FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.14.12

रूपौदार्यवयोजन्मविद्यैश्वर्यश्रियादिभि: । सम्पन्नस्य गुणै: सर्वैश्चिन्ता बन्ध्यापतेरभूत् ॥ १२ ॥
rūpaudārya-vayo-janma-
[roopaudaarya-vayo-janma-]
vidyaiśvarya-śriyādibhiḥ
[vidyaishvarya-shriyaadibhih]
sampannasya guṇaiḥ sarvaiś
[sampannasya gunaih sarvaish]
cintā bandhyā-pater abhūt
[chintaa bandhyaa-pater abhoot]
rūpa — with beauty audārya — magnanimity vayaḥ — youth janma — aristocratic birth vidyā — education aiśvarya — opulence śriya-ādibhiḥ — wealth and so on sampannasya — endowed guṇaiḥ — with good qualities sarvaiḥ — all cintā — anxiety bandhyā-pateḥ — of Citraketu, the husband of so many sterile wives abhūt — there was.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rūpaudārya-vayo-janma-
rūpa
with beauty
audārya
magnanimity
vayaḥ
youth
janma
aristocratic birth
vidyaiśvarya-śriyādibhiḥ
vidyā
education
aiśvarya
opulence
śriya-ādibhiḥ
wealth and so on
sampannasya guṇaiḥ sarvaiś
sampannasya
endowed
guṇaiḥ
with good qualities
sarvaiḥ
all
cintā bandhyā-pater abhūt
cintā
anxiety
bandhyā-pateḥ
of Citraketu, the husband of so many sterile wives
abhūt
there was.
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.

It appears that the King first married one wife, but she could not bear a child. Then he married a second, a third, a fourth and so on, but none of the wives could bear children. In spite of the material assets of janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī — birth in an aristocratic family with full opulence, wealth, education and beauty — he was very much aggrieved because in spite of having so many wives, he had no son. Certainly his grief was natural. Gṛhastha life does not mean having a wife and no children. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam: if a family man has no son, his home is no better than a desert. The King was certainly most unhappy that he could not get a son, and this is why he had married so many times. Kṣatriyas especially are allowed to marry more than one wife, and this King did so. Nonetheless, he had no issue.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Citraketu, though endowed with beauty, magnanimity, youth, high family, education, power and wealth, being the husband of barren wives, was full of anxiety. All of the wives were barren by fate.
Despite beauty, magnanimity, youth, lineage, education, wealth — none of his opulences gave him happiness. The famous list of advantages is not what produces joy.
Reflection Questions
  • Which advantage have I been counting on for happiness that isn't delivering?
  • Where is my contentment built on something other than my conditions?
📝 My note

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