172
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 17]
that Lord Mahādeva, although a great master of austerity, is embracing his wife openly in the midst of an assembly of great saints.
PURPORT
The word  mahā-vrata-dharaḥ  indicates a  brahmacārī  who has never fallen down. Lord Śiva is counted among the best of  yogīs , yet he embraced his wife in the midst of great saintly persons. Citraketu appreciated how great Lord Śiva was to be unaffected even in that situation. Therefore Citraketu was not an offender; he merely expressed his wonder.
TEXT 9
श्रीशुक उवाच
मगवानपि तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रहसागाधधीर्नृप । तूष्णीं बभूव सदसि सभ्याश्च तदनुव्रताः ॥ ९ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca bhagavān api tac chrutvā prahasyāgādha-dhīr nṛpa tūṣṇīm babhūva sadasi sabhyāś ca tad-anuvratāḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said;  bhagavān —Lord Śiva;  api —also;  tat —that;  śrutvā —hearing;  prahasya —smiling;  agādha-dhīḥ —whose intelligence is unfathomed;  nṛpa —O King;  tūṣṇīm —silent;  babhūva —remained;  sadasi —in the assembly;  sabhyāḥ —everyone assembled there;  ca —and;  tat-anuvratāḥ —followed Lord Śiva (remained silent).
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after hearing Citraketu's statement, Lord Śiva, the most powerful personality, whose knowledge is fathomless, simply smiled and remained silent, and all the members of the assembly followed the lord by not saying anything.
PURPORT
Citraketu's purpose in criticizing Lord Śiva is somewhat mysterious and cannot be understood by a common man. Śrīla Viśvanātha