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Chapter
16: The Two
Doorkeepers of Vaikunthha Cursed by the
Sages
(1) Brahmâ said: 'After having congratulated
the four sages of yogic conscience for their words of praise, the
Almighty One from the abode of Vaikunthha spoke. (2) The Supreme Lord said: 'These two attendants
of Mine named Jaya and Vijaya certainly, because of ignoring Me,
committed a great offense against you. (3)
The punishment that you, devoted ones, awarded them, I approve
oh great sages, since they turned against you in offense. (4)
I therefore seek your forgiveness now because that offense to you oh
brahmins who are the highest ones of God, is all Mine; I consider
Myself the one who offended you since they who disrespected you are My
attendants. (5) In general when a servant does something
wrong, one blames the one in whose name the offense was committed. It
harms the reputation of that person as much as leprosy harms the skin. (6) The nectar of the uncontaminated glories [of
My name and fame] that reach one's ears, purifies the entire universe
instantly including the lowest of the low. I am that person of the
freedom from laxity and foolishness, of Vaikunthha, and for you having
attained the glory of that superior place of pilgrimage, I would even
cut off My own arm if that place would work against you. (7) Of those who serve in the dust of My sacred lotus feet the sins are all wiped out instantly and
therefrom I acquired such a disposition that, even though I have no
attachment to her, the Goddess of Fortune never leaves Me,
while others have to observe sacred vows to obtain the slightest favor
from her. (8) On
the other hand I do not as much relish the oblations in the fire
by the
sacrificer who offers the ghee that is abundantly mixed with the food
into that mouth of Mine, as I do enjoy the bits of food that satisfy
the mouths of the performing brahmins who dedicated the results of
their actions to Me. (9) If I with
the
power of My infinite and
unhindered internal potency and with the Ganges water that washed from
my feet with which Lord S'iva instantly sanctifies the three worlds, can bear on My crown the holy
dust
of
the
brahmin's
feet, then
who would not [be capable of the same]? (10) They
who consider the best of the twice-born, the cows and the defenseless
creatures that are all part of My body as different from Me because
their faculty of judgment is impaired by sin, will, just like angry
snakes, be torn apart by the furious, vulturelike messengers
of the master of punishment [Yamarâja]. (11) But
those who with gladdened hearts and with the nectar of their smiling,
lotuslike faces intelligently, like
a
son
would
do
who
pacifies
by
praise,
with
loving words manage
to
respect the brahmins who are of restrictive words, are in Me, for I
am controlled by those brahmins. (12) Therefore let it be so that the exile of
these two servants who oblivious to the intention of their
master were in offense with you and have to face the immediate
consequences thereof, may not be too long so that they soon will
retrieve the favor of being near to Me.'
(13) Lord Brahmâ said: 'Even though they now had heard His loving, divine speech that was like a series of mantras, their souls being bitten by the snake of anger were not sated. (14) With their ears wide open hearing the excellent and carefully chosen words of momentous import, they had difficulty understanding them and, pondering deeply over their profundity, could not fathom the Lord His intention.
