182 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 17

PURPORT

Since Citraketu was a devotee of the Lord, he was not at all disturbed
by the curse of mother Parvati. He knew very well that one suffers or en-
joys the results of one’s past deeds as ordained by daiva-netra —superior
authority, or the agents of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew
that he had not committed any offense at the lotus feet of Lord Siva or
the goddess Parvati, yet he had been punished, and this means that the
punishment had been ordained. Thus the King did not mind it. A devo-
tee is naturally so humble and meek that he accepts any condition of life
as a blessing from the Lord. Tat te ’nukampaém susamiksamanah
(Bhag. 10.14.8). A devotee always accepts punishment from anyone as
the mercy of the Lord. If one lives in this conception of life, he sees
whatever reverses occur to be due to his past misdeeds, and therefore he
never accuses anyone. On the contrary, he becomes increasingly attached
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because of his being purified by
his suffering. Suffering, therefore, is also a process of purification.

Srila Vigvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says in this connection that one
who has developed Krsna consciousness and who exists in love with
Krsna is no longer subject to suffering and happiness under the laws of
karma. Indeed, he is beyond karma. The Brahma-samhitd says, karmani
nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam: a devotee is free from the reactions of
his karma because he has taken to devotional service. This same prin-
ciple is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26). Sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhiiydaya kalpate: one who is engaged in devotional service has
already been freed from the reactions of his material karma, and thus he
immediately t becomes brahma-bhiita, or transcendental. This is also ex-
pressed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.21). Kstyante cdsya karmani:
before attaining the stage of love, one becomes free from all the results
of karma.

The Lord is very kind and affectionate toward His devotees, and
therefore a devotee, in any condition, is not subjected to the results of
karma. A devotee never aspires for the heavenly planets. The heavenly
planets, liberation and hell are nondifferent for a devotee, for he does
not discriminate between different positions in the material world. A
devotee is always eager to return home, back to Godhead, and remain
there as the Lord’s associate. This ambition becomes increasingly fervent
in his heart, and therefore he does not care about material changes in his
