Parikshit

Parikshit (Sanskrit: परिक्षित्, Parikṣit) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th or 11th century BCE). Along with his successor Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns into collections, and the development of the orthodox srauta ritual, transforming the Kuru realm into the dominant political and cultural center of northern Iron Age India.

He also appears as a figure in later legends and traditions. According to the Mahabharata and the Puranas, he succeeded Yudhishthira to the throne of Hastinapur.

Etymology

Parikshit's name came from the Sanskrit verb root परि-क्षि pari-kṣi = "around-possess" (or, less likely here, "around-destroy"). An alternate suggestion from Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala''s translation is Pariskhita. Alternative modern, not all of them correct as regards the original Sanskrit, spellings of his name are Pariksita, Pariksit, Parikshat, Parixit and Parikshita. His name is a common Hindu name across Nepal today.