Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 29

Citraketu Offends Śiva, Is Cursed by Pārvatī, and Is Glorified as a Vaiṣṇava

Devanagari script

देहिनां देहसंयोगाद् द्वन्द्वानीश्वरलीलया । सुखं दु:खं मृतिर्जन्म शापोऽनुग्रह एव च ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

dehināṁ deha-saṁyogād dvandvānīśvara-līlayā sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ mṛtir janma śāpo ’nugraha eva ca

Translation

生きとし生けるものは物質の身体と結びつくゆえ、主の外的エネルギーのリーラーによって二元が生じる。すなわち楽と苦、生と死、呪いと恩寵—これらは物質界における身体接触の自然な副産物である。

Synonyms

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive: ‘of embodied beings’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन

• देह-संयोगात्: from the conjunction with the body
• देह-संयोगात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source; ‘from bodily conjunction’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन

• द्वन्द्वानि: pairs of opposites
• द्वन्द्वानि: कर्ता (Karta; subject: ‘pairs of opposites’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• ईश्वर-लीलया: by the Lord’s play
• ईश्वर-लीलया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; ‘by the Lord’s play’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; द्वन्द्वानां उदाहरणम्

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; द्वन्द्वानां उदाहरणम्

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• शापः: curse
• शापः: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• अनुग्रहः: favor, grace
• अनुग्रहः: कर्ता (Karta; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā we find, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: the material world works under the direction of the goddess Durgā, the material energy of the Lord, but she acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.44) :

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtrāsura
• Indra
• Īśvara (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about happiness and distress (sukha-duhkha)?

This verse says happiness and distress are dualities that arise for the embodied soul due to contact with the material body, occurring under the Lord’s arrangement; thus one should not be bewildered by them.

Why did Vṛtrāsura say this to Indra in Bhagavatam Canto 6?

In their confrontation, Vṛtrāsura instructs Indra in spiritual vision—reminding him that birth/death and even curse/blessing are bodily dualities under God’s control, so Indra should act without fear or hatred.

How can I apply this teaching about dualities in modern life?

Treat praise/blame, gain/loss, and comfort/discomfort as temporary results of embodied life, and focus on steady devotion and right duty rather than emotional extremes.