Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial
अङ्गिरा उवाच अपि तेऽनामयं स्वस्ति प्रकृतीनां तथात्मन: । यथा प्रकृतिभिर्गुप्त: पुमान् राजा च सप्तभि: ॥ १७ ॥
aṅgirā uvāca api te ’nāmayaṁ svasti prakṛtīnāṁ tathātmanaḥ yathā prakṛtibhir guptaḥ pumān rājā ca saptabhiḥ
Resi Aṅgirā berkata: “Wahai Raja, semoga tubuh dan mindamu, serta para pembantu dan kelengkapan kerajaanmu, berada dalam sejahtera. Apabila tujuh unsur prakṛti—mahat, ahaṅkāra dan lima objek indera—tersusun baik, jiwa pun bahagia; demikian juga raja dilindungi oleh tujuh penopang: guru, para menteri, negeri, kubu, perbendaharaan, kuasa perintah, dan sahabat.”
As it is quoted by Śrīdhara Svāmī in his Bhāgavatam commentary:
This verse shows Vedic well-being as multi-layered—freedom from disease plus auspiciousness for one’s bodily constituents and also the inner self (mind/ātman), not merely physical health.
Aṅgirā approaches Citraketu during his distress and begins with a traditional, dharmic inquiry into his welfare—probing both outer health and inner condition—before guiding him spiritually.
Assess life in a balanced way: care for the body, stabilize the mind, and nurture the spiritual self—because real protection and stability come from harmony across all three.