Chapter 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu

 

6.17.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

yataś cāntarhito 'nantas

tasyai kṛtvā diśe namaḥ

vidyādharaś citraketuś

cacāra gagane caraḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; yataḥ — in which (direction); ca — and; antarhitaḥ — disappeared; anantaḥ — the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasyai — unto that; kṛtvā — after offering; diśe — direction; namaḥ — obeisances; vidyādharaḥ — the King of the Vidyādhara planet; citraketuḥ — Citraketu; cacāra — traveled; gagane — in outer space; caraḥ — moving.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After offering obeisances to the direction from which Ananta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, had disappeared, Citraketu began traveling in outer space as the head of the Vidyādharas.

 

6.17.2-3

sa lakṣaḿ varṣa-lakṣāṇām

avyāhata-balendriyaḥ

stūyamāno mahā-yogī

munibhiḥ siddha-cāraṇaiḥ

 

kulācalendra-droṇīṣu

nānā-sańkalpa-siddhiṣu

reme vidyādhara-strībhir

gāpayan harim īśvaram

 

saḥ — he (Citraketu); lakṣam — one hundred thousand; varṣa — of years; lakṣāṇām — one hundred thousand; avyāhata — without hindrance; bala-indriyaḥ — whose strength and power of the senses; stūyamānaḥ — being praised; mahā-yogī — the great mystic yogī; munibhiḥ — by saintly persons; siddha-cāraṇaiḥ — by the Siddhas and Cāraṇas;

 

kulācalendra-droṇīṣu — within the valleys of the great mountain known as Kulācalendra, or Sumeru; nānā-sańkalpa-siddhiṣu — where one becomes perfect in all kinds of mystic power; reme — enjoyed; vidyādhara-strībhiḥ — with the women of the Vidyādhara planet; gāpayan — causing to praise; harim — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; īśvaram — the controller.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Being praised by great sages and saints and by the inhabitants of Siddhaloka and Cāraṇaloka, Citraketu, the most powerful mystic yogī, wandered about enjoying life for millions of years. With bodily strength and senses free from deterioration, he traveled within the valleys of Sumeru Mountain, which is the place of perfection for various kinds of mystic power. In those valleys he enjoyed life with the women of Vidyādhara-loka by chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord, Hari.

 

6.17.4-5

ekadā sa vimānena

viṣṇu-dattena bhāsvatā

giriśaḿ dadṛśe gacchan

parītaḿ siddha-cāraṇaiḥ

 

ālińgyāńkīkṛtāḿ devīḿ

bāhunā muni-saḿsadi

uvāca devyāḥ śṛṇvantyā

jahāsoccais tad-antike

 

ekadā — one time; saḥ — he (King Citraketu); vimānena — with his airplane; viṣṇu-dattena — given to him by Lord Viṣṇu; bhāsvatā — shining brilliantly; giriśam — Lord Śiva; dadṛśe — he saw; gacchan — going; parītam — surrounded; siddha — by the inhabitants of Siddhaloka; cāraṇaiḥ — and the inhabitants of Cāraṇaloka;

 

ālińgya — embracing; ańkīkṛtām — sitting on his lap; devīm — his wife, Pārvatī; bāhunā — with his arm; muni-saḿsadi — in the presence of great saintly persons; uvāca — he said; devyāḥ — while the goddess Pārvatī; śṛṇvantyāḥ — was hearing; jahāsa — he laughed; uccaiḥ — very loudly; tad-antike — in the vicinity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One time while King Citraketu was traveling in outer space on a brilliantly effulgent airplane given to him by Lord Viṣṇu, he saw Lord Śiva, surrounded by Siddhas and Cāraṇas. Lord Śiva was sitting in an assembly of great saintly persons and embracing Pārvatī on his lap with his arm. Citraketu laughed loudly and spoke, within the hearing of Pārvatī.

