Shukatal, also referred as Shukratal, is located in North India . It is believed that here on the banks of Ganga under a banyan tree, Shuka, son of Sage Veda Vyasa
narrated Srimad Bhagavad Purana to King Parikshit. Shukatal is located around
130 km northeast of Delhi
and is around 20 km from Muzaffarnagar.
On a small hillock on the left bank of Ganga
at Shukatal there is a small temple with images of King Parikshit and Sage
Shuka (Sukadeva).
The Srimad Bhagavad Puran was narrated by Sage Shuka to King
Parikshit to help him attain salvation.
Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna, was an
able ruler. He ensured dharma prevailed in the Kali Yuga in his kingdom by
driving away evil.
But once while the king was on a hunting expedition he felt
thirsty and approached the ashram of Sage Samika. The sage was in deep
meditation and did not notice the arrival of the king and he also did not
respond to the calls of the thirsty king.
In a fit of rage, Parikshit lifted up a dead snake and put it
on the neck of the meditating sage.
Sage Samika’s son Sringim, who saw the dead snake on his
father, cursed the perpetrator to be killed by Snake Takshaka in seven days.
The king who was already remorseful decided to prepare for
his death on hearing the curse.
Sage Shuka happened to arrive in the palace during the time
and asked king to spend the next seven days listening to recital of Bhagavad
Purana. Sage Shuka then narrated the Holy Scripture and it helped Parikshit
attain salvation.