So yesterday we talked about Parīkṣit Mahārāja. So he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy, so he prepared himself for death. What was the preparation? That he left immediately his kingdom, and the kingdom was divided among his sons. He was young man, not very old, but he understood, "Now, within seven days, I will have to die." So immediately he left home and went to the bank of the Ganges. He was situated. . . His capital was what is now called New Delhi. Formerly it was known as Hastināpura. The another name of Hastinā. . . New Delhi, is there still, and there is a very, very old fort. They say that this fort belonged to the Pāṇḍavas, Mahārāja Parīkṣit. They are keeping, just like in Rome they are keeping old buildings. So apart from historical reference. . . So Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he was king, emperor of the world. So he was preparing for dying. Many, many, from all over the world, saintly person, kings, even some demigods from other planets, they came to see him.
So what you do at the time of death? One has to change. Death means change of this body. The modern civilization, they do not know it. That is the first understanding of spiritual knowledge, that we change our body. I am spirit soul, every one of us, spirit soul, even the animals and the trees and plants and aquatics—any living being. There are 8,400,000 different forms of living being. Of all of them, the human form is considered the best. Best means it has got. . . the human form has got developed consciousness. Developed consciousness means they can understand what is past, what is future, what is present. Especially to understand his position as spirit soul, to understand God, to understand what is His relation with God, and what he should do in that relationship—these things are understandable in the human form of life, not otherwise. We cannot invite dogs and cats to come here and hear about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. No. That is not possible. But a human being, he can hear; he can understand.