me know as to what may be the unalloyed duty of every one in all circumstances and specifically of them who are to die immediately.
Purport
In this verse the king has placed two questions before the learned sages. The first question is what is the duty of every one in all circumstances and the second question is what is the specific duty of one who is to die very shortly. Out of the two the question in realation of the dying man is most important because every one is a dying man either very shortly or after one hundred years. The duration of life is immaterial but the duty of a dying man is more important. Maharaj Prikshit placed these two questions before Sukhdeva Goswami also on his arrival on the spot and practically the whole of the Srimad Bhagwatam beginning from the second canto upto the last twelefth canto only these two questions have been dealt with by the great Goswami Sukdevaji. And conclusion arrived thereof is that devotional service of the Lord Sri Krishna as it is confirmed by the Lord Himself in the last phases of the Bhagwat Geeta, is the last word in the matter of every one's permanent duty of life. Maharaj Parikshit was already aware of this fact but he wanted that the great sages assembled there may unanimously give verdict upon his conviction so that he might be able to go on with his confirmed duty without any controversy between the sages present there. He has specially mentioned the word 'Suddha' or perfectly correct. For transcendental realisation or self-realisation many other processes are also recommended by various classes of philosophers. Some of them are first class method and some of them are second class or third class methods. The first class method is that one may give up all other second and third class methods and accept the first class one which is to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord and thus be saved from all sins and their reaction.