King Chitraketu – Surasena
King Chitraketu’s story is narrated in the sixth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. He was ruling a kingdom known as Surasena. Though he had many wives, he did not have any offspring.
By misfortune, all his wives became childless. Chitraketu was filled with agony due to childlessness. One day, AngiraRishi came to his palace while wandering freely on the earth. Chitraketu gave him a royal welcome and served him nicely.
Rishi was satisfied with his humbleness and said, “O king! You appear to be morose and suffering from mental agony. Are you responsible for this worry or someone else? Please let me know the details”. The Rishi knows all the information, but he wishes to know it from the king.
Plea for Son
Then King Chitraketu said with a heavy heart “My lord, please save me and my ancestors who are about to fall into hell for want of descendants in my family. Please give me the boon of having one nice son”.
AngiraRishi accepted the request of the king and performed a sacrifice. Afterward, he gave sweet rice as the remnants of sacrifice to the wife of Chitraketu. Her name was Kritadyuti. Rishi assured the king that he would be blessed with a son by the power of sweet rice.
But he also warned that the son would cause both pleasure and pain. In due course of time, Kritadyuti gave birth to a beautiful boy by the power of sweet rice. This wonderful news gave immense pleasure to Chitraketu. He arranged for all purificatory processes to the newly born son and gave all gifts to one and all. He also developed a special love for Kritadyuti, who gave birth to his son.
This caused jealousy among the other wives of the king. The King also started behaving indifferently with them, thereby fuelling their fire of jealousy. In that fire, their discriminating power was burnt to ashes and they killed the newly born boy by administering poison.
Kritadyuti was overwhelmed with grief when the child didn’t wake up from bed even after a long time. Meanwhile, a maid noticed that the royal child was dead and started weeping loudly. Kritadyuti rushed to the spot and noticed her dead son. She collapsed like a knocked-down tree and started sobbing piteously.
The entire palace was filled with the cries of ladies. Somehow the news reached Chitraketu, who rushed to the spot with much difficulty and pain. He couldn’t speak a single word and his throat got choked with pain. The pitiful condition of the royal couple gave immense pain to all the residents of the palace.
Narada Muni bringing dead son back to life
AngiraRishi came to know about the great loss that Chitraketu experienced and immediately came to see him along with Narada Muni. They came to give a piece of useful wisdom at that time of despair. They revealed many secrets of life to him and made him relaxed. By their words, King Chitraketu felt slightly relieved, but due to great agony didn’t recognize the saintly persons.
He ignorantly asked about their whereabouts and expressed his gratitude for their message at the time of calamity. Then AngiraRishi conveyed him saying, “Dear Chitraketu, I came to your palace when you were desiring a son. I gave the boon of a beautiful son at that time. Here is Narada Muni. We came to deliver you from your false lamentation.
Special Mantra
Try to understand your soul and its power. You will be relieved from misery as soon as you are situated on the soul platform”. Then Narada Muni gave a special mantra, which can award the audience of Lord Sankarshana within seven days.
After awarding the boon of a special mantra, Narada Muni brought the dead son back to life with his mystic power. Then, the boy immediately got up and started speaking to all. The boy spoke a great truth of wisdom to parents and relatives that left them in great wonder.
They all understood the truth of life and death. After speaking the eternal truth, the boy returned. Then, both the king and the queen could sever the knots with their son and become peaceful. They carried out the purificatory process after cremating the child.
Later Narada Muni and AngiraRishi gave further instructions to Chitraketu and left the palace after blessing him. King Chitraketu continuously chanted the mantra for seven days and obtained residence in Vidyadhara planet. Further chanting of mantra gave him the audience of the Lord. At that time, the Lord Sankarshana was surrounded by great saintly persons. Chitraketu offered obeisances to the Lord and prayed with eloquent words.
Parvati Cursing
Chitraketu then started enjoying the Vidyadhara planet. Once he was travelling on an airplane over a place where Lord Shiva was sitting with his consort on the lap. Many followers were sitting around Lord Shiva. The Lord was speaking to all while embracing his consort. Chitraketu ridiculed Lord Shiva for his indecent behavior.
Lord Shiva didn’t get agitated by his words, but Parvati cursed him to become a demon. Due to her powerful curse, Chitraketu became Vrutrasura and appeared from the sacrifice by Twashta. Vrutrasura invited his death from the hands of Indra and left his body to reach his spiritual abode. Whoever hears this narration with all faith will become freed from all material attachments. One who recites this narration early in the morning while meditating Lord Hari can also reach the eternal abode with all ease.
