Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.17.9
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesUnderstand Purpose Before Responding
“Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after hearing Citraketu’s statement, Lord Śiva, the most powerful personality, whose knowledge is fathomless, simply smiled and remained silent, and all the members of the assembly followed the lord by not saying anything.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva is the most exalted Vaiṣṇava, and his outward behavior could not diminish his exalted position.
- Citraketu wanted others to be saved from imitating or criticizing Lord Śiva and becoming offenders. Considering this, he spoke somewhat harshly.
- Lord Śiva understood Citraketu’s purpose and was not angry; he smiled and remained silent. The assembly understood as well and followed his example.
Try this today
If a remark troubles you today, pause before replying and consider what the speaker may have intended.
Ask yourself
How might understanding someone’s purpose change your response to harsh words?
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.