 

6.17.6

citraketur uvāca

eṣa loka-guruḥ sākṣād

dharmaḿ vaktā śarīriṇām

āste mukhyaḥ sabhāyāḿ vai

mithunī-bhūya bhāryayā

 

citraketuḥ uvāca — King Citraketu said; eṣaḥ — this; loka-guruḥ — the spiritual master of the people who follow Vedic instructions; sākṣāt — directly; dharmam — of religion; vaktā — the speaker; śarīriṇām — for all living entities who have accepted material bodies; āste — sits; mukhyaḥ — the chief; sabhāyām — in an assembly; vai — indeed; mithunī-bhūya — embracing; bhāryayā — with his wife.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Citraketu said: Lord Śiva, the spiritual master of the general populace, is the best of all living entities who have accepted material bodies. He enunciates the system of religion. Yet how wonderful it is that he is embracing his wife, Pārvatī, in the midst of an assembly of great saintly persons.

 

6.17.7

jaṭā-dharas tīvra-tapā

brahmavādi-sabhā-patiḥ

ańkīkṛtya striyaḿ cāste

gata-hrīḥ prākṛto yathā

 

jaṭā-dharaḥ — keeping matted locks of hair; tīvra-tapāḥ — highly elevated due to undergoing fierce austerities and penances; brahma-vādi — of strict followers of the Vedic principles; sabhā-patiḥ — the president of an assembly; ańkīkṛtya — embracing; striyam — a woman; ca — and; āste — sits; gata-hrīḥ — without shame; prākṛtaḥ — a person conditioned by material nature; yathā — just as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva, whose hair is matted on his head, has certainly undergone great austerities and penances. Indeed, he is the president in the assembly of strict followers of Vedic principles. Nonetheless, he is seated with his wife on his lap in the midst of saintly persons and is embracing her as if he were a shameless, ordinary human being.

 

6.17.8

prāyaśaḥ prākṛtāś cāpi

striyaḿ rahasi bibhrati

ayaḿ mahā-vrata-dharo

bibharti sadasi striyam

 

prāyaśaḥ — generally; prākṛtāḥ — conditioned souls; ca — also; api — although; striyam — a woman; rahasi — in a solitary place; bibhrati — embrace; ayam — this (Lord Śiva); mahā-vrata-dharaḥ — the master of great vows and austerities; bibharti — enjoys; sadasi — in an assembly of great saintly persons; striyam — his wife.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives and enjoy their company in solitary places. How wonderful it is that Lord Mahādeva, although a great master of austerity, is embracing his wife openly in the midst of an assembly of great saints.

 

6.17.9

śrī-śuka uvāca

bhagavān api tac chrutvā

prahasyāgādha-dhīr nṛpa

tūṣṇīḿ babhūva sadasi

sabhyāś ca tad-anuvratāḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bhagavān — Lord Śiva; api — also; tat — that; śrutvā — hearing; prahasya — smiling; agādhadhīḥ — whose intelligence is unfathomed; nṛpa — O King; tūṣṇīm — silent; babhūva — remained; sadasi — in the assembly; sabhyāḥ — everyone assembled there; ca — and; tat-anuvratāḥ — followed Lord Śiva (remained silent).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after hearing Citraketu's statement, Lord Śiva, the most powerful personality, whose knowledge is fathomless, simply smiled and remained silent, and all the members of the assembly followed the lord by not saying anything.

 

6.17.10

ity atad-vīrya-viduṣi

bruvāṇe bahv-aśobhanam

ruṣāha devī dhṛṣṭāya

nirjitātmābhimānine

 

iti — thus; a-tat-vīrya-viduṣi — when Citraketu, who did not know the prowess of Lord Śiva; bruvāṇe — spoke; bahu-aśobhanam — that which is not up to the standard of etiquette (the criticism of the exalted Lord Śiva); ruṣā — with anger; āha — said; devī — the goddess Pārvatī; dhṛṣṭāya — unto Citraketu, who was quite shameless; nirjita-ātma — as one who has controlled his senses; abhimānine — thinking of himself.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Not knowing the prowess of Lord Śiva and Pārvatī, Citraketu strongly criticized them. His statements were not at all pleasing, and therefore the goddess Pārvatī, being very angry, spoke as follows to Citraketu, who thought himself better than Lord Śiva in controlling the senses.

