Çré Mohiné Ekadäsé Issue no:111 15th May 2019

The Root Of Devotional Service

Parvati Devi Curses Chitraketu
Srila Sukdeva Goswami How Could Citraketu Be Guilty Of
Offending Lord Shiva ?
Is Punishment A Benediction Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura
From The Supreme Lord?
His Divine Grace What Is An Offense?
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

The Root Of Devotional Service

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
Circulaton 28, 699
 Issue no 111, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
sitting in an assembly of great saintly
persons and embracing Parvati on his lap
with his arm. Chitraketu laughed loudly
and spoke, within the hearing of Parvati.
Chitraketu said: Lord Shiva, the spiritual
master of the general populace, is the best
of all living entities who have accepted
material bodies. He enunciates the system
of religion. Yet how wonderful it is that he is
embracing his wife, Parvati, in the midst of
an assembly of great saintly persons. Lord
Shiva, whose hair is matted on his head,
has certainly undergone great austerities
and penances. Indeed, he is the president
in the assembly of strict followers of Vedic
principles. Nonetheless, he is seated with
his wife on his lap in the midst of saintly
persons and is embracing her as if he were
a shameless, common man. Ordinary
conditioned persons generally embrace
their wives and enjoy their company in
solitary places. How wonderful it is that
Lord Mahadeva, although a great master
of austerity, is embracing his wife openly
in the midst of an assembly of great saints.
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued:
My dear King, after hearing Chitraketu's
statement, the exceptionally powerful Lord
Shiva, whose knowledge is fathomless,
simply smiled and remained silent. All
the members of the assembly followed
Parvati Devi Curses Chitraketu the lead of Lord Shiva by remaining silent
Srila Sukdeva Goswami and not saying anything. Not knowing
the prowess of Lord Shiva and Parvati,
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami said: After Chitraketu strongly criticized them. His
offering obeisance to the direction from statements were not at all pleasing, and
which Ananta, the Supreme Personality therefore the goddess Parvati, being very
of Godhead, had disappeared, Chitraketu angry, spoke as follows to Chitraketu,
began traveling in outer space as the head who apparently thought himself better
of the Vidyadharas. Being praised by great than Lord Shiva in controlling the senses.
sages and saints and by the inhabitants of The goddess Parvati said: Alas, has this
Siddhaloka and Caranaloka, Chitraketu, up-start now received a post from which
the most powerful mystic yogé, wandered to punish shameless persons like us? Has
about enjoying life for millions of years. he been appointed ruler, carrier of the rod
With bodily strength and sensory capacities of punishment? Is he now the only master
free from deterioration, he travelled within of everything? Alas, Lord Brahma, who
the valleys of Sumeru Mountain, which is has taken his birth from the lotus flower,
the place of perfection for various kinds of now does not know the principles of
mystic power. In those valleys he enjoyed religion, nor do the great saints like Bhrgu
life with the women of Vidyadhara-loka by and Narada, nor the four Kumaras, headed
chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord, by Sanat-kumara. Manu and Kapila have
Hari. One time while King Chitraketu was also forgotten the religious principles. I
traveling in outer space on a brilliantly suppose it to be because of this that they
effulgent airplane given to him by Lord have not tried to stop Lord Shiva from
Vishnu, he saw Lord Shiva, surrounded behaving improperly.
by Siddhas and Caranas. Lord Shiva was This Chitraketu is the lowest of kshatriyas,

