FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.17.37

इति भागवतो देव्या: प्रतिशप्तुमलन्तम: । मूर्ध्ना स जगृहे शापमेतावत्साधुलक्षणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
iti bhāgavato devyāḥ
[iti bhaagavato devyaah]
pratiśaptum alantamaḥ
[pratishaptum alantamah]
mūrdhnā sa jagṛhe śāpam
[moordhnaa sa jagrihe shaapam]
etāvat sādhu-lakṣaṇam
[etaavat saadhu-lakshanam]
iti — thus bhāgavataḥ — the most exalted devotee devyāḥ — of Pārvatī pratiśaptum — to make a counter-curse alantamaḥ — able in all respects mūrdhnā — with his head saḥ — he (Citraketu) jagṛhe — accepted śāpam — the curse etāvat — this much sādhu-lakṣaṇam — the symptom of a devotee.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
iti bhāgavato devyāḥ
iti
thus
bhāgavataḥ
the most exalted devotee
devyāḥ
of Pārvatī
pratiśaptum alantamaḥ
pratiśaptum
to make a counter-curse
alantamaḥ
able in all respects
mūrdhnā sa jagṛhe śāpam
mūrdhnā
with his head
saḥ
he (Citraketu)
jagṛhe
accepted
śāpam
the curse
etāvat sādhu-lakṣaṇam
etāvat
this much
sādhu-lakṣaṇam
the symptom of a devotee.
The great devotee Citraketu was so powerful that he was quite competent to curse mother Pārvatī in retaliation, but instead of doing so he very humbly accepted the curse and bowed his head before Lord Śiva and his wife. This is very much to be appreciated as the standard behavior of a Vaiṣṇava.

Upon being informed by Lord Śiva, mother Pārvatī could understand that she was wrong in cursing Citraketu. King Citraketu was so exalted in his character that in spite of being wrongly cursed by Pārvatī, he immediately descended from his airplane and bowed his head before the mother, accepting her curse. This has already been explained: nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati. Citraketu very sportingly felt that since the mother wanted to curse him, he could accept this curse just to please her. This is called sādhu-lakṣaṇam, the characteristic of a sādhu, or a devotee. As explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. A devotee should always be very humble and meek and should offer all respect to others, especially to superiors. Being protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is always powerful, but a devotee does not wish to show his power unnecessarily. However, when a less intelligent person has some power, he wants to use it for sense gratification. This is not the behavior of a devotee.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Though able to curse Pārvatī in return, Citraketu accepted the curse on his head. Such is the good nature of the devotee. Do not think that Citraketu had meager power because he was a new devotee. That is explained in this verse. He was able to the curse Devī in response. Devyāh should be devyai.
Citraketu could have cursed Pārvatī in retaliation but instead humbly accepted and bowed. The refusal to retaliate is more devotional than any retaliation could have been.
Reflection Questions
  • When did refusing to retaliate produce more spiritual standing than retaliating would have?
  • Where am I tempted to retaliate today?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 17