Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 26
Vṛtrāsura Rebukes Indra; Heroic Combat and the Asura’s Pure Devotional Prayers
अजातपक्षा इव मातरं खगा: स्तन्यं यथा वत्सतरा: क्षुधार्ता: । प्रियं प्रियेव व्युषितं विषण्णा मनोऽरविन्दाक्ष दिदृक्षते त्वाम् ॥ २६ ॥
ajāta-pakṣā iva mātaraṁ khagāḥ stanyaṁ yathā vatsatarāḥ kṣudh-ārtāḥ priyaṁ priyeva vyuṣitaṁ viṣaṇṇā mano ’ravindākṣa didṛkṣate tvām
O lotus-eyed Lord, as baby birds that have not yet developed their wings always look for their mother to return and feed them, as small calves tied with ropes await anxiously the time of milking, when they will be allowed to drink the milk of their mothers, or as a morose wife whose husband is away from home always longs for him to return and satisfy her in all respects, I always yearn for the opportunity to render direct service unto You.
A pure devotee always yearns to associate personally with the Lord and render service unto Him. The examples given in this regard are most appropriate. A small baby bird is practically never satisfied except when the mother bird comes to feed it, a small calf is not satisfied unless allowed to suck the milk from the mother’s udder, and a chaste, devoted wife whose husband is away from home is never satisfied until she has the association of her beloved husband.
FAQs
It teaches that a devotee’s longing for the Lord can be as natural and urgent as a child’s instinctive dependence on its mother—spontaneous, intense, and single-pointed.
Although appearing as a demon in battle, Vṛtrāsura is a great devotee; in this chapter he reveals his inner mood—seeking the Lord’s direct vision rather than worldly victory or gain.
Cultivate steady remembrance and heartfelt prayer—making time daily for chanting, hearing, and sincere longing for God’s presence instead of treating spirituality as occasional or secondary.