C - Chitraketu (14-19)
How could a demon like Vritrasura have such glorious devotional qualities? In answer, Sukadeva Goswami explained his previous birth as Chitraketu, during which he had great devotion for Lord Sankarsana. Chitraketu became enlightened through a rollercoaster of events – first he was childless (despite having 10 million wives), then his newborn child abruptly died and then the son reappeared and taught him the harsh realities of life. Later, when Chitraketu offended Parvati, she cursed him to become a demon in his next life. Chitraketu humbly accepted his destiny, seeing all occurrences as the Lord’s mercy.
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C - Chitraketu (14-19)
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
How could a demon like Vritrasura have such glorious devotional qualities? In answer, Sukadeva Goswami explained his previous birth as Chitraketu, during which he had great devotion for Lord Sankarsana. Chitraketu became enlightened through a rollercoaster of events – first he was childless (despite having 10 million wives), then his newborn child abruptly died and then the son reappeared and taught him the harsh realities of life. Later, when Chitraketu offended Parvati, she cursed him to become a demon in his next life. Chitraketu humbly accepted his destiny, seeing all occurrences as the Lord’s mercy.
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Chitraketu Cursed
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
Chitraketu Cursed
Chapter 17
Along with seeing the Lord, Chitraketu was also benedicted with rulership over the Vidyadhara planet. As he enjoyed in that realm, travelling from place-toplace, he once encountered Lord Siva publicly embracing Parvati, surrounded by an august assembly of Siddhas, Caranas and great sages.
Chitraketu was astonished by the sight and laughed loudly, much to the disapproval of Parvati. There was no offensive intention since Chitraketu was simply exhibiting his amazement at Lord Siva’s aloofness. Nevertheless, Parvati, entirely unimpressed by his reaction, cursed him to become a demon. Chitraketu humbly accepted it without protest. Devotees, Siva said, never fear any condition of life – heaven, hell or liberation are all the same since their only aspiration is to serve the Lord.
Chitraketu thus became the ‘demon’ Vritrasura in his next life.
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Chitraketu Enlightened
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
Chitraketu Enlightened
Chapter 15, 16
The two sages instructed Chitraketu in the harsh realities of life; all relationships of this world are temporary, and the material designations we assume are ultimately imaginary. The illuminating knowledge empowered Chitraketu to gain a broader perspective. Being eager for more, Narada guided Chitraketu in cultivating an internal detachment and gave him a mantra to chant. Then, by his mystic potency, Narada empowered the child to speak words of wisdom which further highlighted the transitory nature of everything in this world.
The funeral ceremony was performed and the envious queens were so ashamed of their conduct that they gave up the aspiration to have children. The sages departed and Chitraketu dedicated himself to reciting the mantra given to him by Narada. Within days he was able to have the direct vision of Lord Sesa, and he overflowed with gratitude. Pleased by his prayers, the Supreme Lord explained further knowledge of Himself to Chitraketu.
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Chitraketu’s Lamentation
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
Chitraketu’s Lamentation
Chapter 14
When Maharaja Pariksit enquired how a demon could possess such exalted consciousness, Sukadeva Goswami described Vritrasura’s previous birth as Chitraketu.
Despite marrying ten million wives, Chitraketu had no children. When the great sage Angira Rishi visited, Chitraketu warmly received him. He frankly expressed his dissatisfaction to the sage, who mercifully arranged for his first wife, Krtadyuti, to have a son. There was, however, a caveat – he predicted the child would bring both happiness ( harsa ) and lamentation ( soka ).
Upon the birth of this son, Chitraketu and all the citizens were overjoyed. His dream had finally been fulfilled! The other wives, however, didn’t share that joy, feeling neglected and sidelined by their husband. Clouded by envy and overcome by selfishness, they administered poison to the child and mercilessly killed him. Krtadyuti fainted in shock, the inhabitants of the palace were in tears and Chitraketu practically lost all consciousness! The mother condemned the cruel acts of providence and begged her child to wake up, but it was futile. Understanding their pain, the sages Narada and Angira arrived on the scene to offer enlightening words.