 

6.17.11

śrī-pārvaty uvāca

ayaḿ kim adhunā loke

śāstā daṇḍa-dharaḥ prabhuḥ

asmad-vidhānāḿ duṣṭānāḿ

nirlajjānāḿ ca viprakṛt

 

śrī-pārvatī uvāca — the goddess Pārvatī said; ayam — this; kim — whether; adhunā — now; loke — in the world; śāstā — the supreme controller; daṇḍa-dharaḥ — the carrier of the rod of punishment; prabhuḥ — the master; asmat-vidhānām — of persons like us; duṣṭānām — criminals; nirlajjānām — who have no shame; ca — and; viprakṛt — the restrainer.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The goddess Pārvatī said: Alas, has this upstart now received a post from which to punish shameless persons like us? Has he been appointed ruler, carrier of the rod of punishment? Is he now the only master of everything?

 

6.17.12

na veda dharmaḿ kila padmayonir

na brahma-putrā bhṛgu-nāradādyāḥ

na vai kumāraḥ kapilo manuś ca

ye no niṣedhanty ati-vartinaḿ haram

 

na — not; veda — knows; dharmam — the religious principles; kila — indeed; padma-yoniḥ — Lord Brahmā; na — nor; brahma-putrāḥ — the sons of Lord Brahmā; bhṛgu — Bhṛgu; nārada — Nārada; ādyāḥ — and so on; na — nor; vai — indeed; kumāraḥ — the four Kumāras (Sanaka, Sanat-kumāra, Sananda and Sanātana); kapilaḥ — Lord Kapila; manuḥ — Manu himself; ca — and; ye — who; no — not; niṣedhanti — order to stop; ati-vartinam — who is beyond laws and orders; haram — Lord Śiva.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Alas, Lord Brahmā, who has taken his birth from the lotus flower, does not know the principles of religion, nor do the great saints like Bhṛgu and Nārada, nor the four Kumāras, headed by Sanat-kumāra. Manu and Kapila have also forgotten the religious principles. I suppose it to be because of this that they have not tried to stop Lord Śiva from behaving improperly.

 

6.17.13

eṣām anudhyeya-padābja-yugmaḿ

jagad-guruḿ mańgala-mańgalaḿ svayam

yaḥ kṣatra-bandhuḥ paribhūya sūrīn

praśāsti dhṛṣṭas tad ayaḿ hi daṇḍyaḥ

 

eṣām — of all these (exalted personalities); anudhyeya — to be constantly meditated upon; pada-abja-yugmam — whose two lotus feet; jagat-gurum — the spiritual master of the whole world; mańgala-mańgalam — personification of the topmost religious principle; svayam — himself; yaḥ — he who; kṣatra-bandhuḥ — the lowest of the kṣatriyas; paribhūya — overriding; sūrīn — the demigods (like Brahmā and the others); praśāsti — chastises; dhṛṣṭaḥ — impudent; tat — therefore; ayam — this person; hi — indeed; daṇḍyaḥ — to be punished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This Citraketu is the lowest of kṣatriyas, for he has impudently overridden Brahmā and the other demigods by insulting Lord Śiva, upon whose lotus feet they always meditate. Lord Śiva is personified religion and the spiritual master of the entire world, and therefore Citraketu must be punished.

 

6.17.14

nāyam arhati vaikuṇṭha-

pāda-mūlopasarpaṇam

sambhāvita-matiḥ stabdhaḥ

sādhubhiḥ paryupāsitam

 

na — not; ayam — this person; arhati — deserves; vaikuṇṭha-pāda-mūla-upasarpaṇam — the approaching of the shelter of Lord Viṣṇu's lotus feet; sambhāvita-matiḥ — considering himself highly esteemed; stabdhaḥ — impudent; sādhubhiḥ — by great saintly persons; paryupāsitam — worshiped.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This person is puffed up because of his achievements, thinking, "I am the best." He does not deserve to approach the shelter of Lord Viṣṇu's lotus feet, which are worshiped by all saintly persons, for he is impudent, thinking himself greatly important.

 

6.17.15

ataḥ pāpīyasīḿ yonim

āsurīḿ yāhi durmate

yatheha bhūyo mahatāḿ

na kartā putra kilbiṣam

 

ataḥ — therefore; pāpīyasīm — most sinful; yonim — to the species of life; āsurīm — demoniac; yāhi — go; durmate — O impudent one; yathā — so that; iha — in this world; bhūyaḥ — again; mahatām — to great personalities; na — not; kartā — will commit; putra — my dear son; kilbiṣam — any offense.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O impudent one, my dear son, now take birth in a low, sinful family of demons so that you will not commit such an offense again toward exalted, saintly persons in this world.

