Chapter 14 - The Previous Birth of Vṛtra—King Citraketu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Parīkṣit said:

1. Oh Brāhmaṇa sage, how is it that the sinful Vṛtra who, by nature, was predominated by Rajas and Tamas, entertained Unflinching devotion to the glorious Lord Nārāyaṇa.

2. Even in the case of gods who are constituted of pure Sattva and in that of pure-souled sages, generally devotion to the feet of Viṣṇu is not engendered.

3. In this world there are beings which are as numerous as the particles of dust. Among them, it is very few like the human beings who can practise righteousness.

4. Oh best of the Brāhmaṇas, there are generally very few among them who seek Liberation from Saṃsāra. Out of thousands of seekers of Mokṣa, it is only one who can get rid of attachment (to sensual pleasures etc.) and attain liberation.

5. Out of the crores of Siddhas who are free from attachment and have realized the Self, a person who is absolutely devoted to Nārāyaṇa and of serene mind is very difficult to find, Oh great sage.

6. But how is it that Vṛtra, the fiend incarnate, the tormentor of all the worlds, was thus so steadfast in devotion to Kṛṣṇa (Lord Viṣṇu) in the heat of fierce battle.

7. On this point, we entertain a great doubt and wish to hear eagerly about it, Oh Master, for he gratified god Indra by his heroism on the battlefield (and did not remember God out of Indra’s fear).

Sūta said:

8. The venerable Śuka welcomed the relevant and interesting query of the devout king Parīkṣit and replied as follows:

Śrī Śuka said:

9. Oh King, listen attentively to this legendary history as heard by me from the mouth of Vyāsa, Nārada and even of Devala.

10. It is traditionally reported, Oh King, that there was a sovereign ruler of the world called Citraketu, in the country called Śūrasena. To him the earth yielded whatever he desired.

11. He had ten million wives. Though he was capable of procreation, he did not get any issue from them.

12. Though he was endowed with handsomeness, generosity, youth, noble lineage, deep learning sovereignty, affluence and other excellences, the husband of barren ladies was overweighed with anxiety.

13. Neither his affluence nor his queens of beautiful eyes or the universal sovereignty of the earth became a source of delight to him.

14. Once upon a time, the glorious sage Aṅgiras, during his course of wandering over the world, arrived by chance to his palace.

15. The king honoured him with due formalities such as respectfully standing, offering articles of worship, and with a collected mind, he sat near the sage who was fully entertained as a guest and was seated comfortably.

16. The great sage respectfully showed every courtesy to the king who was sitting near him on the ground and bowing down modestly. Addressing him as ‘Mahārāja’ (Oh great King), he spoke to him as follows:

Aṅgiras said:

17. Are you in good health? Are your subjects and yourself well? Just as the individual Soul (man) is protected by seven constituents (viz. Mahat, Ahaṃkāra—ego and the five subtle elements), the king is protected by the constituent elements of the state, namely ministers, allies, treasures, territories, fortifications, and militia and his own office of kingship.

18. By placing oneself under the control of Prakṛtis, the king should enjoy sovereignty and regal prosperity. Similarly the Prakṛtis (ministers, subjects etc.), with their grievances removed, become enriched and benefited by king.

19. Are your wives, subjects, ministers, servants, members of trade guilds, councillors, citizens, country people, tributary princes, and sons obedient to you?

20. He who has controlled his mind has all these (mentioned above) obedient to him. All the worlds along with the guardian deities offer to him dutifully due honour and worship.

21. It appears that your mind is not pleased with you or with others. I find that your countenance is overshadowed with anxiety as you presumably have not achieved your object or desire.

22. The king who was thus subjected to various alternative questions by the sage who knew (everything) by intuition, bent down with modesty, and then addressed the sage, with a desire for progeny, Oh King.

Citraketu said:

23. Oh worshipful sage! What is not known to Yogins (like you) who have destroyed their sins, what lies within and without embodied beings, by means of their penance, spiritual knowledge and concentration?

24. But as I am prompted by your worship who knows what is weighing on my mind, it is with your permission that I am speaking it to you.

25. (My) sovereign power and affluence which are covctable even to the guardians of the world, do not give me any delight. Childless as I am, these are like other things (such as garlands, sandal-paste etc.) to a person overwhelmed with hunger and thirst.

26. Oh highly blessed one, kindly therefore protect me who along with my ancestors, am on the verge of falling into a dark abysmal hell. Please do that unto us whereby we shall cross this hell which is difficult, by blessing us with progeny.

Śrī Śuka said:

27. The venerable, merciful son of Brahmā who was thus entreated, caused caru (rice cooked in milk) to be prepared for Tvaṣṭṛ and worshipped Tvaṣṭṛ with its oblations.

28. The senior-most queen both in age and status among the queens, was Kṛtadyuti. by name. The Brāhmaṇa gave the remainder of the sacrificial offerings to her.

29. Then the son of Brahmā told the king, “Oh king, one son will be born to you. He will give you both joy and grief”. Saying thus, he departed.