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Diti, Indra and the Maruts
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
Diti, Indra and the Maruts
Chapter 18, 19
Sukadeva Goswami continued describing the descendants of Daksa’s daughters, particularly Diti (mother of the demons) and Aditi (mother of the demigods). Those offspring became known as the Daityas and Adityas respectively.
Diti had a grudge against Indra since Vishnu had appeared to save him by killing her sons, Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. Angered, she now desired another son who would kill Indra. Through her womanly charm she conquered Kasyapa, her husband, who agreed to unite with her. When she expressed what kind of child she wanted, however, he was shocked and condemned himself. Nevertheless, Kasyapa ingeniously instructed Diti to strictly follow the Vaisnava austerity of Pumsavana-vrata. This would satisfy her desire for a son, but simultaneously purify her consciousness from the enmity towards Indra and the demigods.
While Diti engaged in the vow ( vrata ), Indra closely monitored her every move, looking for some discrepancy to capitalise upon. When Indra caught her in violation of the strict regulations, he entered her womb and sliced the embryo into forty-nine parts. Those children became known as the Maruts, who later made friends with Indra and were saved. Upon the request of Maharaja Pariksit, Sukadeva Goswami went on to explain the details of the Pumsavana-vrata.
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River of Names
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
River of Names
“The instructions given by Narada and Angira Muni are the true spiritual instructions for the illusioned conditioned soul. This world is temporary, but because of our previous karma we come here and accept bodies, creating temporary relationships in terms of society, friendship, love, nationality and community, which are all finished at death. These temporary relationships did not exist in the past, nor will they exist in the future. Therefore, at the present moment the so-called relationships are illusions.” (SB 6.15.2)
When Maharaja Chitraketu was overwhelmed by lamentation at the sudden death of his beloved son, he received a series of transcendental instructions. Firstly, the great sages Narada and Angira came and reminded Chitraketu about the body, soul, inevitable death and the subsequent transmigration that everyone will experience. Later, Chitraketu’s son came back to life and spoke to the King, quite bluntly stating: “In which birth were these individuals my mother and father? No one is actually my mother and father. How can I accept these two people as my parents?” Later, after absorbing himself in prayer, Chitraketu was further enlightened in transcendental knowledge by the Supreme Lord Himself. At every stage he received powerful insights to elevate his consciousness and bring perspective to the situation he was facing.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam offers a series of interesting analogies to describe the transitory nature of relationships in this material world:
Tourists meeting in a hotel:
“Thereafter, Devayani, the daughter of Sukracarya, understood that the materialistic association of husband, friends and relatives is like the association in a hotel full of tourists. The relationships of society, friendship and love are created by the maya of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as in a dream.” (SB 9.19.27-28)
Travellers in a restaurant:
“My dear mother, in a restaurant or place for drinking cold water, many travellers are brought together, and after drinking water they continue to their respective destinations. Similarly, living entities join together in a family, and later, as a result of their own actions, they are led apart to their destinations.” (SB 7.2.21)
Sticks meeting in the river:
“Many planks and sticks, unable to stay together, are carried away by the force of a river’s waves. Similarly, although we are intimately related with friends and family members, we are unable to stay together because of our varied past deeds and the waves of time.” (SB 10.5.25)
Fallible Soldiers in an army:
“Persons devoid of atma-tattva do not enquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.” (SB 2.1.4)
Dreams that will end:
“In a dream we form a society of friendship and love, and when we awaken we see that it has ceased to exist. Similarly, one’s gross society, family and love are also a dream, and this dream will be over as soon as one dies. Therefore, whether one is dreaming in a subtle way or a gross way, these dreams are all false and temporary.” (SB 7.14.3-4)
Elements scattered by the wind:
“Just as the wind brings together masses of clouds, blades of grass, wisps of cotton and particles of dust, only to scatter them all again, so the creator deals with His created beings in the same way.” (SB 10.82.43)
In a conversation with Dhritarastra, Akrura concludes:
“In this world no one has any permanent relationship with anyone else, O King. We cannot stay forever even with our own body, what to speak of our wife, children and the rest. Every creature is born alone and dies alone, and alone one experiences the just rewards of his good and evil deeds.” (SB 10.49.20-21)
So how do we mediate the relationships of this world? Are all of our connections ultimately meaningless and simply a waste of time?
