Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for MankindChapter 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.16.32

sa uttamaśloka-padābja-viṣṭaraḿ

premāśru-leśair upamehayan muhuḥ

premoparuddhākhila-varṇa-nirgamo

naivāśakat taḿ prasamīḍituḿ ciram

SYNONYMS

saḥhe; uttamaśloka — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pada-abja — of the lotus feet; viṣṭaram — the resting place; prema-aśru — of tears of pure love; leśaiḥ — by drops; upamehayan — moistening; muhuḥ — again and again; prema-uparuddha — choked with love; akhila — all; varṇa — of the letters; nirgamaḥ — the coming out; na — not; eva — indeed; aśakat — was able; tam — unto Him; prasamīḍitumto offer prayers; ciram — for a long time.

TRANSLATION

With tears of love and affection, Citraketu repeatedly moistened the resting place of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet. Because his voice was choked in ecstasy, for a considerable time he was unable to utter any of the letters of the alphabet to offer the Lord suitable prayers.

PURPORT

All the letters of the alphabet and the words constructed by those letters are meant for offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mahārāja Citraketu had the opportunity to offer prayers to the Lord by composing nice verses from the letters of the alphabet, but because of his ecstasy, for a considerable time he could not join those letters to offer prayers to the Lord. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.22):

idaḿ hi puḿsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā

sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ

avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito

yad uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam

If one has scientific, philosophical, political, economic or any other abilities and wants perfection in his knowledge, he should offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by composing first-class poetry or engaging his talents in the service of the Lord. Citraketu wanted to do this, but he was unable because of loving ecstasy. Therefore he had to wait for a considerable time before be could offer prayers.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness