एवमश्रद्धितं शिष्यमनादेशकरं गुरुः ।
शशाप दैवप्रहितः सत्यसन्धं मनस्विनम् ॥१४॥
Å›rÄ«-Å›uka uvÄca
evam aśraddhitaṠśiṣyam
anÄdeÅ›akaraá¹ guruḥ
Å›aÅ›Äpa daiva-prahitaḥ
satya-sandhaá¹ manasvinam
Å›rÄ«-Å›ukaḥ uvÄca - ÅšrÄ« Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« said; evam - thus; aÅ›raddhitam - who was not very respectful to the instruction of the spiritual master; Å›iá¹£yam - unto such a disciple; anÄdeÅ›a-karam - who was not prepared to carry out the order of his spiritual master; guruḥ - the spiritual master (ÅšukrÄcÄrya); Å›aÅ›Äpa - cursed; daiva-prahitaḥ - being inspired by the Supreme Lord; satya-sandham - one who was fixed in his truthfulness; manasvinam - who was of a highly elevated character.
ÅšrÄ« Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« continued: Thereafter, the spiritual master, ÅšukrÄcÄrya, being inspired by the Supreme Lord, cursed his exalted disciple Bali MahÄrÄja, who was so magnanimous and fixed in truthfulness that instead of respecting his spiritual master’s instructions, he wanted to disobey his order.
The difference between the behavior of Bali MahÄrÄja and that of his spiritual master, ÅšukrÄcÄrya, was that Bali MahÄrÄja had already developed love of Godhead, whereas ÅšukrÄcÄrya, being merely a priest of routine rituals, had not. Thus ÅšukrÄcÄrya was never inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to develop in devotional service. As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (10.10):
teá¹£Äá¹ satata-yuktÄnÄá¹
bhajatÄá¹ prÄ«ti-pÅ«rvakam
dadÄmi buddhi-yogaá¹ taá¹
yena mÄm upayÄnti te
“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.â€
Devotees who actually engage in devotional service with faith and love are inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaiṣṇavas are never concerned with ritualistic smÄrta-brÄhmaṇas. ÅšrÄ«la SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« has therefore compiled Hari-bhakti-vilÄsa to guide the Vaiṣṇavas, who never follow the smÄrta-vidhi. Although the Supreme Lord is situated in the core of everyone’s heart, unless one is a Vaiṣṇava, unless one is engaged in devotional service, one does not get sound advice by which to return home, back to Godhead. Such instructions are meant only for devotees. Therefore in this verse the word daiva-prahitaḥ, “being inspired by the Supreme Lord,†is important. ÅšukrÄcÄrya should have encouraged Bali MahÄrÄja to give everything to Lord Viṣṇu. This would have been a sign of love for the Supreme Lord. But he did not do so. On the contrary, he wanted to punish his devoted disciple by cursing him.
