॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Monday, 9 January 2023 VI.17 - The strange story of Chitraketu offending Parvati and her curse.
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King Chitraketu, who had now become a Vidyadhara, travelled in the direction following Sankarshana/Adisesha, possessing inexhaustible power of the body and senses on account of his great Yogic attainments, and extolled by hosts of Munis, Siddhas and Charanas. He lived in the valleys of Mount Meru, praying to Sri Hari, and living in the company of his near and dear ones.
Once, he was travelling aerially in the Vimana given to him by Sri Hari. He saw Lord Shiva, Parameshwara, seated with Parvati amidst his devotees. But Shiva had Parvati in his lap and was hugging her amorously.
Chitraketu laughed aloud and spoke, within everyone's hearing: "Here is Sri Rudra, the most important being and the teacher of the whole world. And yet he sits in the public assembly in the embraces of his wife, while he explains Dharma to others! What an irony that one with matted locks, known for his Tapas, amidst great Siddhas, holds his wife tight in public shamelessly like a vulgar person! Even a lowly person avoids such acts in public!"
Lord Rudra, whose mind was deep and unperturbable, only smiled at this a little but remained silent. The members of the assembly too sat silent, following the example of the Lord. 10. When Chitraketu, ignorant of Lord Siva's greatness, uttered these highly unbecoming remarks, Sri Parvati. was provoked into great anger. She addressed this conceited Vidyadhara- "How dare this one criticise us thus! Brahma, Narada, Kumaras, Bhrigu, all revere Shiva, whom Chitraketu now faults for his conduct!"
"This degenerate fellow of a Kshatriya who dares to override the views of all great men and criticise Rudra in this way- Rudra whose feet are fit to be contemplated upon by Brahma and others, who is the teacher of the whole world and who is the holiest among holy beings - this impudent man deserves punishment. A man so conceited and arrogant does not deserve to go anywhere near the Lord of Vaikuntha, who is served only by persons of great holiness devoid of this kind of arrogance. So, Oh, arrogant one! You wanton child! May you have an evil embodiment as an Asura, in order that you may not do this kind of offence to great men again!"
The drama did not end there. When cursed thus, Chitraketu descended from his aerial vehicle and humbly making prostrations to Sri Parvati, tried to pacify her.
Chitraketu said: "Oh Devi! I accept your curse with both arms. Whatever divinities bestow on one, whether it be favourable or unfavourable, is all the result of one's Karma. In this perpetual movement of Prakriti, nothing is important - a curse or a blessing, pain or pleasure, heaven or hell. They are all ephemeral. Bhagavan's Maya in the form of Karma makes for pleasure and pain, bondage and liberation, birth and death- in fact for the entire involvement of the Jiva in the cycle of transmigratory existence. Oh, Devi, I beg your pardon for my misdemeanour, but I do not ask for release from the curse you have pronounced."
Thus pacifying Parvati and Parameswara, Chitraketu went away in his aerial car, as all watched on in wonder.
There was a pregnant silence before Lord Shiva spoke to Sri Parvati in the hearing of all the Devas, Rishis, Asuras, Siddhas and attendants.
श्रीरुद्र उवाच
दृष्टवत्यसि सुश्रोणि हरेरद्भुतकर्मण: । माहात्म्यं भृत्यभृत्यानां नि:स्पृहाणां महात्मनाम् ॥
T: "Oh beautiful lady! You have just witnessed the miracle of Lord Sri Hari. Even the servants of Lord Sri Hari display such dispassion! How great they are! They are only bothered about devotion to the Lord and serving Him, not about heaven or hell or any situation they are in. For them, this world is so unreal that it is like mistaking a flower garland for a snake. All of us including myself, Brahma, Sanatkumara, Narada and other offspring of Brahma, Indra and other Devas, are but parts of a part of Bhagavan Maha Vishnu, the Divine Self. Being myself a devotee of Maha Vishnu, I feel no displeasure towards Chitraketu."
Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, Devi Parvati was pacified, and no longer wondered at the conduct of Chitraketu.
Sage Shuka said, " Chitraketu's lack of reactive anger at Devi Parvati is the sign of holy men. Assuming the form of an asura, but endowed with knowledge and devotion, this Chitraketu was born as Vrittra in the
Dakshinagni of Tvashta, when he performed the Yajna for creating an agent to destroy Indra. I have now answered your question about how Vrittra, an asura, could have constant remembrance and love of the Lord."
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
