Shloka 7
The Deliverance of Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva
Yamala-Arjuna Līlā Prelude and Culmination
तौ दृष्ट्वा मदिरामत्तौ श्रीमदान्धौ सुरात्मजौ । तयोरनुग्रहार्थाय शापं दास्यन्निदं जगौ ॥ ७ ॥
tau dṛṣṭvā madirā-mattau śrī-madāndhau surātmajau tayor anugrahārthāya śāpaṁ dāsyann idaṁ jagau
Voyant les deux fils des êtres célestes nus, ivres et aveuglés par l’opulence et la vaine gloire, Devarṣi Nārada, afin de leur accorder une miséricorde particulière, voulut leur donner une malédiction spéciale. Il parla donc ainsi.
Although in the beginning Nārada Muni appeared very angry and cursed them, at the end the two demigods Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva were able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, face to face. Thus the curse was ultimately auspicious and brilliant. One has to judge what kind of curse Nārada placed upon them. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives herein a good example. When a father finds his child deeply asleep but the child has to take some medicine to cure some disease, the father pinches the child so that the child will get up and take the medicine. In a similar way, Nārada Muni cursed Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva in order to cure their disease of material blindness.
FAQs
This verse states that the sons of the demigods were blinded by pride and intoxicated, prompting Nārada to intervene—showing that opulence without humility leads to spiritual degradation.
He intended the curse as an act of compassion—anugraha—so that their arrogance would be corrected and their souls ultimately benefited.
Treat prosperity and pleasure with restraint and humility; when pride or addiction grows, accept corrective guidance as mercy rather than punishment.