Radha Krishna - Chapter 17: Mother Pârvatî Curses Citraketu

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After making his obeisances in the direction in which Lord Ananta had disappeared, Citraketu, the King of the Vidyâdharas began traveling, moving about in the atmosphere. (2-3) On his way not diminished in his power and sense control he visited hundreds of thousands of people in thousands of places and was by the sages, the perfected ones and the monks praised for being a great yogi. Pleased to stay in the valleys around Kulâcalendra [Mount Sumeru] where one exercises for the different forms of perfection, he took great delight in persuading the wives of the Vidyâdharas to praise the Supreme Personality, Lord Hari. Parvati and Shiva in love

(4-5) One day roaming in the brightly shining, heavenly vehicle that he had received from Lord Vishnu, he saw Lord S'iva in the midst of all the saintly personalities. Surrounded by the perfected ones and the singers of heaven, he had his arm around the goddess who sat on his lap. Citraketu laughed loudly about it and then spoke in the presence of the mother words she could clearly hear. (6) Citraketu said: 'This spiritual master of all the world, who is the direct representative of dharma for all embodied souls, sits here as head of an assembly while embracing his wife! (7) With his hair matted, intensely repentant, following the Vedic principles and presiding a gathering, he is hugging a woman sitting there unashamed like an ordinary materially motivated person. (8) Normally even conditioned souls embrace their women in private ... and this one master of vow and austerity enjoys his woman in an assembly!'

(9) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the great Lord of fathomless intelligence heard that oh King, he only smiled and remained silent, and so did everyone in the assembly following his example. (10) With him unaware of the might [of S'iva] thus speaking against all etiquette, the devî angrily addressed the impudent one who thought he was so well restrained. (11) S'rî Pârvatî said: 'And now would this one here all of a sudden be the Supreme Controller, the one to chastise and the master of restraint for persons like us as the ones criminal and shameless? (12) It must be so that the one born on the lotus has no notion of dharma. Nor do Brahmâ's sons, Bhrigu or Nârada, the four Kumâras, Lord Kapila or Manu himself have a clue, otherwise they would have stopped our S'iva from breaking the rules! (13) This one here is the lowest of all kshatriyas. He who by him positioning himself above the gods so impudently was chastised, is the one who is the teacher of all the world, the auspicious one of auspiciousness in person upon whose lotus feet one meditates. Therefore this man deserves it to be punished. (14) This impudent, haughty fellow doesn't deserve it to approach the shelter of the lotus feet of Vaikunthha that are worshiped by all the saints [compare: S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka]. (15) Therefore, oh greatest of all sinners, leave this place to be born among the demons oh fool, so that this world again belongs to the great ones and you, my son, no longer will commit any offense.'

(16) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being cursed Citraketu came down from his heavenly chariot to propitiate Pârvatî by bowing his head deeply before her, oh son of Bharata. (17) Citraketu said: 'Folding my hands before you oh mother, I accept your curse. That which the gods impose upon a mortal is entirely determined by his deeds in the past. (18) Deluded in his ignorance the living entity is caught wandering around in the vicious circle, the cycle of rebirth of this material life wherein he constantly is subject to happiness and distress. (19) The individual soul, nor anyone else, can be really the one who calls for the happiness and sorrow [the illusion and disillusion]. A person lacking in awareness nevertheless considers himself or someone else the cause in this matter. (20) What would in this stream, this constantly changing flow of the modes of matter, actually be a curse or a favor, what would [the meaning of] a promotion to heaven or a fall down in hell be, or [the eternal value of] happiness and distress? (21) He, the One Supreme Lord, by His potencies creates the conditioned existence of all living beings as also the life of liberation [in devotional service]. He is the One responsible for the happiness and distress on the one hand and the position in which one [with Him] is elevated above time on the other hand. (22) He considers no one His favorite or enemy, a kinsman or friend, an insider or outsider. He is equal to all, omnipresent and unaffected by the world. In His happiness being free from attachments, one finds no anger in Him. (23) Still there is, in a repetition of being born and dying again, for the ones embodied the [karmic] answer of an existence settled for happiness and grief, gain and loss, bondage and liberation which generated from the energy of the Lord [as a secondary creation]. (24) Therefore I do not ask for your mercy to be released from your curse oh angry one. All I want is that you accept my excuses for everything I've said that in your eyes oh chaste one, was unbecoming.'

(25) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus having propitiated these elevated personalities oh persistent conqueror of the enemies, Citraketu left in his heavenly vehicle while the two were watching and smiling at him. (26) With Nârada, the Daityas, the Siddhas and his personal associates all listening, the great Lord then spoke to his wife the following words. (27) S'rî Rudra said: 'Have you seen, my beauty, how magnanimous the servants of the servants are, the great souls who have forsaken their sense gratification in relating to the Supreme Personality whose actions are so wonderful? (28) Parvati and Shiva in love

None of the pure devotees of Nârâyana are ever afraid. To be in heaven, on the path of liberation or to have a place in hell makes no difference to them [in their service]. (29) With the game played by the Lord those who are embodied are, because they identify themselves with their bodies, bound to the dualities of happiness and distress, dying and being born and being cursed or favored. (30) The way one may take a flower garland for something else or speaks of qualities or faults in a [dream] image of oneself, also the appraisals of a person that are based upon a lack of insight are deceptive. (31) People who lead to or propagate bhakti, or love in devotional service for the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva, possess the strength of spiritual knowledge and detachment and take no interest in any other shelter [see also 1.2: 7]. (32) Not I nor Lord Brahmâ, neither the As'vinî-kumâras nor Nârada, the sons of Brahmâ, the saints or all the great demigods, know the true nature of Him of whom we, who like to think of ourselves as independent rulers, all are but parts of a partial aspect. (33) No one in particular is loved or disliked by Him, He calls no one His own nor does He exclude anyone. The Lord as the Soul of the soul of all living beings is the one dearest to all. (34-35) This greatly fortunate King Citraketu is His obedient servant loved by everyone. He, peaceful and equal to all, is the love of the Infallible One just as I am. Don't be surprised to find the devotees of the Supreme Personality among the people to be the great souls who bring peace and equality.'

(36) S'rî S'uka said: After thus having heard what the great Lord S'iva had to tell her, the goddess Pârvatî was freed from her doubt and perplexity and found back her peace of mind oh King. (37) He, who as a great devotee was fully capable of pronouncing a counter-curse against the goddess, [nevertheless] in resignation accepted his condemnation and that characterized him as a true saint. (38) [Because of this curse he thereafter despite] of all his knowledge and wisdom found his place in the department of the demoniac species of life. [After being reborn as Vis'varûpa and being killed by Indra,] he then being summoned by Tvashthâ's dakshinâgni sacrifice, thus became known as Vritrâsura [*, see 6.9 and compare with 1.5: 19]. (39) This [my dear Parîkchit] was all I had to tell you concerning your question about Vritrâsura, he of an exalted intelligence who appeared in the world as a demon. (40) Hearing this sacred history about the great soul Citraketu which reflects the greatness of the devotees of Vishnu, one is freed from bondage. (41) Anyone who, remembering the Lord, rises early in the morning to control with faith his voice by reciting this story, will reach the supreme destination.'