SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 6

(1) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'How could Vritrâsura with a nature of passion and ignorance, o brahmin, and being that sinful minded be of such a strong consciousness in Nârâyana, the Supreme Person? (2) The great saints who directed their minds to the goodness and truthfulness of the gods and who have unblemished souls, hardly ever develop devotion unto the lotus feet of Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation.

(3) There are as many living entities as there are atoms in this material world; of them there are indeed some human and alike and out of them there are only a few acting to do good. (4) O best of the twice-born, one always sees that of those who are faithful to the liberation there are only some who desire liberation and that of the thousands of them there are only a few that are really liberated, really perfect. (5) Among those who found liberation and perfection, o great Sage, is out of the millions and trillions very rarely one found who concluded to Nârâyana and who has a mind that is completely peaceful [compare B.G. 7: 3 & 7: 26]. (6) How, with the truth of this, could Vritra then, being so sinful and the cause of such a suffering in all the world, in the midst of the fire of giving battle have an intelligence that was fixed on Krishna? (7) To this I am in great doubt and very eager to hear, o master, about how he managed to please the Thousand-eyed One in battle with his bravery and strength'."

(8) S'rî Sûta said: "The all-powerful son of Vyâsa thus hearing the perfect question of the faithful Parîkchit expressed his compliments and explained it to him. (9) S'rî S'uka said: 'Please listen carefully, o King, to what I can tell you of what I've heard from the mouths of Vyâsa, Nârada Muni and Devala Rishi. (10) Once there was a king, an emperor to all, living in S'ûrasena, who, o King, was named Citraketu ['the light of excellence'] and of whom, being honored with that name, there was of the earth everything one could wish for. (11) Of the tens of thousands and thousands of wives he had received the king, although they were very well capable of giving birth, not a single son. (12) With all his beauty, magnanimity, youth, good birth, education, opulence, welfare and all other good qualities he was endowed with, was he full of anxiety in the role of the spouse to that many incapable wives. (13) Nor his great opulence, nor all his queens with their beautiful eyes, nor all the lands of the empire could please him. (14) But Angirâ, the very powerful sage who traveled around all his countries, one day unexpected came to the palace. (15) Paying him his respects according the customs, he stood up from his throne and offered him worship. And after thus having been hospitable in offering him a comfortable seat, sat he in proper self-restraint down next to him. (16) The great rishi himself bowing to the ground then complimented him who in all humility sat beside him, o Mahârâja, and addressed him saying the following.

(17) Angirâ said: 'Is everything all right with your health and the material order of the state; the order of the king [in priests, ministers, territories, subjects, fortresses, the treasury, the police and the army] that is so much alike the seven material layers which protect the living being [consisting of the totality, the ego and the five objects of the senses; mahat-tattva, ahankâra and tanmâtras]? (18) The king submitting himself to these elements of royalty may befall all that is good, and so will each and all depending on him in offering wealth and services, o god of men. (19) And your wives, citizens, secretaries, servants and merchants as well as your ministers, your intimates, governors, landholders and offspring, do they all comply with your rule? (20) When the mind is controlled will all the subjects comply and then will everyone, along with the governors no longer being negligent, offer his contribution. (21) From the anxiety of your pale face I can tell that you're not quite happy of mind for some or another reason or that you're in fact frustrated in your plans.'

(22) By the philosopher, despite of his greater learning, thus being questioned o King, bent he [Citraketu], in his desire for offspring, low to the sage in great humility to reply him as follows. (23) King Citraketu said: 'O great one, what would there be that you, in your austerity, spiritual knowledge, and absorption and your association with other great and sinless yogis, do not know of the external and internal matters of the embodied souls? (24) Still, o brahmin, even though you know everything, you question me about my anxieties. Now, with your permission, let me dilate on what you asked me. (25) With a great empire even desirable for the demigods does all the wealth and the upkeep not give me any pleasure because I have no son; to me it is all like trying to satisfy one's hunger and thirst with everything else but food and drink. (26) For this reason save me and my forefathers from perdition in darkness o great wise; make it so that we get a son so that we may overcome that what is so difficult to overcome.'