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 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 111, Page—3
for he has impudently overridden Brahma liberation. In sattva-guëa and rajo-guëa,
and the other demigods by insulting Lord he is subjected to happiness and distress.
Shiva, upon whose lotus feet they always The Supreme Personality of Godhead is
meditate. Lord Shiva is personified religion equally disposed toward all living entities.
and the spiritual master of the entire world, Therefore no one is very dear to Him, and
and therefore Chitraketu must be punished. no one is a great enemy for Him; no one
This person is puffed up because of his is His friend, and no one is His relative.
achievements, thinking, "I am the greatest Being unattached to the material world, He
of all." He does not deserve to approach has no affection for so-called happiness or
the shelter of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet, hatred or so-called distress. The two terms
which are worshiped by all saintly persons, happiness and distress are relative. Since
for he is impudent, thinking himself overly the Lord is always happy, for Him there is
important. O impudent one, my dear son, no question of distress.
now take birth in a low, sinful family of Although the Supreme Lord is unattached
demons so that you will not commit such to our happiness and distress which comes
an offense again toward exalted, saintly according to our previous karma. Although
persons in this world. no one is His enemy or favourite, He creates
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My pious and impious activities through the
dear King Parikshit, when Chitraketu was agency of His material potency. Thus for
cursed by Parvati, he descended from his the continuation of the materialistic way
airplane, bowed before her with great of life He indirectly creates happiness and
humility and pleased her completely. distress, good fortune and bad, bondage
Chitraketu said: My dear mother, with and liberation, birth and death. O mother,
my own hands folded together I accept you are now unnecessarily angry, but since
the curse upon me. I do not mind the all my happiness and distress are destined
curse, for happiness and distress are given by my past activities, I do not plead to
by the demigods as a result of one's past be excused or relieved from your curse.
deeds. Deluded by ignorance, the living Although what I have said is not wrong,
entity wanders in the forest of this material please let whatever you think is wrong be
world, enjoying the happiness and distress now pardoned.
resulting from his past deeds, everywhere
and at all times. [Therefore, my dear Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King
mother, neither you nor I am to be blamed Parikshit, subduer of the enemy, after
for this incident.] Chitraketu satisfied Lord Shiva and his
In this material world, neither the living wife, Parvati, he boarded his airplane and
entity himself nor others [his friends left as they looked on. When Lord Shiva
and enemies] are the cause of material and Parvati saw that Chitraketu, although
happiness and distress. But because of informed of the curse, was unafraid, they
gross ignorance, the living entity thinks smiled, being fully astonished by his
that he and others are the cause. behaviour. Thereafter, in the presence
This material world resembles the waves of the great sage Narada, the demons,
of a constantly flowing river. Therefore, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, and his
what is a curse and what is a favour? What personal associates, Lord Shiva, who is
are the heavenly planets, and what are the most powerful, spoke to his wife, Parvati,
hellish planets? What is actually happiness, while they all listened.
and what is actually distress? Because the Lord Shiva said: My dear beautiful
waves flow constantly, none of them has Parvati, have you seen the greatness of the
an eternal effect. Vaisnavas? Being servants of the servants of
The Supreme Personality of Godhead the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari,
is one. Unaffected by the conditions of they are great souls and are not interested in
the material world, He creates all the any kind of material happiness. Devotees
conditioned souls by His own personal solely engaged in the devotional service
potency. Because of being contaminated of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
by the material energy, the living entity is Narayaëa, never fear any condition of life.
put into ignorance and thus into different For them the heavenly planets, liberation
conditions of bondage. Sometimes, by and the hellish planets are all the same, for