 

6.17.16

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaḿ śaptaś citraketur

vimānād avaruhya saḥ

prasādayām āsa satīḿ

mūrdhnā namreṇa bhārata

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; śaptaḥ — cursed; citraketuḥ — King Citraketu; vimānāt — from his airplane; avaruhya — coming down; saḥ — he; prasādayām āsa — completely pleased; satīm — Pārvatī; mūrdhnā — by his head; namreṇa — bent low; bhārata — O King Parīkṣit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King Parīkṣit, when Citraketu was cursed by Pārvatī, he descended from his airplane, bowed before her with great humility and pleased her completely.

 

6.17.17

citraketur uvāca

pratigṛhṇāmi te śāpam

ātmano 'ñjalināmbike

devair martyāya yat proktaḿ

pūrva-diṣṭaḿ hi tasya tat

 

citraketuḥ uvāca — King Citraketu said; pratigṛhṇāmi — I accept; te — your; śāpam — curse; ātmanaḥ — my own; añjalinā — with folded bands; ambike — O mother; devaiḥ — by the demigods; martyāya — unto a mortal; yat — which; proktam — prescribed; pūrva-diṣṭam — fixed previously according to one's past deeds; hi — indeed; tasya — of him; tat — that.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Citraketu said: My dear mother, with my own hands folded together I accept the curse upon me. I do not mind the curse, for happiness and distress are given by the demigods as a result of one's past deeds.

 

6.17.18

saḿsāra-cakra etasmiñ

jantur ajñāna-mohitaḥ

bhrāmyan sukhaḿ ca duḥkhaḿ ca

bhuńkte sarvatra sarvadā

 

saḿsāra-cakre — in the wheel of material existence; etasmin — this; jantuḥ — the living entity; ajñāna-mohitaḥ — being bewildered by ignorance; bhrāmyan — wandering; sukham — happiness; ca — and; duḥkham — distress; ca — also; bhuńkte — he undergoes; sarvatra — everywhere; sarvadā — always.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Deluded by ignorance, the living entity wanders in the forest of this material world, enjoying the happiness and distress resulting from his past deeds, everywhere and at all times. [Therefore, my dear mother, neither you nor I am to be blamed for this incident.]

 

6.17.19

naivātmā na paraś cāpi

kartā syāt sukha-duḥkhayoḥ

kartāraḿ manyate 'trājña

ātmānaḿ param eva ca

 

na — not; eva — indeed; ātmā — the spirit soul; na — nor; paraḥ — another (friend or enemy); ca — also; api — indeed; kartā — the doer; syāt — can be; sukha-duḥkhayoḥ — of happiness and distress; kartāram — the doer; manyate — considers; atra — in this connection; ajñaḥ — a person not aware of the real fact; ātmānam — himself; param — another; eva — indeed; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this material world, neither the living entity himself nor others [friends and enemies] are the cause of material happiness and distress. But because of gross ignorance, the living entity thinks that he and others are the cause.

 

6.17.20

guṇa-pravāha etasmin

kaḥ śāpaḥ ko nv anugrahaḥ

kaḥ svargo narakaḥ ko vā

kiḿ sukhaḿ duḥkham eva vā

 

guṇa-pravāhe — in the current of the modes of material nature; etasmin — this; kaḥ — what; śāpaḥ — a curse; kaḥ — what; nu — indeed; anugrahaḥ — a favor; kaḥ — what; svargaḥ — elevation to heavenly planets; narakaḥ — hell; kaḥ — what; vā — or; kim — what; sukham — happiness; duḥkham — distress; eva — indeed; vā — or.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This material world resembles the waves of a constantly flowing river. Therefore, what is a curse and what is a favor? What are the heavenly planets, and what are the hellish planets? What is actually happiness, and what is actually distress? Because the waves flow constantly, none of them has an eternal effect.

