In the 6th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, we find the story of how Diti tried to manipulate her husband Kasyapa Muni with the goal of killing Indra, whom she blamed for the death of her sons Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. By serving her husband on all his needs and artificially behaving in an attractive way, with exaggerated feminine movements and so on, she got him under control. When Kasyapa Muni, feeling obliged, promised to give her a benediction, she immediately asked for a son who could kill Indra. On hearing such a request, he understood that he had been played upon and lamented:

“Alas, I have now become too attached to material enjoyment. Taking advantage of this, my mind has been attracted by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of a woman [my wife]. Therefore I am surely a wretched person who will glide down toward hell.
This woman, my wife, has adopted a means that follows her nature, and therefore she is not to be blamed. But I am a man. Therefore, all condemnation upon me! I am not at all conversant with what is good for me, since I could not control my senses.
A woman’s face is as attractive and beautiful as a blossoming lotus flower during autumn. Her words are very sweet, and they give pleasure to the ear, but if we study a woman’s heart, we can understand it to be extremely sharp, like the blade of a razor. In these circumstances, who could understand the dealings of a woman?
To satisfy their own interests, women deal with men as if the men were most dear to them, but no one is actually dear to them. Women are supposed to be very saintly, but for their own interests they can kill even their husbands, sons or brothers, or cause them to be killed by others.” (SB 6.18.40)

Both the verses and the purports of this passage contain some quite heavy words about the negative qualities of women. It’s said that women are self-interested by nature, that their natural instinct is to enjoy the material world, and so on. It’s also described that they can become real traps for men, by using their attractive features to seduce and use them for their own purposes, just like Diti did with Kasyapa Muni.

Of course, the opposite could also be described, since men also exploit women and use them for their own devices. This is unfortunately the nature of this material world: people exploiting and being exploited by others.

In his purports, however, Srila Prabhupada gives a higher perspective. As in other passages of Srimad Bhagavatam, this story is used to convey a higher message.

The point is that these negative feminine qualities, as well as similar qualities exhibited by men, are the result of our material conditioning. One way to minimize such negative qualities is through proper family life. When women are well-treated and properly protected by their husbands, fathers, and brothers, they can act in more positive ways. Similarly, when men are properly supported by their wives, mothers, and sisters, they can remain responsible and religious, and thus everyone wins. As Srila Prabhupada comments:

“A husband should be trained at the very beginning of his life. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (Bhāg. 7.6.1). During the time of brahmacarya, or student life, a brahmacārī should be taught to be expert in bhāgavata-dharma, devotional service. Then when he marries, if his wife is faithful to her husband and follows him in such life, the relationship between husband and wife is very desirable. However, a relationship between husband and wife without spiritual consciousness but strictly for sense gratification is not at all good.” (SB 6.18.40)

Another way, however, is to cultivate genuine spiritual values, which is the real goal. All the ideals and regulations given in the scriptures serve just to help us gradually elevate ourselves to a pious platform, from where we may have a chance of ascending to a truly spiritual platform. As Srila Prabhupada mentions:

“Such natural instincts of a woman or a man are manifested only in the bodily conception of life. When either a man or a woman is advanced in spiritual consciousness, the bodily conception of life practically vanishes. We should see all women as spiritual units (ahaṁ brahmāsmi), whose only duty is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then the influences of the different modes of material nature, which result from one’s possessing a material body, will not act. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so beneficial that it can very easily counteract the contamination of material nature, which results from one’s possessing a material body.” (SB 6.18.42)

That was the solution found by Kasyapa Muni to honor his promise to his wife, but at the same time avoid having to kill Indra. He instructed her to perform the Puṁsavana ceremony, which consists of worshipping the Lord and following strict Vaishnava principles for one whole year. He blessed her saying that if she would be able to perfectly follow the vow until the end, she would attain her desire and get a son capable of killing Indra. If however, she would break the regulations at some point, her son would be a friend of Indra. In this way, he made sure she would try to follow all the rules very attentively.

In this way, Diti became an exemplary Vaishnavi, practicing all spiritual principles as well as the rules and regulations for almost a full year. Knowing that his life was at stake, Indra decided to remain closer to her and watch her very carefully under the pretext of serving his aunt.

Close to the end of the vow, Diti finally made a mistake, by going to sleep without washing her mouth, hands, and feet after eating. Indra took the opportunity to enter into her womb with the intention of killing the baby. He cut the embryo into seven pieces, and then again cut each piece into 7 smaller pieces. He was surprised however when each of the 49 parts became a complete baby and all of them started to cry, speaking, “Dear Indra, we are the Maruts, your brothers. Why are you trying to kill us?”

Diti was never supposed to be able to complete her vow without a mistake, and therefore the soul who took shelter in the womb was a devotee who was destined to be an associate of Indra. When Indra cut the embryo, Krsna protected His devotee, and thus instead of him being killed, new bodies were formed and occupied by other souls who were also devotees. By the end, Diti gave birth to 49 children who became associates of Indra, the Maruts.

Because Diti performed the vow, her consciousness became purified, and she abandoned her envious mentality towards Indra. That’s the practical result of spiritual advancement: one starts seeing all beings as parts and parcels of Krsna and stops seeing friends and enemies. Indra in his turn was also purified by serving his devoted aunt, and in this way also forgot his negative feelings towards her. This led to an emotional reconciliation between them, narrated at the end of the chapter.

Indra said, “O my mother, O best of all women, I am a fool. Kindly excuse me for whatever offenses I have committed. Your forty-nine sons have been born unhurt because of your devotional service. As an enemy, I cut them to pieces, but because of your great devotional service they did not die.
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Diti was extremely satisfied by Indra’s good behavior. Then Indra offered his respects to his aunt with profuse obeisances, and with her permission he went away to the heavenly planets with his brothers the Maruts. (SB 6.18.76-77)

By the end, everyone gained. Not only did Indra escape being killed, but he gained 49 brothers who were very obedient to him. Diti, who was previously extremely bitter and unhappy for losing her two demoniac sons, not only got 49 very devoted sons but also got reconciled with her nephew. On top of that, she gained devotional service to Krsna, which brought her more happiness than any material achievement could bring. Even her relationship with her husband improved.

Had she attained her initial goal of getting a son who would kill Indra, Kasyapa Muni, as well as Diti herself would have been involved in the sinful activity. Being distressed by the loss of her son, Aditi would then surely retaliate, and the problems would just multiply, bringing misery to all involved. Because of her practice of devotional service, the story ended with a much happier outcome.

Yet another meaning is that devotional vows and activities are beneficial even if not successfully completed, different from fruitive activities that give results only when perfectly executed. Diti couldn’t complete her vow, breaking it in one of the last days, but still she got the benefit. On the other hand, just by mispronouncing one word in his fruitive sacrifice, Tvasta got the opposite result. This is the superexcellence of devotional service: since the benefits are bestowed by Krsna, who can see our heart, just by sincerely trying one is already sure to get the results.