Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind

Chapter 17: Mother Parvati Curses Citraketu. Text 8

प्रायशः प्राकृताश्चापि स्त्रियं रहसि बिभ्रति ।
अयं महाव्रतधरो बिभर्ति सदसि स्त्रियम् ॥८॥

prÄyaÅ›aḥ prÄká¹›tÄÅ› cÄpi
striyaá¹ rahasi bibhrati
ayaá¹ mahÄ-vrata-dharo
bibharti sadasi striyam

 prÄyaÅ›aḥ - generally; prÄká¹›tÄḥ - conditioned souls; ca - also; api - although; striyam - a woman; rahasi - in a solitary place; bibhrati - embrace; ayam - this (Lord Åšiva); mahÄ-vrata-dharaḥ - the master of great vows and austerities; bibharti - enjoys; sadasi - in an assembly of great saintly persons; striyam - his wife.


Text

Ordinary conditioned persons generally embrace their wives and enjoy their company in solitary places. How wonderful it is that Lord MahÄdeva, although a great master of austerity, is embracing his wife openly in the midst of an assembly of great saints.

Purport

The word mahÄ-vrata-dharaḥ indicates a brahmacÄrÄ« who has never fallen down. Lord Åšiva is counted among the best of yogÄ«s, yet he embraced his wife in the midst of great saintly persons. Citraketu appreciated how great Lord Åšiva was to be unaffected even in that situation. Therefore Citraketu was not an offender; he merely expressed his wonder.