 

6.17.21

ekaḥ sṛjati bhūtāni

bhagavān ātma-māyayā

eṣāḿ bandhaḿ ca mokṣaḿ ca

sukhaḿ duḥkhaḿ ca niṣkalaḥ

 

ekaḥ — one; sṛjati — creates; bhūtāni — different varieties of living entities; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma-māyayā — by His personal potencies; eṣām — of all the conditioned souls; bandham — the conditional life; ca — and; mokṣam — the liberated life; ca — also; sukham — happiness; duḥkham — distresses; ca — and; niṣkalaḥ — not affected by the material qualities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one. Unaffected by the conditions of the material world, He creates all the conditioned souls by His own personal potency. Because of being contaminated by the material energy, the living entity is put into ignorance and thus into different conditions of bondage. Sometimes, by knowledge, the living entity is given liberation. In sattva-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, he is subjected to happiness and distress.

 

6.17.22

na tasya kaścid dayitaḥ pratīpo

na jñāti-bandhur na paro na ca svaḥ

samasya sarvatra nirañjanasya

sukhe na rāgaḥ kuta eva roṣaḥ

 

na — not; tasya — of Him (the Supreme Lord); kaścit — anyone; dayitaḥ — dear; pratīpaḥ — not dear; na — nor; jñāti — kinsman; bandhuḥ — friend; na — nor; paraḥ — other; na — nor; ca — also; svaḥ — own; samasya — who is equal; sarvatra — everywhere; nirañjanasya — without being affected by material nature; sukhe — in happiness; na — not; rāgaḥ — attachment; kutaḥ — from where; eva — indeed; roṣaḥ — anger.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is equally disposed toward all living entities. Therefore no one is very dear to Him, and no one is a great enemy for Him; no one is His friend, and no one is His relative. Being unattached to the material world, He has no affection for so-called happiness or hatred for so-called distress. The two terms happiness and distress are relative. Since the Lord is always happy, for Him there is no question of distress.

 

6.17.23

tathāpi tac-chakti-visarga eṣāḿ

sukhāya duḥkhāya hitāhitāya

bandhāya mokṣāya ca mṛtyu-janmanoḥ

śarīriṇāḿ saḿsṛtaye 'vakalpate

 

tathāpi — still; tat-śakti — of the Lord's energy; visargaḥ — the creation; eṣām — of these (conditioned souls); sukhāya — for the happiness; duḥkhāya — for the distress; hita-ahitāya — for the profit and loss; bandhāya — for the bondage; mokṣāya — for the liberation; ca — also; mṛtyu — of death; janmanoḥ — and birth; śarīriṇām — of all those who accept material bodies; saḿsṛtaye — for the repetition; avakalpate — acts.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although the Supreme Lord is unattached to our happiness and distress according to karma, and although no one is His enemy or favorite, He creates pious and impious activities through the agency of His material potency. Thus for the continuation of the materialistic way of life He creates happiness and distress, good fortune and bad, bondage and liberation, birth and death.

 

6.17.24

atha prasādaye na tvāḿ

śāpa-mokṣāya bhāmini

yan manyase hy asādhūktaḿ

mama tat kṣamyatāḿ sati

 

atha — therefore; prasādaye — I am trying to please; na — not; tvām — you; śāpa-mokṣāya — for being released from your curse; bhāmini — O most angry one; yat — which; manyase — you consider; hi — indeed; asādhu-uktam — improper speech; mama — my; tat — that; kṣamyatām — let it be excused; sati — O most chaste one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O mother, you are now unnecessarily angry, but since all my happiness and distress are destined by my past activities, I do not plead to be excused or relieved from your curse. Although what I have said is not wrong, please let whatever you think is wrong be pardoned.

 

6.17.25

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti prasādya giriśau

citraketur arindama

jagāma sva-vimānena

paśyatoḥ smayatos tayoḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; prasādya — after satisfying; giriśau — Lord Śiva and his wife, Pārvatī; citraketuḥ — King Citraketu; arim-dama — O King Parīkṣit, who are always able to subdue the enemy; jagāma — went away; sva-vimānena — by his own airplane; paśyatoḥ — were watching; smayatoḥ — were smiling; tayoḥ — while Lord Śiva and Pārvatī.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O King Parīkṣit, subduer of the enemy, after Citraketu satisfied Lord Śiva and his wife, Pārvatī, he boarded his airplane and left as they looked on. When Lord Śiva and Pārvatī saw that Citraketu, although informed of the curse, was unafraid, they smiled, being fully astonished by his behavior.