30. Queen Kṛtadyuti conceived a son through Citraketu by the eating of that caru, just as (the constellation) Kṛttikā bore a son to the Fire-god.

31. Her foetus which was begotten by the king of Śūrasena gradually developed every day, just as the Moon waxes in the bright half of the month.

32. In due course, after the arrival of the proper time, a son was born, giving great joy to the inhabitants of Śūrasena who heard the news.

33. The king who was overjoyed, purified himself by taking a bath and adorned himself. He made the Brāhmaṇas pronounce pious benedictions and caused them to perform the jātakarma ceremony.

34. He gave them gold, silver, garments, ornaments, villages, horses, elephants and six crores of cows.

35. Like a showering rain-cloud, the noble-minded king showered other persons with objects desired by them for the future affluence, glory and longevity of the prince.

36. Just as a penniless person develops love for his hard-earned money, the father, a royal sage, developed, day after day, great affection for his son who was got after great difficulty.

37. To the mother Kṛtadyuti, the affection caused by infatuation developed into intense love, but it created feverish desire for a child in her co-wives.

38. By fondling the child every day, Citraketu showed so much intensive love to his wife who gave birth to a child, that he ignored others.

39. Those co-wives tormented and reproached themselves out of envy, the misery of childlessness and the indifference of the king.

40. Fie on the childless accursed woman who is not loved in the house of her husband and is treated with contempt, like a maid-servant, by other co-wives blessed with children.

41. What agony can there be to maid servants who are constantly waiting upon their master and whose services are appreciated by him? We are unfortunate like the maid-servant of maid-servants.

42. The co-wives, in this way, developed intense hatred, as they were burning due to the wealth in the form of child to their co-wife and their very existence being not approved by the king.

43. The women who lost their good sense through hatred and became cruel-hearted administered poison to the prince, in their unappeasable hatred for the king.

44. Kṛtadyuti was quite innocent about the grievous sin committed by her co-wives. Looking at him (her son) she thought him to be asleep and went about in the house.

45. The clever woman realizing that the child had slept for a pretty long time ordered the nurse, “Oh auspicious lady bring the son to me”.

46. The nurse approached the sleeping child and saw him with the pupils of his eyes turned upwards and bereft of breathing, senses and life. (She cried out) “Oh I am undone” and fell down on the grouṇd.

47. Then hearing her painful shriek and violent beating of the breasts with her hands, the queen entered in haste and approaching the child, she saw that it had met with sudden death.

48. Overpowered with grief, she fell on the ground and with her hair and garments in disorder, she lost her consciousness.

49. Then all the men and women who were in the harem of the king heard the wailing. Coming there, they equally shared her grief and became extremely distressed and even those who perpetrated that heinous crime pretended to weep.

50. Hearing that his son died from an unknown cause, the king lost his eye-sight. He staggered with faltering steps on the way. The king who was surrounded by his ministers and Brāhmaṇas fell in deep swoon, due to his grief which was infinitely intensified by love.

51. The king fell at the feet of his dead son. His (king’s) hair and garments fell in disorder. He heaved heavy sighs. His throat was choked with tears and he was not able to speak.

52. Observing that her husband was overwhelmed with grief as the son, the only scion of the family, was dead, the virtuous queen burst out into lamentations of various sorts enhancing the afflictions of the subjects and the ministers.

53. Bathing her breasts decorated with paintings of saffron and sandal-paste, by means of tears mixed with collynum, and with her dishevelled hair dropping flowers (used for hair decoration), she cried out loudly and in diverse tones like a female osprey.

54. “Oh Creator, you are extremely foolish, for you act contrary to your (process of) creation, because here the elderly people survive when the young ones die. If you are of a contrary nature, then you must be an eternal enemy of all creatures.

55. If there be no order in the birth and death of embodied beings, it may be due to their own Karmas. But the tie of affection which you have engendered for the growth of your creation, is cut asunder by you, due to the death of the child.

56. (Addressing the child) Oh dear child I It is not proper for you to abandon a wretched and helpless (mother like) me. Please have a look at your father who is tormented with grief. It is through you that we shall easily cross the dark hell which is impassable for childless persons. Please do not go far away, with the merciless god of Death.

57. Oh child, get up. These young children, your friends, are calling you to play. Oh Prince, you have slept for too long a period. You must have been famished with hunger. Enjoy breast-feeding and remove the grief of our relatives.

58. Unfortunate as I am, I have not (as usual) seen your lotuslike face with cheerful looks and innocent smile, Oh child. Or is it that you are taken away by the merciless (Yama) and have gone to the other world from which there is no return, for I do not hear your sweet words.”

Śrī Śuka said:

59. While she was bewailing her dead son through such various laments, Citraketu became extremely tormented with grief and cried at the top of his voice.

60. While the husband and wife were thus lamenting, the subjects, both men and women, who were devoted to them verily wept aloud and everything was lifeless.

61. Knowing that everybody was reduced to such wretched plight and lost all consciousness and were leaderless (for consolation) the sage Aṅgiras came along with Nārada.