Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 6 · Chapter 17
श्रीशुक उवाच यतश्चान्तर्हितोऽनन्तस्तस्यै कृत्वा दिशे नम: । विद्याधरश्चित्रकेतुश्चचार गगने चर: ॥ १ ॥
sri-suka uvaca yatas cantarhito ’nantas tasyai krtva dise namah vidyadharas citraketus cacara gagane carah
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami 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 Vidyadharas.
स लक्षं वर्षलक्षाणामव्याहतबलेन्द्रिय: । स्तूयमानो महायोगी मुनिभि: सिद्धचारणै: ॥ २ ॥ कुलाचलेन्द्रद्रोणीषु नानासङ्कल्पसिद्धिषु । रेमे विद्याधरस्त्रीभिर्गापयन् हरिमीश्वरम् ॥ ३ ॥
sa laksam varsa-laksanam avyahata-balendriyah stuyamano maha-yogi munibhih siddha-caranaih kulacalendra-dronisu nana-sankalpa-siddhisu reme vidyadhara-stribhir gapayan harim isvaram
Being praised by great sages and saints and by the inhabitants of Siddhaloka and Caranaloka, Citraketu, the most powerful mystic yogi, 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 Vidyadhara-loka by chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord, Hari.
एकदा स विमानेन विष्णुदत्तेन भास्वता । गिरिशं ददृशे गच्छन् परीतं सिद्धचारणै: ॥ ४ ॥ आलिङ्गयाङ्कीकृतां देवीं बाहुना मुनिसंसदि । उवाच देव्या: शृण्वन्त्या जहासोच्चैस्तदन्तिके ॥ ५ ॥
ekada sa vimanena visnu-dattena bhasvata girisam dadrse gacchan paritam siddha-caranaih alingyankikrtam devim bahuna muni-samsadi uvaca devyah srnvantya jahasoccais tad-antike
One time while King Citraketu was traveling in outer space on a brilliantly effulgent airplane given to him by Lord Visnu, he saw Lord Siva, surrounded by Siddhas and Caranas. Lord Siva was sitting in an assembly of great saintly persons and embracing Parvati on his lap with his arm. Citraketu laughed loudly and spoke, within the hearing of Parvati.
चित्रकेतुरुवाच एष लोकगुरु: साक्षाद्धर्मं वक्ता शरीरिणाम् । आस्ते मुख्य: सभायां वै मिथुनीभूय भार्यया ॥ ६ ॥
citraketur uvaca esa loka-guruh saksad dharmam vakta saririnam aste mukhyah sabhayam vai mithuni-bhuya bharyaya
Citraketu said: Lord Siva, 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, Parvati, in the midst of an assembly of great saintly persons.
जटाधरस्तीव्रतपा ब्रह्मवादिसभापति: । अङ्कीकृत्य स्त्रियं चास्ते गतह्री: प्राकृतो यथा ॥ ७ ॥
jata-dharas tivra-tapa brahmavadi-sabha-patih ankikrtya striyam caste gata-hrih prakrto yatha
Lord Siva, 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.
प्रायश: प्राकृताश्चापि स्त्रियं रहसि बिभ्रति । अयं महाव्रतधरो बिभर्ति सदसि स्त्रियम् ॥ ८ ॥
prayasah prakrtas capi striyam rahasi bibhrati ayam maha-vrata-dharo bibharti sadasi striyam
Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives and enjoy their company in solitary places. How wonderful it is that Lord Mahadeva, although a great master of austerity, is embracing his wife openly in the midst of an assembly of great saints.
श्रीशुक उवाच भगवानपि तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रहस्यागाधधीर्नृप । तूष्णीं बभूव सदसि सभ्याश्च तदनुव्रता: ॥ ९ ॥
sri-suka uvaca bhagavan api tac chrutva prahasyagadha-dhir nrpa tusnim babhuva sadasi sabhyas ca tad-anuvratah
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after hearing Citraketu’s statement, Lord Siva, 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.
इत्यतद्वीर्यविदुषि ब्रुवाणे बह्वशोभनम् । रुषाह देवी धृष्टाय निर्जितात्माभिमानिने ॥ १० ॥
ity atad-virya-vidusi bruvane bahv-asobhanam rusaha devi dhrstaya nirjitatmabhimanine
Not knowing the prowess of Lord Siva and Parvati, Citraketu strongly criticized them. His statements were not at all pleasing, and therefore the goddess Parvati, being very angry, spoke as follows to Citraketu, who thought himself better than Lord Siva in controlling the senses.
