FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.14.16

इति तां वीर मारीच: कृपणां बहुभाषिणीम् । प्रत्याहानुनयन् वाचा प्रवृद्धानङ्गकश्मलाम् ॥ १६ ॥
iti tāṁ vīra mārīcaḥ
[iti taam veera maareechah]
kṛpaṇāṁ bahu-bhāṣiṇīm
[kripanaam bahu-bhaashineem]
pratyāhānunayan vācā
[pratyaahaanunayan vaachaa]
pravṛddhānaṅga-kaśmalām
[pravriddhaananga-kashmalaam]
iti — thus tām — unto her vīra — O hero mārīcaḥ — the son of Marīci (Kaśyapa) kṛpaṇām — unto the poor bahu-bhāṣiṇīm — too talkative pratyāha — replied anunayan — pacifying vācā — by words pravṛddha — highly agitated anaṅga — lust kaśmalām — contaminated.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
iti tāṁ vīra mārīcaḥ
iti
thus
tām
unto her
vīra
O hero
mārīcaḥ
the son of Marīci (Kaśyapa)
kṛpaṇāṁ bahu-bhāṣiṇīm
kṛpaṇām
unto the poor
bahu-bhāṣiṇīm
too talkative
pratyāhānunayan vācā
pratyāha
replied
anunayan
pacifying
vācā
by words
pravṛddhānaṅga-kaśmalām
pravṛddha
highly agitated
anaṅga
lust
kaśmalām
contaminated.
O hero [Vidura], Diti, being thus afflicted by the contamination of lust, and therefore poor and talkative, was pacified by the son of Marīci in suitable words.

When a man or woman is afflicted by the lust of sex desire, it is to be understood as sinful contamination. Kaśyapa was engaged in his spiritual activities, but he did not have sufficient strength to refuse his wife, who was thus afflicted. He could have refused her with strong words expressing impossibility, but he was not as spiritually strong as Vidura. Vidura is addressed here as a hero because no one is stronger in self-control than a devotee of the Lord. It appears that Kaśyapa was already inclined to have sexual enjoyment with his wife, and because he was not a strong man he tried to dissuade her only with pacifying words.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O bold Vidura! Kaśypa, speaking with conciliatory words, replied to his suffering wife who had spoken excessively, and whose lust continued to increase. Addressing Vidura as vira indicates that Vidura was strong in dharma whereas Kaśyapa was not. Pacifying her, he spoke. He did not glance at her in anger and scold her. If he were to show artificial anger, her affliction of lust would have disappeared in fear. Being disturbed by lust she could not tolerate any conciliatory words. Her lust simply increased.
Fruitive activity is described as a long detour: it produces results, but never the result the soul actually wants. The verse invites us to stop running that loop.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are you accumulating 'good karma' instead of taking real refuge?
  • Which fruit have you been chasing that, even if you caught it, would not satisfy?
📝 My note

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