 

6.17.26

tatas tu bhagavān rudro

rudrāṇīm idam abravīt

devarṣi-daitya-siddhānāḿ

pārṣadānāḿ ca śṛṇvatām

 

tataḥ — thereafter; tu — then; bhagavān — the most powerful; rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; rudrāṇīm — unto his wife, Pārvatī; idam — this; abravīt — said; devarṣi — while the great sage Nārada; daitya — the demons; siddhānām — and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, who are expert in yogic power; pārṣadānām — his personal associates; ca — also; śṛṇvatām — were listening.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, in the presence of the great sage Nārada, the demons, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, and his personal associates, Lord Śiva, who is most powerful, spoke to his wife, Pārvatī, while they all listened.

 

6.17.27

śrī-rudra uvāca

dṛṣṭavaty asi suśroṇi

harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ

māhātmyaḿ bhṛtya-bhṛtyānāḿ

niḥspṛhāṇāḿ mahātmanām

 

śrī-rudraḥ uvāca — Lord Śiva said; dṛṣṭavatī asi — have you seen; su-śroṇi — O beautiful Pārvatī; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ — whose acts are wonderful; māhātmyam — the greatness; bhṛtya-bhṛtyānām — of the servants of the servants; niḥspṛhāṇām — who are without ambitions for sense gratification; mahātmanām — great souls.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva said: My dear beautiful Pārvatī, have you seen the greatness of the Vaiṣṇavas? Being servants of the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, they are great souls and are not interested in any kind of material happiness.

 

6.17.28

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve

na kutaścana bibhyati

svargāpavarga-narakeṣv

api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

 

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ — pure devotees, who are interested only in the service of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarve — all; na — not; kutaścana — anywhere; bibhyati — are afraid; svarga — in the higher planetary systems; apavarga — in liberation; narakeṣu — and in hell; api — even; tulya — equal; artha — value; darśinaḥ — who see.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.

 

6.17.29

dehināḿ deha-saḿyogād

dvandvānīśvara-līlayā

sukhaḿ duḥkhaḿ mṛtir janma

śāpo 'nugraha eva ca

 

dehinām — of all those who have accepted material bodies; deha-saḿyogāt — because of contact with the material body; dvandvāni — dualities; īśvara-līlayā — by the supreme will of the Lord; sukham — happiness; duḥkham — distress; mṛtiḥ — death; janma — birth; śāpaḥ — curse; anugrahaḥ — favor; eva — certainly; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because of the actions of the Supreme Lord's external energy, the living entities are conditioned in contact with material bodies. The dualities of happiness and distress, birth and death, curses and favors, are natural by-products of this contact in the material world.

 

6.17.30

aviveka-kṛtaḥ puḿso

hy artha-bheda ivātmani

guṇa-doṣa-vikalpaś ca

bhid eva srajivat kṛtaḥ

 

aviveka-kṛtaḥ — done in ignorance, without mature consideration; puḿsaḥ — of the living entity; hi — indeed; artha-bhedaḥ — differentiation of value; iva — like; ātmani — in himself; guṇa-doṣa — of quality and fault; vikalpaḥ — imagination; ca — and; bhit — difference; eva — certainly; sraji — in a garland; vat — like; kṛtaḥ — male.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As one mistakenly considers a flower garland to be a snake or experiences happiness and distress in a dream, so, in the material world, by a lack of careful consideration, we differentiate between happiness and distress, considering one good and the other bad.

 

6.17.31

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhaktim udvahatāḿ nṛṇām

jñāna-vairāgya-vīryāṇāḿ

na hi kaścid vyapāśrayaḥ

 

vāsudeve — to Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa; bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktim — love and faith in devotional service; udvahatām — for those who are carrying; nṛṇām — men; jñāna-vairāgya — of real knowledge and detachment; vīryāṇām — possessing the powerful strength; na — not; hi — indeed; kaścit — anything; vyapāśrayaḥ — as interest or shelter.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Persons engaged in devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, have naturally perfect knowledge and detachment from this material world. Therefore such devotees are not interested in the so-called happiness or so-called distress of this world.