श्रीपार्वत्युवाच अयं किमधुना लोके शास्ता दण्डधर: प्रभु: । अस्मद्विधानां दुष्टानां निर्लज्जानां च विप्रकृत् ॥ ११ ॥
sri-parvaty uvaca ayam kim adhuna loke sasta danda-dharah prabhuh asmad-vidhanam dustanam nirlajjanam ca viprakrt
The goddess Parvati 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?
न वेद धर्मं किल पद्मयोनि- र्न ब्रह्मपुत्रा भृगुनारदाद्या: । न वै कुमार: कपिलो मनुश्च ये नो निषेधन्त्यतिवर्तिनं हरम् ॥ १२ ॥
na veda dharmam kila padmayonir na brahma-putra bhrgu-naradadyah na vai kumarah kapilo manus ca ye no nisedhanty ati-vartinam haram
Alas, Lord Brahma, who has taken his birth from the lotus flower, does not know the principles of religion, nor do the great saints like Bhrgu and Narada, nor the four Kumaras, headed by Sanat-kumara. 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 Siva from behaving improperly.
एषामनुध्येयपदाब्जयुग्मं जगद्गुरुं मङ्गलमङ्गलं स्वयम् । य: क्षत्रबन्धु: परिभूय सूरीन् प्रशास्ति धृष्टस्तदयं हि दण्ड्य: ॥ १३ ॥
esam anudhyeya-padabja-yugmam jagad-gurum mangala-mangalam svayam yah ksatra-bandhuh paribhuya surin prasasti dhrstas tad ayam hi dandyah
This Citraketu is the lowest of ksatriyas, for he has impudently overridden Brahma and the other demigods by insulting Lord Siva, upon whose lotus feet they always meditate. Lord Siva is personified religion and the spiritual master of the entire world, and therefore Citraketu must be punished.
नायमर्हति वैकुण्ठपादमूलोपसर्पणम् । सम्भावितमति: स्तब्ध: साधुभि: पर्युपासितम् ॥ १४ ॥
nayam arhati vaikuntha- pada-mulopasarpanam sambhavita-matih stabdhah sadhubhih paryupasitam
This person is puffed up because of his achievements, thinking, I am the best He does not deserve to approach the shelter of Lord Visnu’s lotus feet, which are worshiped by all saintly persons, for he is impudent, thinking himself greatly important.
अत: पापीयसीं योनिमासुरीं याहि दुर्मते । यथेह भूयो महतां न कर्ता पुत्र किल्बिषम् ॥ १५ ॥
atah papiyasim yonim asurim yahi durmate yatheha bhuyo mahatam na karta putra kilbisam
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.
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं शप्तश्चित्रकेतुर्विमानादवरुह्य स: । प्रसादयामास सतीं मूर्ध्ना नम्रेण भारत ॥ १६ ॥
sri-suka uvaca evam saptas citraketur vimanad avaruhya sah prasadayam asa satim murdhna namrena bharata
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King Pariksit, when Citraketu was cursed by Parvati, he descended from his airplane, bowed before her with great humility and pleased her completely.
चित्रकेतुरुवाच प्रतिगृह्णामि ते शापमात्मनोऽञ्जलिनाम्बिके । देवैर्मर्त्याय यत्प्रोक्तं पूर्वदिष्टं हि तस्य तत् ॥ १७ ॥
citraketur uvaca pratigrhnami te sapam atmano ’njalinambike devair martyaya yat proktam purva-distam hi tasya tat
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.
संसारचक्र एतस्मिञ्जन्तुरज्ञानमोहित: । भ्राम्यन् सुखं च दु:खं च भुङ्क्ते सर्वत्र सर्वदा ॥ १८ ॥
samsara-cakra etasmin jantur ajnana-mohitah bhramyan sukham ca duhkham ca bhunkte sarvatra sarvada
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.)
नैवात्मा न परश्चापि कर्ता स्यात् सुखदु:खयो: । कर्तारं मन्यतेऽत्राज्ञ आत्मानं परमेव च ॥ १९ ॥
naivatma na paras capi karta syat sukha-duhkhayoh kartaram manyate ’trajna atmanam param eva ca
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.
गुणप्रवाह एतस्मिन् क: शाप: को न्वनुग्रह: । क: स्वर्गो नरक: को वा किं सुखं दु:खमेव वा ॥ २० ॥
guna-pravaha etasmin kah sapah ko nv anugrahah kah svargo narakah ko va kim sukham duhkham eva va
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 planes, and what are the hellish planes? What is actually happiness, and what is actually distress? Because the waves flow constantly, none of them has an eternal effect.