(27) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being beseeched made that most powerful and merciful son of Brahmâ him cook a preparation of sweet rice for Tvashthâ [the demigod father of Vis'varûpa, see 6.8], which he then offered in worship of him. (28) The first and most perfect queen of all the queens of the king, o best of the Bhâratas, listening to the name of Kritadyuti, was offered the remnants of the sacrifice delivered by the sage. (29) Thereafter said he to the king: 'O King, there will be one son who will be the cause of jubilation and lamentation for you', whereupon the son of Brahmâ left. (30) Kritadyuti proved to be pregnant of Citraketu after having eaten the food of the offering so that she got a son like the goddess Krittikâ got one [Skanda] from Agni. (31) Her fetus grew day after day developing step by step from the semen of the king of S'ûrasena like the moon does in the bright fortnight of the month. (32) Then in due time took the son his birth, creating the greatest delight among the inhabitants of S'ûrasena the moment they heard about it. (33) The king, very happy with his newly born son, bathed and decorated himself with ornaments, and then arranged for the brahmins to perform the birth ceremony with many benedictory words. (34) The brahmins he gave in charity gold, silver, garments, ornaments as also villages, horses, elephants and sixty crores of cows. (35) Like a raincloud showered the beneficent king all that one could desire for in order to increase the opulence, the reputation and longevity of his newborn. (36) Just like a poor man who has an increasing affection for the riches he gained with great difficulty, had the pious king, as a father, a day by day growing affection for the son he with so much difficulty got. (37) Also the mother had an excessive affection for the son, which, with all the co-wives of Kritadyuti, out of their ignorance led to a feverish desire to have sons also. (38) Just as with the constant care for the son became king Citraketu extraordinarily attracted to the wife who gave him the son and not so much to the others. (39) Of having no sons and being unhappy of being neglected by the king, they then lamented condemning themselves out of envy. (40) A woman being without a son is, by the husband and the co-wives who have sons, not honored at home finding all condemnation and is consigned the burden of sin; she, ill respected, is then just like a maid-servant. (41) And what indeed is there for maidservants to lament who find honor in being constantly of service to their husbands - but being like a maidservant to the maidservants one is most unfortunate. (42) Thus was there of the queens fallen out of grace, who burnt in lamentation with their king enjoying the wealth of a son from the co-wife Kritadyuti, a very strong growing envy. (43) Having lost their intelligence of the envy and unable to tolerate the king his ways, became the women extremely hardhearted and administered they poison to the boy. (44) Kritadyuti walking around the house was not aware of the sin committed by the co-wives and thought, looking upon her son, that he was fast asleep. (45) With the boy lying down for a long time gave she, as a lady of intelligence, thus the nurse the order: 'Please o friend, bring me my son'. (46) Looking after him she saw him lying down with his eyes turned upwards and his life force, mind and senses gone, and thus cried she, falling down to the ground: 'I'm doomed!'. (47) At that time hearing her agitated voice loudly in words of regret, to which she stroke her breast with both her hands, hurried also the queen in to see, upon approaching her son, that her child suddenly had deceased. (48) She swooned unconscious to the ground overcome by grief with her hair and dress in disarray. (49) Thereafter, o ruler of man, came all the inhabitants of the palace and all the people, men and women who had heard the loud crying nearby, and all lamented they equally aggrieved greatly, just as did pretentiously the ones who had committed the crime. (50-51) Hearing that his son had died for reasons unknown, could the king not see properly anymore as he, constantly falling and slipping, on his way was followed by his entourage of ministers and brahmins. Because of his affection and his rising wail of lamentation he fell unconscious down at the feet of the dead boy, heavily breathing with his hair and dress disheveled, and [coming to] was he because of the tears he cried not able to speak with his choked up voice. (52) The queen, seeing her husband as he was heavily lamenting in his grief over the deceased child, the only son of the family, cried her heart out and added thus to the pain in the heart of all gathered there, including the officers and ministers. (53) Her two with kumkum powdered breasts got wet of the teardrops that, mixed with her make-up, fell from her eyes, and from her scattered hair slipped down the flowers as she in every tone lamented over the son with a sound which reminded one of the sweet cries of a kurarî bird.

