He left his kingdom, family, children, and went to the bank of the Ganges and sat down there, being prepared for the coming imminent death within seven days. So because he was emperor of the world . . . so he was going to die. This news was spread, and all big, big men, great saintly persons, even demigods, they also came to see him. And he was asking everyone, "What is my duty?" So at that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī also arrived there. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was young boy, but paramahaṁsa. So he was received in that big assembly as the great personality of knowledge. Even his father, Vyāsadeva, was present. So everyone stood up. His father also stood up to receive him, he was such a great personality. And then he was given nice seat, as is the custom, to give advice to Mahārāja Parīkṣit: "What was my duty?" But Parīkṣit Mahārāja was, from the beginning of his life, was a devotee himself, a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And he inquired, "Whether I shall devote or I shall absorb my mind with Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" because he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Many people gathered. They gave different advices: "Mahārāja, you do this at the time of death," and "Do that," "Do this." So there were many big, big persons. He was perplexed. But he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning of his life, and thus he enquired, "Whether it is better to absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" This was his question.
So in answer to his question, Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1): "My dear King . . ." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa. Nṛpa, "the king," address. "My dear King, your inquiry is very glorified," varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitam, "because on account of this question, whatever I shall reply . . ." Means he knew. The reply is this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Question was about Kṛṣṇa, and the reply is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, eighteen thousand verses. And each and every verse is so important that if a serious student studies each and every verse, each verse will take at least one month to understand.