Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 17:17-32

Book 6: Chapter 17

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 17: Verses 17-32 Citraketu cursed (by Goddess Parvati) Citraketu said : I accept Your imprecation (as a welcome and loving gift from You), with my palms joined together 0 Mother! For whatever is pronounced by divinities with reference to a mortal is undoubtedly that which was predestined for him. Deluded by ignorance and revolving in this whirligig of mundane existence, an embodied soul experiences joy and sorrow everywhere at every time. Neither oneself nor anyone else is responsible for (one's) joy and sorrow. A fool alone holds himself as well as another responsible for them. In this world of matter (which is a product of the three Gunas or modes of Prakrti) what distinction is there between an imprecation and a blessing, heaven and hell or even joy and sorrow ? The one Lord brings forth living beings by His own Maya (creative will) and (further) ordains their bondage and liberation as well as their happiness and misery, though free from bondage (Himself). To Him, who is alike to all and free from attachment, none is dear or hateful, none is a kinsman or relation, and none is His own or alien. He has no love for pleasure; how (then) can there be anger (in Him)? Yet action, which (is either virtuous or sinful and) flows from His energy (in the form of Maya) conduces to the joy and sorrow, welfare and injury, bondage and liberation, birth and death and the circuit of worldly life of embodied souls. Hence I do not propitiate You with a view to being rid of Your imprecation, O noble lady. (Only be pleased to) forgive what You consider as unjustly said by me (even though it was uttered in a purely good spirit), O virtuous lady ! Sri Suka resumed : Having thus appeased Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati (who have their abode on Mount Kailasa), O Pariksit (a chastiser of foes), Citraketu went his way by his aerial car, while the aforesaid (divine) Couple looked on wondering. Thereupon Lord Rudra spoke as follows to His Spouse (Goddess Parvati) within the hearing of the gods and sages, demons and Siddhas, as well as of His attendants. Sri Rudra said : You have seen (with your own eyes), O fair one, the glory of the high souled servants of servants of Lord Sri Hari of marvellous deeds, who are free from craving (of every kind). All those (who are devoted to Lord Narayana have no fear from any quarter whatsoever for they find the same use (no use) for heaven, for final beatitude and even for the infernal regions (perceiving as they do the same Reality pervading everywhere). It is (only) through the deluding potency of God that souls are invested with a body and it is due to their connection with a body that pairs of opposites such as joy and sorrow, life and death, execration and benediction are experienced by embodied souls. The notion of desirability and otherwise (with reference to pleasure and pain etc.), too is really the outcome of a man's ignorance (and therefore illusory) just- like the distinction of pleasurable and painful experiences etc., with reference to one's own self (in a dream), and has been precisely conceived as the notion of a snake etc., with reference to a wreath of flowers. There is no object in this world worth resorting to in particular for men cherishing devotion to Lord Vasudeva and equipped with the strength of wisdom and dispassion. Neither myself nor Brahma (the creator), nor the sages Sanatkumara and Narada, nor even the (other) sages (Bhrgu, Angira and so on) begotten by Brahma nor the rulers of gods (Indra, Yama and others) know His intention. Much less can those accounting themselves independent lords (of the universe), though mere parts of His partial manifestations, know His (true) nature.