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Attention vs Attachment
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
River of Names
Attention vs Attachment
Without genuinely investing in relationships, situations and aspirations, how can we make any real progress in those areas? Where the attention goes, energy flows and results invariably show. Simultaneously, however, wisdom teachers constantly remind us to remain detached and aloof; everything in this world is a fleeting reality destined for destruction at the ruthless hands of time. In ultimate reality, we are building castles in the sand. So what’s the balance? When does genuine concern and responsibility evolve into an unhealthy attachment? How can we identify the extremes of over-zealous endeavour and irresponsible aloofness? Is it possible to cultivate a spiritually elevated consciousness whilst sensitively navigating day-to-day realities and responsibilities?
The Srimad-Bhagavatam makes a clear distinction between being attentive and being attached. Every spiritual practitioner should know how to strike the balance and avoid overstepping the line.
Intelligence vs Emotion (The Driver) – an attentive person is driven to act by spiritual intelligence, clearly understanding the broader need and purpose behind their endeavour. An attached person, however, is driven by fleeting emotions and is therefore flickering in effort and determination. It’s not that an attentive person is not passionate or emotionally involved, but every endeavour is founded upon wisdom and knowledge. Are you driven by intelligence or emotion?
Endeavour vs Result (The Success) – an attentive person invests energy in crafting a perfect endeavour, doing everything within their control to make the best attempt possible. This is their measure of success. An attached person, however, evaluates success based on the outcome and result. An attentive person is not indifferent to the results, but simply uses them to understand how they can refine and improve their endeavour. Are you concerned about giving your best or achieving the best?
Eternal vs Temporary (The Vision) – an attentive person is always awake to the backdrop of spiritual reality, though living and functioning in the ‘real’ world. An attached person, however, engrossed and entangled in their vision of this temporary life, is rendered oblivious to the ‘bigger picture.’ Attentive people are undoubtedly practical, but simultaneously transcendental. How many of your desires, decisions and directions are formulated with reference to the ultimate purpose of life?
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Transcendental Affection
C - Chitraketu (14-19)
River of Names
Transcendental Affection
In the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam we find the striking prayers of Queen Kunti. With regards to family attachments, she prays: “O Lord of the universe, soul of the universe, O personality of the form of the universe, please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis. O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” ( SB 1.8.41 - 42 )
In the purport, Srila Prabhupada clarifies how affection cannot be annihilated, but must be redirected in a spiritual way: “Perfection of pure devotional service is attained when all attention is diverted towards the transcendental loving service of the Lord. To cut off the tie of all other affections does not mean complete negation of the finer elements, like affection for someone else. This is not possible. A living being, whoever he may be, must have this feeling of affection for others because this is a symptom of life… The so-called affection for family, society, country, etc., consists of different phases of sense gratification. When this desire is changed for the satisfaction of the Lord, it is called devotional service.” (SB 1.8.42)
But we may still wonder why Queen Kunti’s affection for her family members, who were all Krishna’s devotees, is problematic. Srila Prabhupada further clarifies: “Her affection for the Pandavas and the Vrsnis is not out of the range of devotional service because the service of the Lord and the service of the devotees are identical. Sometimes service to the devotee is more valuable than service to the Lord. But here the affection of Kuntidevi for the Pandavas and the Vrsnis was due to family relation. This tie of affection in terms of material relation is the relation of maya because the relations of the body or the mind are due to the influence of the external energy. Relations of the soul, established in relation with the Supreme Soul, are factual relations. When Kuntidevi wanted to cut off the family relation, she meant to cut off the relation of the skin. The skin relation is the cause of material bondage, but the relation of the soul is the cause of freedom.” (SB 1.8.42)
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— S.B. Keshava Swami, Book Bhagavata