Shloka 51
Diti’s Untimely Desire and the Birth-Cause of the Asura Line
Prelude to Hiranyākṣa–Varāha
मैत्रेय उवाच श्रुत्वा भागवतं पौत्रममोदत दितिर्भृशम् । पुत्रयोश्च वधं कृष्णाद्विदित्वासीन्महामना: ॥ ५१ ॥
maitreya uvāca śrutvā bhāgavataṁ pautram amodata ditir bhṛśam putrayoś ca vadhaṁ kṛṣṇād viditvāsīn mahā-manāḥ
মৈত্রেয় ঋষি বললেন: শুনে যে তার পৌত্র মহান ভাগবত হবে এবং তার পুত্রদের বধ শ্রীকৃষ্ণ করবেন, দিতি অত্যন্ত আনন্দিত হলেন।
Diti was very aggrieved to learn that because of her untimely pregnancy her sons would be demons and would fight with the Lord. But when she heard that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her two sons would be killed by the Lord, she was very satisfied. As the wife of a great sage and the daughter of a great Prajāpati, Dakṣa, she knew that being killed by the Personality of Godhead is a great fortune. Since the Lord is absolute, His acts of violence and nonviolence are both on the absolute platform. There is no difference in such acts of the Lord. Mundane violence and nonviolence have nothing to do with the Lord’s acts. A demon killed by Him attains the same result as one who attains liberation after many, many births of penance and austerity. The word bhṛśam is significant herein because it indicates that Diti was pleased beyond her expectations.
FAQs
This verse shows Diti rejoicing in good news yet becoming sober when told her sons would be killed—illustrating mature acceptance of karmic outcomes and the Lord’s arrangement.
Because Kṛṣṇa revealed the destined death of her two sons; despite being a mother, Diti’s “mahā-manāḥ” nature made her composed in the face of inevitable results.
Celebrate blessings without losing balance, and meet painful news with steadiness—responding thoughtfully rather than being driven by shock, anger, or despair.