554 Srimad-Bhagavatam {Canto 3, Ch. 14

TRANSLATION

Demigods like Brahma also follow the religious rites observed by him.
He is the controller of the material energy, which causes the creation of
the material world. He is great, and therefore his devilish characteristics
are simply imitation.

PURPORT

Lord Siva is the husband of Durga, the controller of the material energy.
Durga is personified material energy, and Lord Siva, being her husband, is
the controller of the material energy. He is also the incarnation of the
mode of ignorance and one of the three deities representing the Supreme
Lord. As His representative, Lord Siva is identical with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He is very great, and his renunciation of all
material enjoyment is an ideal example of how one should be materially
unattached. One should therefore follow in his footsteps and be unattached
to matter, not imitate his uncommon acts like drinking poison.

TEXT 30

aa Tay
aq dfafea wal aanieahrafaen |
ame Tt AMAT TAT F011

maitreya uvaca
saivam samvidite bhartra
manmathonmathitendriya
jagraha vaso brahmarser
ursaliva gata-trapa

maitreyah uvdca—Maitreya said; sa—she; evarm—thus; samvidite—in
spite of being informed; bhartra—by her husband; manmatha—by Cupid;
unmathita—being pressed; indriya—senses; jagraha—caught hold of; vasah—
clothing; brahmarseh—of the great brahmana sage; vrsali—public prostitute;
iva—like; gata-trapa— without shame.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya said: Diti was thus informed by her husband, but she was
pressed by Cupid for sex satisfaction. She caught hold of the clothing of
the great brahmana sage, just like a shameless public prostitute.

PURPORT

The difference between a married wife and a public prostitute is that
one is restrained in sex life by the rules and regulations of the scriptures,