(54) 'Alas, o Providence, how short You fall in wisdom as someone who indeed performs just to the contrary of his creation; with the father still alive is there, with the death of the one that came later, a contradiction with You in the light of which You are found as a constant threat. (55) Not of the regular order out here of the death and birth of the embodied, You allow it to be so that, as a result of one's karma, that which follows from the bond of love, that which is personally made by You to Your greater glory, is cut away. That is what You do! (56) And you my dear son, shouldn't give up on me, me so poor without you as my protector. You should look after your father who grieves so deeply; by you we may easily cross that realm of darkness which is so difficult to cross without a son; please don't leave us. Don't abide by the mercilessness of the Lord of Death. (57) My dear son, get up, all the children, your playmates are calling for you to play with them, o prince of mine; you've slept for so long, you must be really hungry by now, please take my breast and drink, just to dissipate the grief of your relatives. (58) How unfortunate I am not to see any longer the charming smiles of you, born from my flesh, now you've closed the eyes of your lotusface; have you really left me for the place of no return, for the other world; have you really been taken away by the cruel Lord of Death? No longer I can hear your sweet prattle...'

(59) S'rî S'uka said: 'With the woman bewailing her dead son this way in several lamentations, was Citraketu very much aggrieved and cried he loudly along. (60) With the king and his wife thus lamenting cried all their subjects equally loud along, and so were all the men and women of the kingdom out of their wits of sadness. (61) The saint that was Angirâ, who knew that from the misery that fell upon them they had lost their senses and were helpless, then decided to go there with Nârada Muni.

S'rî Parîkchit said: 'How could Vritrâsura with a nature of passion and ignorance, o brahmin, and being that sinful minded be of such a strong consciousness in Nârâyana, the Supreme Person?

King Parîkshit inquired from S'ukadeva Gosvâmî: O learned brâhmana, demons are generally sinful, being obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. How, then, could Vritrâsura have attained such exalted love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana? (Vedabase)

Text 2

The great saints who directed their minds to the goodness and truthfulness of the gods and who have unblemished souls, hardly ever develop devotion unto the lotus feet of Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation.

Demigods situated in the mode of goodness and great saints cleansed of the dirt of material enjoyment hardly ever render pure devotional service at the lotus feet of Mukunda. [Therefore how could Vritrâsura have become such a great devotee?] (Vedabase)

Text 3

There are as many living entities as there are atoms in this material world; of them there are indeed some human and alike and out of them there are only a few acting to do good.

In this material world there are as many living entities as atoms. Among these living entities, a very few are human beings, and among them, few are interested in following religious principles. (Vedabase)

Text 4

O best of the twice-born, one always sees that of those who are faithful to the liberation there are only some who desire liberation and that of the thousands of them there are only a few that are really liberated, really perfect.

O best of the brâhmanas, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, out of many persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation is very rare. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Among those who found liberation and perfection, o great Sage, is out of the millions and trillions very rarely one found who concluded to Nârâyana and who has a mind that is completely peaceful [compare B.G. 7: 3 & 7: 26].

O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nârâyana, or Krishna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare. (Vedabase)

Text 6

How, with the truth of this, could Vritra then, being so sinful and the cause of such a suffering in all the world, in the midst of the fire of giving battle have an intelligence that was fixed on Krishna?

Vritrâsura was situated in the blazing fire of battle and was an infamous, sinful demon, always engaged in giving troubles and anxieties to others. How could such a demon become so greatly Krishna conscious? (Vedabase)

Text 7

To this I am in great doubt and very eager to hear, o master, about how he managed to please the Thousand-eyed One in battle with his bravery and strength'."

