Text 27
viprakīrṇa-jaṭācchannaṁ
rauraveṇājinena ca
viśuṣyat-tālur udakaṁ
tathā-bhūtam ayācata
viprakīrṇa — all scattered; jaṭa-ācchannam — covered with compressed, long hair; rauraveṇa — by the skin of a stag; ajinena — by the skin; ca — also; viśuṣyat — dried up; tāluḥ — palate; udakam — water; tathā-bhūtam — in that state; ayācata — asked for.
The sage, in meditation, was covered by the skin of a stag, and long, compressed hair was scattered all over him. The King, whose palate was dry from thirst, asked him for water.
The King, being thirsty, asked the sage for water. That such a great devotee and king asked for water from a sage absorbed in trance was certainly providential. Otherwise there was no chance of such a unique happening. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was thus placed in an awkward position so that gradually Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam could be revealed.