Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.17.8
प्रायश: प्राकृताश्चापि स्त्रियं रहसि बिभ्रति ।
अयं महाव्रतधरो बिभर्ति सदसि स्त्रियम् ॥ ८ ॥
prāyaśaḥ prākṛtāś cāpi
[praayashah praakritaash chaapi]
striyaṁ rahasi bibhrati
[striyam rahasi bibhrati]
ayaṁ mahā-vrata-dharo
[ayam mahaa-vrata-dharo]
bibharti sadasi striyam
[bibharti sadasi striyam]
Word-for-word
prāyaśaḥ
—
generally
prākṛtāḥ
—
conditioned souls
ca
—
also
api
—
although
striyam
—
a woman
rahasi
—
in a solitary place
bibhrati
—
embrace
ayam
—
this (Lord Śiva)
mahā-vrata-dharaḥ
—
the master of great vows and austerities
bibharti
—
enjoys
sadasi
—
in an assembly of great saintly persons
striyam
—
his wife.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prāyaśaḥ prākṛtāś cāpi
prāyaśaḥ
generally
prākṛtāḥ
conditioned souls
ca
also
api
although
striyaṁ rahasi bibhrati
striyam
a woman
rahasi
in a solitary place
bibhrati
embrace
ayaṁ mahā-vrata-dharo
ayam
this (Lord Śiva)
mahā-vrata-dharaḥ
the master of great vows and austerities
bibharti sadasi striyam
bibharti
enjoys
sadasi
in an assembly of great saintly persons
striyam
his wife.
Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives and enjoy their company in solitary places. How wonderful it is that Lord Mahādeva, although a great master of austerity, is embracing his wife openly in the midst of an assembly of great saints.
Purport
The word mahā-vrata-dharaḥ indicates a brahmacārī who has never fallen down. Lord Śiva is counted among the best of yogīs, yet he embraced his wife in the midst of great saintly persons. Citraketu appreciated how great Lord Śiva was to be unaffected even in that situation. Therefore Citraketu was not an offender; he merely expressed his wonder.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives in private. This man of great vows is embracing his wife in the assembly of great saints.
Mahā-vrata-dharaḥ means a brahmacārī from birth, a leader of yogīs. That he was embracing his wife shows his inconceivable power.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Ordinary conditioned persons embrace their wives in private — how wonderful that Śiva does so publicly among saints. Citraketu names the apparent oddity directly.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I assume my norms of decorum apply to those operating on a different plane?
- What humility would let me leave the norm unspoken?
My note
Source: vedabase.io