My dear lord, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, although Vritrâsura was a sinful demon, he showed the prowess of a most exalted kshatriya and satisfied Lord Indra in battle. How could such a demon be a great devotee of Lord Krishna? These contradictions have caused me great doubt, and they have made me eager to hear of this from you. (Vedabase)

Text 8

S'rî Sûta said: "The all-powerful son of Vyâsa thus hearing the perfect question of the faithful Parîkchit expressed his compliments and explained it to him.

S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: After hearing Mahârâja Parîkshit's very intelligent question, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, the most powerful sage, began answering his disciple with great affection. (Vedabase)

Text 9

S'rî S'uka said: 'Please listen carefully, o King, to what I can tell you of what I've heard from the mouths of Vyâsa, Nârada Muni and Devala Rishi.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King, I shall speak to you the same history I have heard from the mouths of Vyâsadeva, Nârada and Devala. Please listen with attention. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Once there was a king, an emperor to all, living in S'ûrasena, who, o King, was named Citraketu and of whom, being honored with that name, there was of the earth everything one could wish for.

O King Parîkshit, in the province of S'ûrasena there was a king named Citraketu, who ruled the entire earth. During his reign, the earth produced all the necessities for life. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Of the tens of thousands and thousands of wives he had received the king, although they were very well capable of giving birth, not a single son.

This Citraketu had ten million wives, but although he was capable of producing children, he did not receive a child from any of them. By chance, all the wives were barren. (Vedabase)

Text 12

With all his beauty, magnanimity, youth, good birth, education, opulence, welfare and all other good qualities he was endowed with, was he full of anxiety in the role of the spouse to that many incapable wives.

Citraketu, the husband of these millions of wives, was endowed with a beautiful form, magnanimity and youth. He was born in a high family, he had a complete education, and he was wealthy and opulent. Nevertheless, in spite of being endowed with all these assets, he was full of anxiety because he did not have a son. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Nor his great opulence, nor all his queens with their beautiful eyes, nor all the lands of the empire could please him.

His queens all had beautiful faces and attractive eyes, yet neither his opulences, his hundreds and thousands of queens, nor the lands of which he was the supreme proprietor were sources of happiness for him. (Vedabase)

Text 14

But Angirâ, the very powerful sage who traveled around all his countries, one day unexpected came to the palace.

Once upon a time, when the powerful sage named Angirâ was traveling all over the universe without engagement, by his sweet will he came to the palace of King Citraketu. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Paying him his respects according the customs, he stood up from his throne and offered him worship. And after thus having been hospitable in offering him a comfortable seat, sat he in proper self-restraint down next to him.

Citraketu immediately stood up from his throne and offered him worship. He offered drinking water and eatables and in this way performed his duty as a host to a great guest. When the rishi was seated very comfortably, the King, restraining his mind and senses, sat on the ground at the side of the rishi's feet. (Vedabase)

Text 16

The great rishi himself bowing to the ground then complimented him who in all humility sat beside him, o Mahârâja, and addressed him saying the following.

O King Parîkshit, when Citraketu, bent low in humility, was seated at the lotus feet of the great sage, the sage congratulated him for his humility and hospitality. The sage addressed him in the following words. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Angirâ said: 'Is everything all right with your health and the material order of the state; the order of the king [in priests, ministers, territories, subjects, fortresses, the treasury, the police and the army] that is so much alike the seven material layers which protect the living being [consisting of the totality, the ego and the five objects of the senses; mahat-tattva, ahankâra and tanmâtras]?

The great sage Angirâ said: My dear King, I hope that your body and mind and your royal associates and paraphernalia are well. When the seven properties of material nature [the total material energy, the ego and the five objects of sense gratification] are in proper order, the living entity within the material elements is happy. Without these seven elements one cannot exist. Similarly, a king is always protected by seven elements--his instructor. (svâmî or guru), his ministers, his kingdom, his fort, his treasury, his royal order and his friends. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

The king submitting himself to these elements of royalty may befall all that is good, and so will each and all depending on him in offering wealth and services, o god of men.