knowledge, the living entity is given such devotees are interested only in the
service of the Lord. Because of the actions
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of the Supreme Lord's external energy, the wife of Lord Shiva], that same Chitraketu
living entities are conditioned in contact accepted birth in a demoniac species of
with material bodies. The dualities of life. Although still fully equipped with
happiness and distress, birth and death, transcendental knowledge and practical
curses and favors, are natural by-products application of that knowledge in life, he
of this contact in the material world. appeared as a demon at the fire sacrifice
As one mistakenly considers a flower performed by Tvasta, and thus he became
garland to be a snake or experiences infamous as Vritrasura.
happiness and distress in a dream, so, in My dear King Parikshit, you inquired
the material world, by a lack of careful from me how Vritrasura, a great devotee,
consideration, we differentiate between took birth in a demoniac family. Thus I
happiness and distress, considering one have tried to explain to you everything
good and the other bad. Persons engaged about this. Chitraketu was a great devotee
in devotional service to Lord Vasudeva, [mahätmä]. If one hears this history of
Krishna, have naturally perfect knowledge Chitraketu from a pure devotee, the
and detachment from this material world. listener is also freed from the conditional
Therefore such devotees are not interested life of material existence. One who rises
in the so-called happiness or so-called from bed early in the morning and recites
distress of this world. this history of Chitraketu, controlling his
Neither I [Lord Shiva], nor Brahma, nor words and mind and remembering the
the Ashvini-kumaras, nor Narada or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will
other great sages who are Brahma's sons, return home, back to Godhead, without
nor even the demigods can understand the difficulty.
pastimes and personality of the Supreme — Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for
Lord. Although we are part of the Supreme Mankind » Chapter 17. Mother Pärvaté Curses Chitraketu »
Lord, we consider ourselves independent, Verses 1-41.
separate controllers, and thus we cannot
understand His identity. He holds no one
as very dear and no one as inimical. He Is Punishment A Benediction
has no one for His own relative, and no From The Supreme Lord?
one is alien to Him. He is actually the soul His Divine Grace
of the soul of all living entities. Thus He is
the auspicious friend of all living beings A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
and is very near and dear to all of them.
This magnanimous Chitraketu is a dear Since Chitraketu was a devotee of the
devotee of the Lord. He is equal to all Lord, he was not disturbed at all by the
living entities and is free from attachment curse of Mother Parvati. He knew very
and hatred. Similarly, I am also very dear well that one suffers or enjoys the results
to Lord Narayaëa. Therefore, no one of one's past deeds as ordained by daiva-
should be astonished to see the activities netra superior authority, the agents of
of the most exalted devotees of Narayaëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
for they are free from attachment and He knew that he had not committed
envy. They are always peaceful, and they any offense at the lotus feet of Lord
are equal to everyone. Shiva or the goddess Parvati, yet he had
Sri Çukadeva Gosvami said: O King, been punished, and this meant that the
after hearing this speech by her husband, punishment had been ordained. Thus the
the demigoddess [Uma, the wife of Lord King did not mind it.
Shiva] gave up her astonishment at the A devotee is naturally so humble and
behavior of King Chitraketu and became meek that he accepts any condition of
steady in intelligence. The great devotee life as a blessing from the Lord. Tat te
Chitraketu was so powerful that he was 'nukampäà susamékïamäëaù (Bhäg.
quite competent to curse mother Parvati 10.14.8). A devotee always accepts
in retaliation, but instead of doing so punishment from anyone as the mercy of
he very humbly accepted her curse and the Lord. If one lives in this conception of
bowed his head before Lord Shiva and his life, he sees whatever reverses occur to be
wife. This is very much appreciated as the due to his past misdeeds, and therefore he
standard behavior of a Vaisnava. Being never accuses anyone. On the contrary,
cursed by mother Durga [Bhavani, the he becomes increasingly attached to the
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 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 111, Page—5

