Text 48] Maharaja Pariksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy 981

hereby not to become as foolish as Srigi and be always on guard against
the demoniac qualities which they had in their previous births. The foolish
boy was, of course, excused by the Lord, but others, who may not have a
father like Samik Rsi, will be put into great difficulty if they misuse the
advantages obtained by birth in a brahmana family.

TEXT 48

facegan freoan: gar: fra ear orf}
A aa MaRa a TT: TASH tive

tiras-krta vipralabdhah
Saptah ksipta hata api
nasya tat pratikurvanti
tad-bhaktah prabhavo’pi hi

tirah-krtah—being defamed; vipralabdhah—being cheated; saptah—being
cursed; ksiptah—disturbed by negligence; hatah—or even being killed;
api—also; na—never; asya—for all these acts; tat—them; pratikurvanti—
counteract; tat—the Lord’s; bhaktah—devotees; prabhavah—powerful;
api—although; hi—certainly.

TRANSLATION

The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are
defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are
never inclined to avenge themselves.

PURPORT

Rsi Samik also knew that the Lord does not forgive a person who has
committed an offense at the feet of a devotee. The Lord can only give
direction to take shelter of the devotee only. He thought within himself
that if Maharaja Pariksit would counter-curse the boy, he might be saved.
But he knew also that a pure devotee is callous about worldly advantages
or reverses. As such, the devotees are never inclined to counteract personal
defamation, curses, negligences, etc. As far as such things are concerned, in
personal affairs the devotees do not care for them. But in case of their
being performed against the Lord and his devotees, then the devotee takes
very strong action. It was a personal affair, and therefore Samik Rsi knew
that the King would not take counteraction. Thus there was no other
alternative than to place an appeal to the Lord for the immature boy.