O King, O lord of humanity, when a king directly depends upon his associates and follows their instructions, he is happy. Similarly, when his associates offer their gifts and activities to the king and follow his orders, they are also happy. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

And your wives, citizens, secretaries, servants, merchants as well as your ministers, your intimates, governors, landholders and offspring, do they all comply with your rule?

O King, are your wives, citizens, secretaries and servants and the merchants who sell spices and oil under your control? Are you also in full control of ministers, the inhabitants of your palace, your provincial governors, your sons and your other dependents? (Vedabase)

Text 20:

When the mind is controlled will all the subjects comply and then will everyone, along with the governors no longer being negligent, offer his contribution.

If the king's mind is fully controlled, all his family members and governmental officers are subordinate to him. His provincial governors present taxes on time, without resistance, and what to speak of lesser servants? (Vedabase)

Text 21:

From the anxiety of your pale face I can tell that you're not quite happy of mind for some or another reason or that you're in fact frustrated in your plans.'

O King Citraketu, I can observe that your mind is not pleased. You seem not to have achieved your desired goal. Is this because of you yourself, or has it been caused by others? Your pale face reflects your deep anxiety. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

By the philosopher, despite of his greater learning, thus being questioned o King, bent he [Citraketu], in his desire for offspring, low to the sage in great humility to reply him as follows.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King Parîkshit, although the great sage Angirâ knew everything, he inquired from the King in this way. Thus King Citraketu, desiring a son, bent low in great humility and spoke to the great sage as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

King Citraketu said: 'O great one, what would there be that you, in your austerity, spiritual knowledge, and absorption and your association with other great and sinless yogis, do not know of the external and internal matters of the embodied souls?

King Citraketu said: O great lord Angirâ, because of austerity, knowledge and transcendental samâdhi, you are freed from all the reactions of sinful life. Therefore, as a perfect yogî, you can understand everything external and internal regarding embodied, conditioned souls like us. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

Still, o brahmin, even though you know everything, you question me about my anxieties. Now, with your permission, let me dilate on what you asked me.

O great soul, you are aware of everything, yet you are asking me why I am full of anxiety. Therefore, in response to your order, let me disclose the cause. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

With a great empire even desirable for the demigods does all the wealth and the upkeep not give me any pleasure because I have no son; to me it is all like trying to satisfy one's hunger and thirst with everything else but food and drink.

As a person aggrieved by hunger and thirst is not pleased by the external gratification of flower garlands or sandalwood pulp, I am not pleased with my empire, opulence or possessions, which are desirable even for great demigods, because I have no son. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

For this reason save me and my forefathers from perdition in darkness o great wise; make it so that we get a son so that we may overcome that what is so difficult to overcome.'

Therefore, O great sage, please save me and my forefathers, who are descending to the darkness of hell because I have no progeny. Kindly do something so that I may have a son to deliver us from hellish conditions. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being beseeched made that most powerful and merciful son of Brahmâ him cook a preparation of sweet rice for Tvashthâ [the demigod father of Vis'varûpa, see 6.8], which he then offered in worship of him.

In response to the request of Mahârâja Citraketu, Angirâ Rishi, who was born of Lord Brahmâ's mind, was very merciful toward him. Because the sage was a greatly powerful personality, he performed a sacrifice by offering oblations of sweet rice to Tvashthâ. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

The first and most perfect queen of all the queens of the king, o best of the Bhâratas, listening to the name of Kritadyuti, was offered the remnants of the sacrifice delivered by the sage.

O Parîkshit Mahârâja, best of the Bharatas, the remnants of the food offered in the yajña were given by the great sage Angirâ to the first and most perfect among Citraketu's millions of queens, whose name was Kritadyuti. (Vedabase)

Tekst 29:

Thereafter said he to the king: ' O King, there will be one son who will be the cause of jubilation and lamentation for you', whereupon the son of Brahmâ left.

Thereafter, the great sage told the King, "O great King, now you will have a son who will be the cause of both jubilation and lamentation." The sage then left, without waiting for Citraketu's response. (Vedabase)

Text 30:

Kritadyuti proved to be pregnant of Citraketu after having eaten the food of the offering so that she got a son like the goddess Krittikâ got one [Skanda] from Agni.

