ste mukhyaḥ sabhāyāṁ vai
citraketur uvāca
eṣa loka-guruḥ sākṣād
dharmaṁ vaktā śarīriṇām
āste mukhyaḥ sabhāyāṁ vai
mithunī-bhūya bhāryayā
Citraketu said: Lord Śiva, the guru of the world, the speaker of dharma, and chief of all living entities, is embracing his wife, Pārvatī, in the midst of an assembly.
|| 6.17.7 ||
jaṭā-dharas tīvra-tapā
brahmavādi-sabhā-patiḥ
aṅkīkṛtya striyaṁ cāste
gata-hrīḥ prākṛto yathā
Lord Śiva, with matted hair, the performer of great austerities and the leader of the assembly of brahmavādīs, is seated with his wife on his lap without shame, like an ordinary mortal.
Śiva is not a mortal being since he is the Lord. However, one should not think that Citraketu was an offender like Dakṣa.
|| 6.17.8 ||
prāyaśaḥ prākṛtāś cāpi
striyaṁ rahasi bibhrati
ayaṁ mahā-vrata-dharo
bibharti sadasi striyam
Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives in private. This man of great vows is embracing his wife in the assembly of great saints.
Mahā-vrata-dharaḥ means a brahmacārī from birth, a leader of yogīs. That he was embracing his wife shows his inconceivable power.
|| 6.17.9 ||
śrī-śuka uvāca
bhagavān api tac chrutvā
prahasyāgādha-dhīr nṛpa
tūṣṇīṁ babhūva sadasi
sabhyāś ca tad-anuvratāḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! On hearing Citraketu's statement, powerful Śiva, whose knowledge is fathomless, simply smiled and remained silent. The members of the assembly followed his example.
Why did Śiva smile? “Citraketu wants to establish the truth about my conduct in this world.” Because he had fathomless knowledge, not understood by anyone, he understood Citraketu’s intention. Citraketu’s intention was as follows. “Śiva is the Lord. There is no harm if he performs acts which appear wrong. Those who are ignorant will criticize him, and for their offense will be destroyed, like Dakṣa. If today I can establish that he has proper conduct, it will be beneficial for the world. Viṣṇu benefits the world because he follows proper conduct. But Śiva is inauspicious because of his apparent misconduct. He should not have infamy.” Śiva thought, “I will not become angry at his harsh words which are beneficial for the world.” The assembly, understanding Śiva’s intention, also remained silent and did not become angry. If his attention had been to criticize Śiva, the assembly would have blocked their ears and left. It is said:
bhagavan-nindanaṁ śrutvā duḥsahaṁ tat sabhā-sadaḥ
karṇau pidhāya nirjagmuḥ śapantaś cedi-paṁ ruṣā
Upon hearing such intolerable blasphemy of the Lord, several members of the assembly covered their ears and walked out, angrily cursing the King of Cedi. SB 10.74.39
|| 6.17.10 ||
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