Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.17.10
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesChant Humbly and Respect Others
“Not knowing the prowess of Lord Śiva and Pārvatī, Citraketu strongly criticized them. His statements were not at all pleasing, and therefore the goddess Pārvatī, being very angry, spoke as follows to Citraketu, who thought himself better than Lord Śiva in controlling the senses.”
What the purport teaches
- Although Citraketu did not mean to insult Lord Śiva, he should not have criticized him for transgressing social customs.
- Having received Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa’s favor, Citraketu became somewhat proud and thought he could criticize anyone. Such pride in a devotee is never tolerated.
- A Vaiṣṇava should remain humble and meek, offer respect to others, and avoid minimizing their position. It is better to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra with humility and tolerance.
Try this today
Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for one minute while consciously setting aside the wish to be honored.
Ask yourself
Does progress in devotional service make you more respectful, or more ready to find fault?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.