As Krittikâdevî, after receiving the semen of Lord S'iva from Agni, conceived a child named Skanda [Kârttikeya], Kritadyuti, having received semen from Citraketu, became pregnant after eating remnants of food from the yajña performed by Angirâ. (Vedabase)

Text 31:

Her fetus grew day after day developing step by step from the semen of the king of S'ûrasena like the moon does in the bright fortnight of the month.

After receiving semen from Mahârâja Citraketu, the King of S'ûrasena, Queen Kritadyuti gradually developed in her pregnancy, O King Parîkshit, just as the moon develops during the bright fortnight. (Vedabase)

Text 32:

Then in due time took the son his birth, creating the greatest delight among the inhabitants of S'ûrasena the moment they heard about it.

Thereafter, in due course of time, a son was born to the King. Hearing news of this, all the inhabitants of the state of S'ûrasena were extremely pleased. (Vedabase)

Text 33:

The king, very happy with his newly born son, bathed and decorated himself with ornaments, and then arranged for the brahmins to perform the birth ceremony with many benedictory words.

King Citraketu was especially pleased. After purifying himself by bathing and by decorating himself with ornaments, he engaged learned brâhmanas in offering benedictions to the child and performing the birth ceremony. (Vedabase)

Text 34:

The brahmins he gave in charity gold, silver, garments, ornaments as also villages, horses, elephants and sixty crores of cows.

Unto the brâhmanas who took part in the ritualistic ceremony the King gave charity of gold, silver, garments, ornaments, villages, horses and elephants, as well as sixty crores of cows [six hundred million cows]. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

Like a raincloud showered the beneficent king all that one could desire for in order to increase the opulence, the reputation and longevity of his newborn.

As a cloud indiscriminately pours water on the earth, the beneficent King Citraketu, to increase the reputation, opulence and longevity of his son, distributed like rainfall all desirable things to everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

Just like a poor man who has an increasing affection for the riches he gained with great difficulty, had the pious king, as a father, a day by day growing affection for the son he with so much difficulty got.

When a poor man gets some money after great difficulty, his affection for the money increases daily. Similarly, when King Citraketu, after great difficulty, received a son, his affection for the son increased day after day. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

Also the mother had an excessive affection for the son, which, with all the co-wives of Kritadyuti, out of their ignorance led to a feverish desire to have sons also.

The mother's attraction and attention to the son, like that of the child's father, excessively increased. The other wives, seeing Kritadyuti's son, were very much agitated, as if by high fevers, with a desire to have sons. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

Just as with the constant care for the son became king Citraketu extraordinarily attracted to the wife who gave him the son and not so much to the others.

As King Citraketu fostered his son very carefully, his affection for Queen Kritadyuti increased, but gradually he lost affection for the other wives, who had no sons. (Vedabase)

Text 39:

Of having no sons and being unhappy of being neglected by the king, they then lamented condemning themselves out of envy.

The other queens were extremely unhappy due to their being sonless. Because of the King's negligence toward them, they condemned themselves in envy and lamented. (Vedabase)

Text 40:

A woman being without a son is, by the husband and the co-wives who have sons, not honored at home and is consigned the burden of sin; she, ill respected, is then just like a maid-servant.

A wife who has no sons is neglected at home by her husband and dishonored by her co-wives exactly like a maidservant. Certainly such a woman is condemned in every respect because of her sinful life. (Vedabase)

Text 41:

And what indeed is there for maidservants to lament who find honor in being constantly of service to their husbands - but being like a maidservant to the maidservants one is most unfortunate.

Even maidservants who are constantly engaged in rendering service to the husband are honored by the husband, and thus they have nothing for which to lament. Our position, however, is that we are maidservants of the maidservant. Therefore we are most unfortunate. (Vedabase)

Text 42:

Thus was there of the queens fallen out of grace, who burnt in lamentation with their king enjoying the wealth of a son from the co-wife Kritadyuti, a very strong growing envy.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Being neglected by their husband and seeing Kritadyuti's opulence in possessing a son, Kritadyuti's co-wives always burned in envy, which became extremely strong. (Vedabase)

Text 43:

Having lost their intelligence of the envy and unable to tolerate the king his ways, became the women extremely hardhearted and administered they poison to the boy.

As their envy increased, they lost their intelligence. Being extremely hardhearted and unable to tolerate the King's neglect, they finally administered poison to the son. (Vedabase)

Text 44:

Kritadyuti walking around the house was not aware of the sin committed by the co-wives and thought, looking upon her son, that he was fast asleep.

Unaware of the poison administered by her co-wives, Queen Kritadyuti walked within the house, thinking that her son was sleeping deeply. She did not understand that he was dead. (Vedabase)

Text 45:

With the boy lying down for a long time gave she, as a lady of intelligence, thus the nurse the order: 'Please o friend, bring me my son'.

Thinking that her child had been sleeping for a long time, Queen Kritadyuti, who was certainly very intelligent, ordered the nurse, "My dear friend, please bring my son here. (Vedabase)

Text 46:

Looking after him she saw him lying down with his eyes turned upwards and his life force, mind and senses gone, and thus cried she, falling down to the ground: 'I'm doomed!'.

When the maidservant approached the child, who was lying down, she saw that his eyes were turned upward. There were no signs of life, all his senses having stopped, and she could understand that the child was dead. Seeing this, she immediately cried, "Now I am doomed," and fell to the ground. (Vedabase)

Text 47:

At that time hearing her agitated voice loudly in words of regret, to which she stroke her breast with both her hands, hurried also the queen in to see, upon approaching her son, that her child suddenly had deceased.

In great agitation, the maidservant struck her breast with both hands and cried loudly in regretful words. Hearing her loud voice, the Queen immediately came, and when she approached her son, she saw that he was suddenly dead. (Vedabase)

Text 48:

She swooned unconscious to the ground overcome by grief with her hair and dress in disarray.

In great lamentation, her hair and dress in disarray, the Queen fell to the ground unconscious. (Vedabase)

Text 49:

Thereafter, o ruler of man, came all the inhabitants of the palace and all the people, men and women who had heard the loud crying nearby, and all lamented they equally aggrieved greatly, just as did pretentiously the ones who had committed the crime.

O King Parîkshit, hearing the loud crying, all the inhabitants of the palace came, both men and women. Being equally aggrieved, they also began to cry. The queens who had administered the poison also cried pretentiously, knowing full well their offense. (Vedabase)

Text 50-51:

Hearing that his son had died for reasons unknown, could the king not see properly anymore as he, constantly falling and slipping, on his way was followed by his entourage of ministers and brahmins. Because of his affection and his rising wail of lamentation he fell unconscious down at the feet of the dead boy, heavily breathing with his hair and dress disheveled, and [coming to] was he because of the tears he cried not able to speak with his choked up voice.

When King Citraketu heard of his son's death from unknown causes, he became almost blind. Because of his great affection for his son, his lamentation grew like a blazing fire, and as he went to see the dead child, he kept slipping and falling on the ground. Surrounded by his ministers and other officers and the learned brâhmanas present, the King approached and fell unconscious at the child's feet, his hair and dress scattered. When the King, breathing heavily, regained consciousness, his eyes were tearful, and he could not speak. (Vedabase)

Text 52:

The queen, seeing her husband as he was heavily lamenting in his grief over the deceased child, the only son of the family, cried her heart out and added thus to the pain in the heart of all gathered there, including the officers and ministers.

When the Queen saw her husband, King Citraketu, merged in great lamentation and saw the dead child, who was the only son in the family, she lamented in various ways. This increased the pain in the cores of the hearts of all the inhabitants of the palace, the ministers and all the brâhmanas. (Vedabase)

Text 53:

Her two with kumkum powdered breasts got wet of the teardrops that, mixed with her make-up, fell from her eyes, and from her scattered hair slipped down the flowers as she in every tone lamented over the son with a sound which reminded one of the sweet cries of a kurarî bird.

