1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 6 · Chapter 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu
6.17.2-36.17.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 6.17.4-5

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.17.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एकदा स विमानेन विष्णुदत्तेन भास्वता ।

गिरिशं दद‍ृशे गच्छन् परीतं सिद्धचारणै: ॥ ४ ॥

आलिङ्गय‍ाङ्कीकृतां देवीं बाहुना मुनिसंसदि ।

उवाच देव्या: श‍ृण्वन्त्या जहासोच्चैस्तदन्तिके ॥ ५ ॥

ekadā sa vimānena

viṣṇu-dattena bhāsvatā

giriśaṁ dadṛśe gacchan

parītaṁ siddha-cāraṇaiḥ

āliṅgyāṅkīkṛtāṁ devīṁ

bāhunā muni-saṁsadi

uvāca devyāḥ śṛṇvantyā

jahāsoccais tad-antike

Translation

One time while King Citraketu was traveling in outer space on a brilliantly effulgent airplane given to him by Lord Viṣṇu, he saw Lord Śiva, surrounded by Siddhas and Cāraṇas. Lord Śiva was sitting in an assembly of great saintly persons and embracing Pārvatī on his lap with his arm. Citraketu laughed loudly and spoke, within the hearing of Pārvatī.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Mercy Behind a Curse

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead wanted to bring Citraketu to Vaikuṇṭhaloka as soon as possible.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s plan was that Pārvatī would curse Citraketu to become Vṛtrāsura, allowing him to return home, back to Godhead, in his next life.

  3. 3

    Lord Śiva’s embrace of Pārvatī was natural between husband and wife, and Citraketu should not have laughed. Yet the resulting curse became the cause of his returning to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • For Pārvatī to be embraced by Lord Śiva was natural in a relationship between husband and wife; this was nothing extraordinary for Citraketu to see.
  • Nonetheless, Citraketu laughed loudly to see Lord Śiva in that situation, even though he should not have done so.
  • Thus he was eventually cursed, and this curse was the cause of his returning home, back to Godhead.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Parental grief → Detachment and surrender. A flashback discloses the devotional history behind Vṛtrāsura.

Chapters 14–17 of Canto 6: Citraketu's grief, realization and curse. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One day while traveling like this, he wandered into the bowers of Sumeru Mountain, where he came upon Lord Śiva embracing Pārvatī, surrounded by an assembly of Siddhas, Cāraṇas and great sages. Seeing Lord Śiva in that situation, Citraketu laughed very loudly, but Pārvatī became very angry at him and cursed him.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ekadāone time
  2. saḥhe (King Citraketu)
  3. vimānenawith his airplane
  4. viṣṇu-dattenagiven to him by Lord Viṣṇu
  5. bhāsvatāshining brilliantly
  6. giriśamLord Śiva
  7. dadṛśehe saw
  8. gacchangoing
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this account show that the Lord’s mercy can work through an unwelcome event?

Practice

Spend one minute reflecting on the Lord’s wish to bring Citraketu back to Godhead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 6.17's connections

Live this todayThe Lord’s Mercy Behind a CurseThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 6.17.4-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories