Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.13.43
प्रायेणाभ्यर्चितो देवो येऽप्रजा गृहमेधिन: ।
कदपत्यभृतं दु:खं ये न विन्दन्ति दुर्भरम् ॥ ४३ ॥
prāyeṇābhyarcito devo
[praayenaabhyarchito devo]
ye ’prajā gṛha-medhinaḥ
[ye ’prajaa griha-medhinah]
kad-apatya-bhṛtaṁ duḥkhaṁ
[kad-apatya-bhritam duhkham]
ye na vindanti durbharam
[ye na vindanti durbharam]
Word-for-word
prāyeṇa
—
probably
abhyarcitaḥ
—
was worshiped
devaḥ
—
the Lord
ye
—
they who
aprajāḥ
—
without a son
gṛha-medhinaḥ
—
persons living at home
kad-apatya
—
by a bad son
bhṛtam
—
caused
duḥkham
—
unhappiness
ye
—
they who
na
—
not
vindanti
—
suffer
durbharam
—
unbearable.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prāyeṇābhyarcito devo
prāyeṇa
probably
abhyarcitaḥ
was worshiped
devaḥ
the Lord
ye ’prajā gṛha-medhinaḥ
ye
they who
kad-apatya-bhṛtaṁ duḥkhaṁ
aprajāḥ
without a son
gṛha-medhinaḥ
persons living at home
kad-apatya
by a bad son
bhṛtam
caused
duḥkham
unhappiness
ye na vindanti durbharam
ye
they who
na
not
vindanti
suffer
durbharam
unbearable.
The King thought to himself: Persons who have no son are certainly fortunate. They must have worshiped the Lord in their previous lives so that they would not have to suffer the unbearable unhappiness caused by a bad son.
Purport
It is said that a married couple must have a son, otherwise their family life is void. But a son born without good qualities is as good as a blind eye. A blind eye has no use for seeing, but it is simply unbearably painful. The King therefore thought himself very unfortunate to have such a bad son.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Generally, the Lord must have been worshipped by persons without sons, since they do not have to suffer the intolerable grief caused by a bad son.
The Lord was worshipped by those with no sons, since they do not have to suffer the intolerable burden completely manifested in a bad son.
Personal Guidance
Aṅga thinks: how lucky are those without sons — they must have worshiped well in a past life to avoid this misery. Suffering parents reframe even childlessness as a possible mercy; perspective shifts under pressure.
Reflection Questions
- Where could I reframe an apparent 'lack' as a hidden mercy in my own life?
- Whose painful family situation am I judging when I'd see it differently in their shoes?
My note
Source: vedabase.io