The garland of flowers decorating the Queen's head fell, and her hair scattered. Falling tears melted the collyrium on her eyes and moistened her breasts, which were covered with kunkuma powder. As she lamented the loss of her son, her loud crying resembled the sweet sound of a kurarî bird. (Vedabase)

Text 54:

'Alas, o Providence, how short You fall in wisdom as someone who indeed performs just to the contrary of his creation; with the father still alive is there, with the death of the one that came later, a contradiction with You in the light of which You are found as a constant threat.

Alas, O Providence, O Creator, You are certainly inexperienced in creation, for during the lifetime of a father You have caused the death of his son, thus acting in opposition to Your creative laws. If You are determined to contradict these laws, You are certainly the enemy of living entities and are never merciful. (Vedabase)

Text 55:

Not of the regular order out here of the death and birth of the embodied, You allow it to be so that, as a result of one's karma, that which follows from the bond of love, that which is personally made by You to Your greater glory, is cut away. That is what You do!

My Lord, You may say that there is no law that a father must die in the lifetime of his son and that a son must be born in the lifetime of his father, since everyone lives and dies according to his own fruitive activity. However, if fruitive activity is so strong that birth and death depend upon it, there is no need of a controller, or God. Again, if You say that a controller is needed because the material energy does not have the power to act, one may answer that if the bonds of affection You have created are disturbed by fruitive action, no one will raise children with affection; instead, everyone will cruelly neglect his children. Since You have cut the bonds of affection that compel a parent to raise his child, You appear inexperienced and unintelligent. (Vedabase)

Text 56:

And you my dear son, shouldn't give up on me, me so poor without you as my protector. You should look after your father who grieves so deeply; by you we may easily cross that realm of darkness which is so difficult to cross without a son; please don't leave us. Don't abide by the mercilessness of the Lord of Death.

My dear son, I am helpless and very much aggrieved. You should not give up my company. Just look at your lamenting father. We are helpless because without a son we shall have to suffer the distress of going to the darkest hellish regions. You are the only hope by which we can get out of these dark regions. Therefore I request you not to go any further with the merciless Yama. (Vedabase)

Text 57:

My dear son, get up, all the children, your playmates are calling for you to play with them, o prince of mine; you've slept for so long, you must be really hungry by now, please take my breast and drink, just to dissipate the grief of your relatives.

My dear son, you have slept a long time. Now please get up. Your playmates are calling you to play. Since you must be very hungry, please get up and suck my breast and dissipate our lamentation. (Vedabase)

Text 58:

How unfortunate I am not to see any longer the charming smiles of you, born from my flesh, now you've closed the eyes of your lotusface; have you really left me for the place of no return, for the other world; have you really been taken away by the cruel Lord of Death? No longer I can hear your sweet prattle...'

My dear son, I am certainly most unfortunate, for I can no longer see your mild smiling. You have closed your eyes forever. I therefore conclude that you have been taken from this planet to another, from which you will not return. My dear son, I can no longer hear your pleasing voice. (Vedabase)

Text 59:

S'rî S'uka said: 'With the woman bewailing her dead son this way in several lamentations, was Citraketu very much aggrieved and cried he loudly along.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Accompanied by his wife, who was thus lamenting for her dead son, King Citraketu began crying loudly with an open mouth, being greatly aggrieved. (Vedabase)

Text 60:

With the king and his wife thus lamenting cried all their subjects equally loud along, and so were all the men and women of the kingdom out of their wits of sadness.

As the King and Queen lamented, all their male and female followers joined them in crying. Because of the sudden accident, all the citizens of the kingdom were almost unconscious. (Vedabase)

Text 61:

The saint that was Angirâ, who knew that from the misery that fell upon them they had lost their senses and were helpless, then decided to go there with Nârada Muni.

When the great sage Angirâ understood that the King was almost dead in an ocean of lamentation, he went there with Nârada Rishi. (Vedabase)