 

6.17.32

nāhaḿ viriñco na kumāra-nāradau

na brahma-putrā munayaḥ sureśāḥ

vidāma yasyehitam aḿśakāḿśakā

na tat-svarūpaḿ pṛthag-īśa-māninaḥ

 

na — not; aham — I (Lord Śiva); viriñcaḥ — Lord Brahmā; na — nor; kumāra — the Aśvinī-kumāras; nāradau — the great saint Nārada; na — nor; brahma-putrāḥ — the sons of Lord Brahmā; munayaḥ — great saintly persons; sura-īśāḥ — all the great demigods; vidāma — know; yasya — of whom; īhitam — activity; aḿśaka-aḿśakāḥ — those who are parts of the parts; na — not; tat — His; sva-rūpam — real personality; pṛthak — separate; īśa — rulers; māninaḥ — who consider ourselves to be.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Neither I [Lord Śiva], nor Brahmā, nor the Aśvinī-kumāras, nor Nārada or the other great sages who are Brahmā's sons, nor even the demigods can understand the pastimes and personality of the Supreme Lord. Although we are part of the Supreme Lord, we consider ourselves independent, separate controllers, and thus we cannot understand His identity.

 

6.17.33

na hy asyāsti priyaḥ kaścin

nāpriyaḥ svaḥ paro 'pi vā

ātmatvāt sarva-bhūtānāḿ

sarva-bhūta-priyo hariḥ

 

na — not; hi — indeed; asya — of the Lord; asti — there is; priyaḥ — very dear; kaścit — anyone; na — nor; apriyaḥ — not dear; svaḥ — own; paraḥ — other; api — even; vā — or; ātmatvāt — due to being the soul of the soul; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; sarva-bhūta — to all living entities; priyaḥ — very, very dear; hariḥ — Lord Hari.

 

TRANSLATION

 

He holds no one as very dear and no one as inimical. He has no one for His own relative, and no one is alien to Him. He is actually the soul of the soul of all living entities. Thus He is the auspicious friend of all living beings and is very near and dear to all of them.

 

6.17.34-35

tasya cāyaḿ mahā-bhāgaś

citraketuḥ priyo 'nugaḥ

sarvatra sama-dṛk śānto

hy ahaḿ caivācyuta-priyaḥ

 

tasmān na vismayaḥ kāryaḥ

puruṣeṣu mahātmasu

mahāpuruṣa-bhakteṣu

śānteṣu sama-darśiṣu

 

tasya — of Him (the Lord); ca — and; ayam — this; mahā-bhāgaḥ — the most fortunate; citraketuḥ — King Citraketu; priyaḥ — beloved; anugaḥ — most obedient servant; sarvatra — everywhere; sama-dṛk — sees equally; śāntaḥ — very peaceful; hi — indeed; aham — I; ca — also; eva — certainly; acyuta-priyaḥ — very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who never fails;

 

tasmāt — therefore; na — no; vismayaḥ — wonder; kāryaḥ — to be done; puruṣeṣu — among persons; mahā-ātmasu — who are exalted souls; mahā-puruṣa-bhakteṣu — devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; śānteṣu — peaceful; sama-darśiṣu — equal to everyone.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This magnanimous Citraketu is a dear devotee of the Lord. He is equal to all living entities and is free from attachment and hatred. Similarly, I am also very dear to Lord Nārāyaṇa. Therefore, no one should be astonished to see the activities of the most exalted devotees of Nārāyaṇa, for they are free from attachment and envy. They are always peaceful, and they are equal to everyone.

 

6.17.36

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti śrutvā bhagavataḥ

śivasyomābhibhāṣitam

babhūva śānta-dhī rājan

devī vigata-vismayā

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; śrutvā — hearing; bhagavataḥ — of the most powerful demigod; śivasya — of Lord Śiva; umā — Pārvatī; abhibhāṣitam — instruction; babhūva — became; śānta-dhīḥ — very peaceful; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; devī — the goddess; vigata-vismayā — released from astonishment.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, after hearing this speech by her husband, the demigoddess [Umā, the wife of Lord Śiva] gave up her astonishment at the behavior of King Citraketu and became steady in intelligence.

