Adhokṣajāya namah

Lord Shiva continued, “The Supreme Lord does not favour one while despising another. He does not consider one person to be his family member while distancing another. In other words, he has no relative, no enemy and no friend. He resides as the Self within all living entities. Hence it is clear that everyone is equally dear to Him. Everybody also loves him equally.

This fortunate Chitraketu is a very dear attendant of Lord Srihari. He is of peaceful nature and sees the Lord as equally pervading throughout the creation. Srihari considers me as very dear to Him. I too love Srihari dearly. Such exalted devotees should never display arrogance towards other supreme devotees of the Lord who too see Him pervading equally everywhere”.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “O Emperor Parikshit! After hearing these words spoken by her husband, Mother Goddess Pārvati was pleased. Even though Chitraketu, the supreme devotee, had the capacity to counter-curse Mother Pārvati, he reverentially accepted the curse pronounced by Her. To not harm others is the quality of saints, isn’t it?

Due to the effect of the curse, Chitraketu appeared in the form of a demon from the dakshināgni homa fire sacrifice being performed by Tvaṣṭa Prajāpati. He became famous as demon Vṛtta. He was not only proficient in the most supreme Self-knowledge but was also Self-realized.

O King! Previously you had asked me how a demon could have intense devotion towards the Lord. I have now narrated to you the entire background.

Itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ citraketor mahātmanaḥ Māhātmyaṁ viṣṇu-bhaktānāṁ śrutvā bandhād vimucyate

The story of Chitraketu, the supreme devotee, is very pious. Those who listen to the glories of ardent devotees are freed from the shackles of re-birth.

Ya etat prātar utthāya śraddhayā vāg-yataḥ paṭhet itihāsaṁ hariṁ smṛtvā sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

The person who, soon upon waking in the early hours of morning, silently meditates upon Lord Srihari and reads this story with great dedication will obtain liberation (mokṣa) which is the ultimate among the four goals of life.

With this the seventeenth chapter of Sixth Canto comes to an end.

Sixth Canto Chapter Eighteenth

In this chapter, Maharishi Śuka narrates the lineage of Daksha’s remaining daughters. In this process he explains the lineage of Maharishi Kaśyapa’s wives Diti and Aditi and the birth of Marut-gaṇās.

Maharishi Śuka said to emperor Parikshit, “O Emperor, Pṛśni was the wife of Savita. Savitri, Vyāhṛti, Trayī, Agnihotra, Paśu-yāga, Chāturmasya, the Pancha-mahā-yagnas and Soma were their children.

Bhaga’s wife was Siddhi. Their sons were Mahima, Vibhu, Prabhu. Their daughter Āśis was an exceedingly beautiful and chaste woman.

Dhata had four wives Kuhu, Sinīvāli, Rāka and Anumati. From these four wives he begot four sons viz., Sāyam-kāla, Darśa, Prātah-kāla and Poorṇamāsa.

Dhāta’s younger brother Vidhāta, married Kriya. They begot the five fires called Purīṣyās as their sons.

Varuṇā’s wife was Carṣaṇi. Brahma’s mind born son Bhṛgu took birth again as their son. Although, the great saint Valmiki was also their son, since he emerged from an anthill he was known as Vālmiki.

Maharishis Agastya and Vasiṣṭa were the sons of Mitra and Varuṇa. When Mitra and Varuṇa saw Urvaśi, the celestial dancer, they discharged radiance from their body. They collected this radiance (tejas) and stored it in an earthen pot. Agastya and Vasiṣṭa emerged from those pots. From wife Revati, Mitra begot 3 sons viz., Utsarga, Ariṣṭa and Pippala. Indra, the Lord of the three worlds, begot 3 sons named Jayanta, Rṣabha and Mīdhvāna from wife Sacidevi.

Using his illusory power (māya) Lord Srihari incarnated as dwarf Vāmana and measured the three worlds in his three steps. From wife Kīrti this Lord Vāmana had a son named Bṛhatśloka. Saubhaga and many other sons were born to Bṛhatśloka. Lord Srihari incarnated as the son of the pious couple Aditi-Kaśyapa. I shall later narrate the glorious deeds of this supreme incarnation, His qualities and His prowess.

Now I shall narrate the lineage of Diti’s sons. In this lineage ardent devotees such as Prahlāda and Bali were born. From Diti’s womb the famous Hiranyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu were born. Such was their power that all Daityās and Dānavās bow before them. We have already discussed these stories in the third skanda (canto).

Jhambha belonged to the Dānava clan. He gave his daughter Kayādhu in marriage to Hiraṇyakaśipu. Their sons were Samhṛda, Anuḥlāda, Hlāda and Prahlāda. Kayādhu’s younger sister Simhika married Vipracit. Their son was Rāhu. When Rāhu tried to drink nectar (amrita) Srihari chopped off his head using His discus.

Saṃhṛda’s wife was Kṛti. Their son was Pañcajana. Hlāda’s wife was Damani. Their sons were Vātāpi and Ilvala. When Sage Agastya came to their home as guest, demon Ilvala cooked Vātapi as a meal and served him.

Anuhlāda’s wife was Surni. Their sons were Bāskala and Mahiṣa. Prahlāda’s son was Virocana. Virocāna begot a son called Bali from wife Devi. Bali’s wife was Aśana. Through her he begot a hundred sons. Bali’s activities are supremely praiseworthy. I shall narrate his story later.

Through his intense devotion towards Lord Shiva, Bāṇa became one of the prominent members among the Shiva-gaṇās. Even to this day Lord Shiva resides near Bāṇa and protects his city”.

Achyutāya namah