Shloka 36
Diti’s Untimely Desire and the Birth-Cause of the Asura Line
Prelude to Hiranyākṣa–Varāha
स न: प्रसीदतां भामो भगवानुर्वनुग्रह: । व्याधस्याप्यनुकम्प्यानां स्त्रीणां देव: सतीपति: ॥ ३६ ॥
sa naḥ prasīdatāṁ bhāmo bhagavān urv-anugrahaḥ vyādhasyāpy anukampyānāṁ strīṇāṁ devaḥ satī-patiḥ
Que ce Bhagavān soit satisfait de nous, puisqu’il est mon beau-frère, l’époux de ma sœur Satī. Il est aussi le seigneur digne d’adoration de toutes les femmes et très compatissant, car les femmes sont excusées même par un chasseur grossier.
Lord Śiva is the husband of Satī, one of the sisters of Diti. Diti invoked the pleasure of her sister Satī so that Satī would request her husband to excuse her. Besides that, Lord Śiva is the worshipable lord of all women. He is naturally very kind towards women, on whom even the uncivilized hunters also show their mercy. Since Lord Śiva is himself associated with women, he knows very well their defective nature, and he might not take very seriously Diti’s unavoidable offense, which occurred due to her faulty nature. Every virgin girl is supposed to be a devotee of Lord Śiva. Diti remembered her childhood worship of Lord Śiva and begged his mercy.
FAQs
This verse highlights that Bhagavān is uru-anugraha—abundantly merciful—showing kindness even to a hunter, implying His mercy extends to all who seek His favor.
In the context of Diti’s improper request at an inauspicious time, Kashyapa offers a prayerful reassurance that the Lord, protector of the chaste, can still be pleased and grant mercy despite human weakness.
It teaches repentance and hope: even after mistakes, one should turn to God with humility, seek forgiveness, and recommit to dharmic conduct rather than despair.