 

6.17.37

iti bhāgavato devyāḥ

pratiśaptum alantamaḥ

mūrdhnā sa jagṛhe śāpam

etāvat sādhu-lakṣaṇam

 

iti — thus; bhāgavataḥ — the most exalted devotee; devyāḥ — of Pārvatī; pratiśaptum — to make a counter-curse; alantamaḥ — able in all respects; mūrdhnā — with his head; saḥ — he (Citraketu); jagṛhe — accepted; śāpam — the curse; etāvat — this much; sādhu-lakṣaṇam — the symptom of a devotee.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great devotee Citraketu was so powerful that he was quite competent to curse mother Pārvatī in retaliation, but instead of doing so he very humbly accepted the curse and bowed his head before Lord Śiva and his wife. This is very much to be appreciated as the standard behavior of a Vaiṣṇava.

 

6.17.38

jajñe tvaṣṭur dakṣiṇāgnau

dānavīḿ yonim āśritaḥ

vṛtra ity abhivikhyāto

jñāna-vijñāna-saḿyutaḥ

 

jajñe — was born; tvaṣṭuḥ — of the brāhmaṇa known as Tvaṣṭā; dakṣiṇa-agnau — in the fire sacrifice known as dakṣiṇāgni; dānavīm — demoniac; yonim — species of life; āśritaḥ — taking shelter of; vṛtraḥ — Vṛtra; iti — thus; abhivikhyātaḥ — celebrated; jñāna-vijñāna-saḿyutaḥ — fully equipped with transcendental knowledge and practical application of that knowledge in life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Being cursed by mother Durgā [Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva], that same Citraketu accepted birth in a demoniac species of life. Although still fully equipped with transcendental knowledge and practical application of that knowledge in life, he appeared as a demon at the fire sacrifice performed by Tvaṣṭā, and thus he became famous as Vṛtrāsura.

 

6.17.39

etat te sarvam ākhyātaḿ

yan māḿ tvaḿ paripṛcchasi

vṛtrasyāsura-jāteś ca

kāraṇaḿ bhagavan-mateḥ

 

etat — this; te — unto you; sarvam — all; ākhyātam — explained; yat — which; mām — me; tvam — you; paripṛcchasi — asked; vṛtrasya — of Vṛtrāsura; asura-jāteḥ — whose birth was in a species of asuras; ca — and; kāraṇam — the cause; bhagavat-mateḥ — of exalted intelligence in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear King Parīkṣit, you inquired from me how Vṛtrāsura, a great devotee, took birth in a demoniac family. Thus I have tried to explain to you everything about this.

 

6.17.40

itihāsam imaḿ puṇyaḿ

citraketor mahātmanaḥ

māhātmyaḿ viṣṇu-bhaktānāḿ

śrutvā bandhād vimucyate

 

itihāsam — history; imam — this; puṇyam — very pious; citraketoḥ — of Citraketu; mahā-ātmanaḥ — the exalted devotee; māhātmyam — containing glory; viṣṇu-bhaktānām — from the devotees of Viṣṇu; śrutvā — hearing; bandhāt — from bondage or conditional, material life; vimucyate — is freed.

TRANSLATION

Citraketu was a great devotee [mahātmā]. If one hears this history of Citraketu from a pure devotee, the listener also is freed from the conditional life of material existence.

 

6.17.41

ya etat prātar utthāya

śraddhayā vāg-yataḥ paṭhet

itihāsaḿ hariḿ smṛtvā

sa yāti paramāḿ gatim

 

yaḥ — any person who; etat — this; prātaḥ — early in the morning; utthāya — rising; śraddhayā — with faith; vāk-yataḥ — controlling the mind and words; paṭhet — may read; itihāsam — history; harim — the Supreme Lord; smṛtvā — remembering; saḥ — that person; yāti — goes; paramām gatim — back home, back to Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who rises from bed early in the morning and recites this history of Citraketu, controlling his words and mind and remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will return home, back to Godhead, without difficulty.