Parvati's Curse and Citraketu's Acceptance
Interpreting Citraketu's laughter as offense, Parvati pronounced a curse: he would fall from his celestial status and be born among demons. Rather than protest, Citraketu bowed and accepted the decree as the Lord's arrangement. His composed response revealed deep realization—seeing both honor and disgrace as opportunities to remember the Supreme.
Lord Siva commended Citraketu's equipoise, noting that such steadiness is rare even among the wise. He reminded Parvati that devotees protected by the Lord cannot be truly harmed by curses; apparent setbacks become vehicles for further purification and service. Citraketu's humility transformed the moment from conflict to instruction.
Citraketu departed with gratitude, ready to embrace his next destiny. The narrative foreshadows his future birth as Vritrasura—the very devotee-warrior whose story had just concluded—revealing the intricate weaving of lives across time. The chapter thus links past and future, illustrating how the Lord orchestrates circumstances to deepen devotion.
This episode reinforces the canto's central themes: the supremacy of devotion over status, the transformative potential of apparent reversals, and the need for humility when navigating the complexities of divine play. Citraketu's acceptance offers practitioners a model for meeting adversity with faith and gratitude.