Supreme Personality of Godhead because in the material world. A devotee is always

of his being purified by his suffering. eager to return home, back to Godhead,
Suffering, therefore, is also a process of and remain there as the Lord's associate.
purification. This ambition becomes increasingly
Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura fervent in his heart, and therefore he does
says in this connection that one who has not care about material changes in his life.
developed Krishna consciousness and Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura
who exists in love with Krishna is no comments that Maharaja Chitraketu's being
longer subject to suffering and happiness cursed by Parvati should be considered
under the laws of karma. Indeed, he is the mercy of the Lord. The Lord wanted
beyond karma. The Brahma-saàhitä Chitraketu to return to Godhead as soon as
says, karmaëi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti- possible, and therefore in one fell sweep,
bhäjäm: [Bs. 5.54] a devotee is free from he terminated all the reactions of his past
the reactions of his karma because he has deeds. Acting through the heart of Parvati,
taken to devotional service. This same the Lord, who is situated in everyone's
principle is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä heart, cursed Chitraketu in order to end
(14.26), sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma- all his material reactions. Thus Chitraketu
bhüyäya kalpate. One who is engaged in became Vritrasura in his next life and more
devotional service has already been freed quickly returned home, back to Godhead.
from the reactions of his material karma, — Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for
and thus he immediately becomes brahma- Mankind » hapter 17. Mother Pärvaté Curses Chitraketu » Verses
bhüta transcendental, (Bhäg. 4.30.20). This 17, Purport.
is also expressed in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(1.2.21). kñéyante cäsya karmäëi: before How Could Chitraketu Be Guilty Of
attaining the stage of love, one becomes Offending Lord Shiva ?
free from all the results of karma. Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura
The Lord is very kind and affectionate
toward His devotees, and therefore a In the execution of devotional service
devotee, in any condition, is not subjected anarthas (unwanted desires) may also
to the results of karma. A devotee never sprout. Unwanted desires tend to smother
aspires for the heavenly planets. The the natural growth of the creeper of bhakti.
heavenly planets, liberation and hell are At first glance unwanted desires look
non-different for a devotee, for he does not like off-shoots from the bhakti-lata (the
discriminate between the different positions
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 Issue no 111, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
creeper of devotion), but in reality they are
mundane desires for position, adoration, When real culture was present at that time, the
and opulence. They colour and taint the fame of India was brightly shining like the mid-
practitioner's consciousness. Thriving in day sun. All castes and civilizations worshiped the
this way these anarthas arrest the growth
of the creeper of devotional service. Indians as the king, as the giver of the punishment,
The four anarthas can be mitigated in the and as the spiritual master. The people of Egypt,
five following ways: China, and other countries accepted instructions
from Indians with awe and reverence.
i) eka-deçavarttiné (partially); (Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta 2/3)
ii) bahu-deçavarttiné (substantially);
iii) prayiki (almost completely); desire to fight. But we do not see anyone
iv) pürëä (completely); fit to engage You in combat. Although we
v) ätyäntiké (absolutely thoroughly). are strong, we are not inimical to You.
Therefore somehow You must arrange
a situation whereby we become Your
The many anarthas stemming from opponents and You can thus satisfy Your
aparadhas are partially destroyed in the chivalrous mood by fighting with us. We
final stages of bhajana-kriyä (rendering cannot tolerate to see you even slightly
devotional service under the expert deprived of anything since You are
guidance of a spiritual master). This is known eternally the complete whole, fully self-
as eka-deçavarttiné. When bhajana-kriyä satisfied. We are Your humble servants.
gains maturity it turns to nisöhä (steadiness Therefore as You are bhakta-vatsala ( the
in devotional activities). In this stage of benefactor of Your devotees ) kindly grant
development, the mitigation of anarthas is our prayers even if we fall far short of Your
substantial (bahu-deçavarttiné); thereafter, expectations of the level of devotional
on the platform of rati (attraction) the qualities.
unwanted desires in the heart are almost If one mentally commits offences by
completely absolved (prayiki). With the misunderstanding the status of such
first awakening of prema, or divine love, devotees, then he must overcome such
these anarthas are completely removed aparadhas by proper scriptural judgement.
(purna). Finally, the anarthas are totally
uprooted (ätyäntiké) when the devotee — An excerpt from third shower of nectar of Madhurya-
receives the mercy and direct shelter of the Kadambini - Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura Translated by
Lord's lotus feet. Sarvabhävana däsa
At this point, one may ask, "How could
Chitraketu be guilty of offending Lord Shiva, What Is An Offense?
despite having attained a direct interview Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
with the Supreme Lord?" King Chitraketu's
offence against Lord Shiva is an allegorical Is it an offense to unknowingly
offence, not a perceived offence, because engage in bad association?
even after the king was cursed he did not
forfeit his spiritual wealth of prema. This "Even if you associate with non-devotees
proves that curses do not take effect on unknowingly you commit an offense
such elevated souls. What is of the utmost against devotional service. "
significance is that subsequently King (SajjanaToñaëé 5/5)
Chitraketu became an eternal associate of
the Supreme Lord.
Another incident from the Bhägavatam is Why are offenses most grave?
that of Jaya and Vijaya offending the four
Kumaras. The scriptures say the reason for "If one disregards and disrespects
their offensive action was because their the Vaisnavas he commits an offense.
love for the Lord (prema) prompted it. In Sinful reactions are nullified simply by
fact, Jaya and Vijaya had prayed to the Lord undergoing ordinary atonement; but
for such a situation: offense is not nullified so easily. An offense
My dear Lord Narayana! O master of the is is committed by both gross and subtle
demigods! We have reasons to believe You bodies and is thus a deviation from one's
quest for self-realization. Therefore, those
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 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 111, Page—7
who desire to worship the Supreme Lord What is the test for persons who
must remain careful to never commit any consider that the Vaisnavas belong to
offense." a particular caste?
(SajjanaToñaëé 5/2)
"Those who become averse to accepting
What is an offense? the remnants of a pure Vaisnava,
considering him to belong to a particular
"When malevolent activity is committed caste are cheaters and as such they cannot
towards the saintly persons and the be counted as Vaisnavas. For those who
Supreme Lord, it is called offense. Offense are proud of their elevated caste, accepting
is most grave and therefore must be given the Vaisnava's remnants is the real test."
up by all means." (Prema Pradépa, Ray 7)
(Caitanya Çikñämåta 2/5)
Why is it improper to consider that
Is it possible to attain Kåñëa-prema the Vaisnavas belong to a particular
if one commits offenses? caste?

"One who does not attain love of God "If you are really afraid of cheating your
after worshiping Krishna birth after birth very self, then you should not consider that
has certainly committed heaps of offenses. the Vaisnavas belong to a particular caste."
For only by chanting Krishna's name (Sajjana Toñaëé 9/9)
without offenses can one attains Kåñëa-
prema." Is criticizing faults of a Vaisnava
(Navadvépa Mahätmya, Chapter 1) results in blasphemy of a Vaisnava?

