Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 14:46-55

Book 6: Chapter 14

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 14: Verses 46-55 The Lament of Citraketu When (however) she went near the babe lying in bed, and found that the pupils of its eyes had turned upwards and that life, the senses and other faculties and the soul (too) had quitted it, she cried "I am finished !" and dropped on the ground. Hearing at that time the most painful cry of the nurse, who was violently beating her breast too with both hands, the queen qickly entered into the presence of her child and found her infant son a victim of sudden death. Due to excessive grief she fainted and fell on the ground, her hair flung about and garments thrown out of order. Hearing the wail, the inmates of the royal gynaeceum, both men and women, thereupon came (to the spot) and, sharing the queen's grief and, therefore, much distressed, fell to weeping; (nay), even the queens who had perpetrated the crime shed crocodile tears. Hearing that his son had died, though the cause of his death was (still) unknown, the king lost his vision through grief intensified beyond measure by uninterrupted love. Followed by his ministers and other people and surrounded by the Brahmanas (priests), he (too) came stumbling and falling on the way and, sighing deeply, dropped unconscious near the feet of the dead child, his hair dishevelled and, clothes thrown about in disorder; and, his throat choked due to obstruction caused by tears, he could not utter a word. Seeing her husband overwhelmed with excessive grief and the infant son, her only progeny, dead, the virtuous queen then wailed in various ways, (thereby) enhancing the heart-ache of the people as well as of the ministers and others (present there). Bathing her breasts-painted with saffron and sandal paste-with the drops of her tears mixed with collyrium and throwing about her hair with the flowers dropping from them, she mourned (the death of) her child like a female osprey in loud and diverse tones (as follows) :-- "Alas, O creator, you are extremely foolish in that you act contrary to (the interests of) your own creation. Oh, the death of a youngster while an elder is (still) living points (unmistakably) to this. If (however) you are (just) the reverse (a wise fellow doing all this designedly), you are our constant enemy (and no benefactor). If (it is urged that) there is no (strict) regularity in this world in the matter of death and birth of embodied beings, then let everything happen according to their Karma (independently of you). (It is, however, strange that) you are cutting asunder (by wresting babes from the hands of their parents) this cord of affection, which was produced by yourself for the growth of your creation !