Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.17.37
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesA Devotee Chooses Humility Over Retaliation
“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.”
What the purport teaches
- Citraketu could have cursed Pārvatī in return, but he humbly accepted her curse. Although wrongly cursed, he bowed his head before her.
- A devotee should be humble and meek and offer respect to others, especially superiors. Citraketu’s response shows this characteristic of a devotee.
- Protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is powerful but does not display that power unnecessarily. Using power for sense gratification is not a devotee’s behavior.
Try this today
In one tense exchange today, refrain from a retaliatory remark and answer respectfully.
Ask yourself
When you have the power to retaliate, what would a humble response look like?
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.