Who are offenders at the feet of "One who criticizes a Vaisnava's caste, a
Bhakti Devi? Vaisnava who unknowingly commits an
"There are many propensities that are offense, a Vaisnava's almost- destroyed
detrimental to devotional service like envy, faults, and a Vaisnava's sinful behavior
hatred, pride and the desire for fame. Being prior to his surrender, is certainly a
induced by those propensities people blasphemer of Vaisnavas. Such a person
criticize others, and are thus offenders at will never develop a taste for chanting the
the feet of Bhakti Devi." Lord's holy names. A pure Vaisnava is he
(SajjanaToñaëé 10/10) who has taken shelter of pure devotional
service. The above-mentioned four types
of faults may be occasionally found in
How do the madhyama adhikärés him; but there is no possibility of having
commit offenses against the Vaisnavas? any other significant faults in him. "
"The counting of pure Vaisnavas begins (Harinäma Cintämani)
with madhyama adhikärés because
their goal of life is to serve the pure
Vaisnavas. If madhyamaadhikärés give up What is the easiest way to achieve
the considerations of Vaisnava and non- devotional service?
Vaisnava, and behave as kanisthabhaktas " One should give up the mentality of
they will then commit offense to the considering the Vaisnavas as belonging to
Vaisnavas." a particular caste and instead he should
(Harinäma Cintämani) take the dust from the feet of a devotee
who is fully engaged in chanting the Lord's
holy names, and respectfully smear it all
over his body."
What is more offensive than a (Harinäma Cintämani)
Vaisnava aparädha?
"For an embodied living entity there is no — Bhaktivinoda Väné Vaibhäva Published by Éçvara däsa.
offense graver than an offense committed
against the Vaisnavas."
(SajjanaToñaëé 2/6) .

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 Issue no 111, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
Gurudeva if we wish to approach and serve the
Absolute Person, Sri Krishna. The spiritual master
will give us the highest good. If perchance we meet
a real spiritual master, we must be saved. We must
be able to reach our goal. The spiritual master will
always supply and enrich us with transcendental
knowledge and spiritual service.
"I will regulate the spiritual master": this is an
atheists conception. It comes from the offense of
disregarding the spiritual master's order. We must
renounce this mentality as soon as it appears. I
will not listen to the words of anyone in this
world. I will listen only to my spiritual master's
words because he has descended from Vaikuntha
to deliver me.
We are minute, conscious souls. We can approach
the supreme conscious Lord simply by the guru's
mercy. We will give up the association of others
and return to our Eternal Master. Although the
spiritual master considers himself the Supreme
Lord's insignificant servant, we must undoubtedly
accept him as the only means by which we can go
back to Godhead. He is our eternal well-wisher.
I offer everything at the lotus feet of my spiritual
master, knowing that he is most dear to God; he is
as good as God. I will perform all my work in his
The Root Of Devotional Service service and desire nothing in return. Thus I will
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur attain perfection.
—Amåta Väëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality His Divine
Before awakening pure devotional service, Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda Compiled
we must certainly learn of our relationship with by Çrépäda Bhakti Mayukha Bhägavat Mahäraja Adapted and
the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master alone Published by Éçvara däsa. Translated from Bengali by Bhumipati
is able to bestow such knowledge. Therefore däsa.
the root of devotional service is firm faith in
the transcendental spiritual master. This faith
is the first principle on the devotional path.
!! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !!
The first requirement any devotee must fulfil is
to give up the blind conception that there are ISKCON
many religions. He must also reject the path of Bhagavata Mahavidyalaya
argumentation and maintain faith in his spiritual is a branch of
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
master's auspicious instructions. Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace
What is faith? Faith means full confidence in Sri A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gurudeva's words. We cannot rely on the words Editor
of worldly persons but rather we should trust Brajsunder Das
only Gurudeva. Everyone else is a pretender.
Therefore, we should give up all worldly topics Copy Editor
Isha Prakash Das
and have complete faith in the spiritual master's
words. We cannot find success in any other way. Sanskrit Editor,
By the spiritual master's mercy, our anarthas ( Vrajsevika Devi Dasi
obstacles to spiritual progress ) will be destroyed, Assistance
our desires fulfilled, and we will certainly attain Rasa Manjari Devi Dasi
the Lord's mercy and auspicious audience Hari Lila Devi Dasi
(darçana).
Our troubles are vanquished and we achieve Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of
devotional service which is possible when we His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada
approach and associate with guru and sädhus. ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
That is why we should rely implicitly on Sri ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists.

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