एक: सृजति भूतानि भगवानात्ममायया । एषां बन्धं च मोक्षं च सुखं दु:खं च निष्कल: ॥ २१ ॥
ekah srjati bhutani bhagavan atma-mayaya esam bandham ca moksam ca sukham duhkham ca niskalah
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-guna and rajo-guna, he is subjected to happiness and distress.
न तस्य कश्चिद्दयित: प्रतीपो न ज्ञातिबन्धुर्न परो न च स्व: । समस्य सर्वत्र निरञ्जनस्य सुखे न राग: कुत एव रोष: ॥ २२ ॥
na tasya kascid dayitah pratipo na jnati-bandhur na paro na ca svah samasya sarvatra niranjanasya sukhe na ragah kuta eva rosah
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.
तथापि तच्छक्तिविसर्ग एषां सुखाय दु:खाय हिताहिताय । बन्धाय मोक्षाय च मृत्युजन्मनो: शरीरिणां संसृतयेऽवकल्पते ॥ २३ ॥
tathapi tac-chakti-visarga esam sukhaya duhkhaya hitahitaya bandhaya moksaya ca mrtyu-janmanoh saririnam samsrtaye ’vakalpate
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.
अथ प्रसादये न त्वां शापमोक्षाय भामिनि । यन्मन्यसे ह्यसाधूक्तं मम तत्क्षम्यतां सति ॥ २४ ॥
atha prasadaye na tvam sapa-moksaya bhamini yan manyase hy asadhuktam mama tat ksamyatam sati
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.
श्रीशुक उवाच इति प्रसाद्य गिरिशौ चित्रकेतुररिन्दम । जगाम स्वविमानेन पश्यतो: स्मयतोस्तयो: ॥ २५ ॥
sri-suka uvaca iti prasadya girisau citraketur arindama jagama sva-vimanena pasyatoh smayatos tayoh
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King Pariksit, subduer of the enemy, after Citraketu satisfied Lord Siva and his wife, Parvati, he boarded his airplane and left as they looked on. When Lord Siva and Parvati saw that Citraketu, although informed of the curse, was unafraid, they smiled, being fully astonished by his behavior.
ततस्तु भगवान् रुद्रो रुद्राणीमिदमब्रवीत् । देवर्षिदैत्यसिद्धानां पार्षदानां च शृण्वताम् ॥ २६ ॥
tatas tu bhagavan rudro rudranim idam abravit devarsi-daitya-siddhanam parsadanam ca srnvatam
Thereafter, in the presence of the great sage Narada, the demons, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, and his personal associates, Lord Siva, who is most powerful, spoke to his wife, Parvati, while they all listened.
श्रीरुद्र उवाच दृष्टवत्यसि सुश्रोणि हरेरद्भुतकर्मण: । माहात्म्यं भृत्यभृत्यानां नि:स्पृहाणां महात्मनाम् ॥ २७ ॥
sri-rudra uvaca drstavaty asi susroni harer adbhuta-karmanah mahatmyam bhrtya-bhrtyanam nihsprhanam mahatmanam
Lord Siva said: My dear beautiful Parvati, have you seen the greatness of the Vaisnavas? 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.
नारायणपरा: सर्वे न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति । स्वर्गापवर्गनरकेष्वपि तुल्यार्थदर्शिन: ॥ २८ ॥
narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati svargapavarga-narakesv api tulyartha-darsinah
Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planes, liberation and the hellish planes are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.
देहिनां देहसंयोगाद् द्वन्द्वानीश्वरलीलया । सुखं दु:खं मृतिर्जन्म शापोऽनुग्रह एव च ॥ २९ ॥
dehinam deha-samyogad dvandvanisvara-lilaya sukham duhkham mrtir janma sapo ’nugraha eva ca
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.
अविवेककृत: पुंसो ह्यर्थभेद इवात्मनि । गुणदोषविकल्पश्च भिदेव स्रजिवत्कृत: ॥ ३० ॥
aviveka-krtah pumso hy artha-bheda ivatmani guna-dosa-vikalpas ca bhid eva srajivat krtah
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.
वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तिमुद्वहतां नृणाम् । ज्ञानवैराग्यवीर्याणां न हि कश्चिद् व्यपाश्रय: ॥ ३१ ॥
vasudeve bhagavati bhaktim udvahatam nrnam jnana-vairagya-viryanam na hi kascid vyapasrayah
Persons engaged in devotional service to Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, 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.
नाहं विरिञ्चो न कुमारनारदौ न ब्रह्मपुत्रा मुनय: सुरेशा: । विदाम यस्येहितमंशकांशका न तत्स्वरूपं पृथगीशमानिन: ॥ ३२ ॥
naham virinco na kumara-naradau na brahma-putra munayah suresah vidama yasyehitam amsakamsaka na tat-svarupam prthag-isa-maninah
Neither I (Lord Siva), nor Brahma, nor the Asvini-kumaras, nor Narada or the other great sages who are Brahma’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.
न ह्यस्यास्ति प्रिय: कश्चिन्नाप्रिय: स्व: परोऽपि वा । आत्मत्वात्सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतप्रियो हरि: ॥ ३३ ॥
na hy asyasti priyah kascin napriyah svah paro ’pi va atmatvat sarva-bhutanam sarva-bhuta-priyo harih
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.
तस्य चायं महाभागश्चित्रकेतु: प्रियोऽनुग: । सर्वत्र समदृक् शान्तो ह्यहं चैवाच्युतप्रिय: ॥ ३४ ॥ तस्मान्न विस्मय: कार्य: पुरुषेषु महात्मसु । महापुरुषभक्तेषु शान्तेषु समदर्शिषु ॥ ३५ ॥
tasya cayam maha-bhagas citraketuh priyo ’nugah sarvatra sama-drk santo hy aham caivacyuta-priyah tasman na vismayah karyah purusesu mahatmasu mahapurusa-bhaktesu santesu sama-darsisu
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 Narayana. Therefore, no one should be astonished to see the activities of the most exalted devotees of Narayana, for they are free from attachment and envy. They are always peaceful, and they are equal to everyone.
श्रीशुक उवाच इति श्रुत्वा भगवत: शिवस्योमाभिभाषितम् । बभूव शान्तधी राजन् देवी विगतविस्मया ॥ ३६ ॥
sri-suka uvaca iti srutva bhagavatah sivasyomabhibhasitam babhuva santa-dhi rajan devi vigata-vismaya
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, after hearing this speech by her husband, the demigoddess (Uma, the wife of Lord Siva) gave up her astonishment at the behavior of King Citraketu and became steady in intelligence.
इति भागवतो देव्या: प्रतिशप्तुमलन्तम: । मूर्ध्ना स जगृहे शापमेतावत्साधुलक्षणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
iti bhagavato devyah pratisaptum alantamah murdhna sa jagrhe sapam etavat sadhu-laksanam
The great devotee Citraketu was so powerful that he was quite competent to curse mother Parvati in retaliation, but instead of doing so he very humbly accepted the curse and bowed his head before Lord Siva and his wife. This is very much to be appreciated as the standard behavior of a Vaisnava.
जज्ञे त्वष्टुर्दक्षिणाग्नौ दानवीं योनिमाश्रित: । वृत्र इत्यभिविख्यातो ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुत: ॥ ३८ ॥
jajne tvastur daksinagnau danavim yonim asritah vrtra ity abhivikhyato jnana-vijnana-samyutah
Being cursed by mother Durga (Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva), 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 Tvasta, and thus he became famous as Vrtrasura.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । वृत्रस्यासुरजातेश्च कारणं भगवन्मते: ॥ ३९ ॥
etat te sarvam akhyatam yan mam tvam pariprcchasi vrtrasyasura-jates ca karanam bhagavan-mateh
My dear King Pariksit, you inquired from me how Vrtrasura, a great devotee, took birth in a demoniac family. Thus I have tried to explain to you everything about this.
इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं चित्रकेतोर्महात्मन: । माहात्म्यं विष्णुभक्तानां श्रुत्वा बन्धाद्विमुच्यते ॥ ४० ॥
itihasam imam punyam citraketor mahatmanah mahatmyam visnu-bhaktanam srutva bandhad vimucyate
Citraketu was a great devotee (mahatma). If one hears this history of Citraketu from a pure devotee, the listener also is freed from the conditional life of material existence.
य एतत्प्रातरुत्थाय श्रद्धया वाग्यत: पठेत् । इतिहासं हरिं स्मृत्वा स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ ४१ ॥
ya etat pratar utthaya sraddhaya vag-yatah pathet itihasam harim smrtva sa yati paramam gatim
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.