(15) The great conclusion the Supreme Lord had
revealed from His internal potency made the four brahmins in
extreme
delight with their hairs
standing on end speak with folded hands. (16) The
sages said:
'Oh Fortunate One, we don't understand o Lord what You mean to say, because You, despite
of being the ruler, spoke of [us] being merciful with You! (17)
You are the
supreme director of the spiritual world and the highest authority of
the brahmins who teach others. You oh master of the learned ones are
the
God of the gods, the Fortunate One who is the Soul, the worshipable
deity. (18)
From You there is the protection of the eternal occupation [sanâtana
dharma] in all Your different appearances, You are the supreme
objective of the religious principles; in our opinion
You are the one unchanging reality. (19)
Because by dint of Your mercy
the transcendentalists who break with all material desires effortlessly conquer birth and death, it can never be so
that You as such would depend on the mercy of others. (20) The
Grace of
Fortune [the goddess Lakshmî], of whom others in their wish for
material benefit occasionally accept the dust of her feet on their
heads, waits upon
You, anxious to secure a place like the king of the bumblebees
has with the aroma of the wreath of fresh tulsî leaves that is
offered
by the devotees. (21)
How can You, who as the reservoir of all opulences are not that anxious
about her impeccable devotional services, You, who for the pure
devotees are the object of the greatest devotion, be sanctified by the
dust on the path of the brahmins or find fortune by the S'rîvatsa
mark [the few white hairs on Your chest]? (22) You, oh Fortunate One, are
threefold [tapas,
s'auca,
dayâ] present in all the three [previous] yugas
[see 3.11]
for the protection of the animate and inanimate beings of this
universe. May Your transcendental form consisting of pure goodness for
the sake of the gods and the brahmins ban all ignorance and passion and
thus bring us all the best. (23) If You as the
protector of the brahmins - the highest class - do not consider
them worthy, do not consider them
the best who deserve all respect and to be addressed in friendly terms,
then oh God, Your auspicious path will be lost because
of which the common people would accept the
authority of wisdom. (24) And
that is not what You want. You, who as the reservoir of all goodness
wishes to do
good to
the people in general, destroyed by Your potencies the opposition.
Oh Lord, You are the one of the threefold of nature and the maintainer
of the universe and therefore Your potency remains undiminished [by the
role You are playing now]. That submissive attitude is but [a game for]
Your pleasure. (25) Whatever
punishment,
oh
Lord,
You
think
these
two deserve who are of a better life, we wholeheartedly will
accept. Take whatever measure You consider proper;
we understand that we have cursed the sinless ones.'
(26) The Supreme Lord said: 'These two will elsewhere soon take birth from a godless womb. With a focus of mind intensified by anger they will remain firmly united with Me and soon return to My presence. Know that your curse was ordained by Me alone, oh learned ones.'
(27) Brâhma said: 'The sages now to their happiness had seen the beautiful to behold, self-illuminated realm of Vaikunthha, the abode of the irresistible Lord. (28) After circumambulating and offering the Supreme Lord their respects, they returned elated, applauding what they had learned about the glory of the Vaishnavas [the attendants of Lord Vishnu]. (29) The Supreme Lord then said to His two servants: 'Leave this place, let there be no fear, but live in togetherness. Even though I am capable of nullifying a brahmin's curse, I do not wish to do so, on the contrary, it has even My approval. (30) This departure has been foreseen by Lakshmî who was angry with you when you once prevented her from entering the gate while I was resting. (31) Unified in consciousness as My enemy you will find liberation from the consequence of disrespecting the brahmins and after only a short time return to Me.'
(32) After thus having addressed the two doorkeepers the Supreme Lord returned to His abode that is decorated with rows of palaces full of the wealth of the servitude of the goddess Lakshmî. (33) But that did not apply to the two excellent demigods who inevitably because of the curse of the brahmins had to miss the beauty and luster of Vaikunthha and fell into gloom. (34) Upon their fall from the abode of the Lord of Vaikunthha, a great roar of disappointment rose from all the fine palaces of the devotees. (35) These two prominent associates of the Lord have now entered the womb of Diti through the very powerful seed of Kas'yapa. (36) Because the Supreme Lord desired this to happen, all of you are now unsettled being faced with the prowess of these two unenlightened siblings. (37) With Him being the cause of the maintenance, creation and destruction of the universe, the bewildering yogamâyâ potency of the most ancient one is difficult to fathom for even the masters of yoga. But He is our Lord of Fortune and Master of the modes and will put things right. What [else] would be the purpose of our deliberation on this subject?'
(13) Lord Brahmâ said: 'Even though they now had heard His loving, divine speech that was like a series of mantras, their souls being bitten by the snake of anger were not sated. (14) With their ears wide open hearing the excellent and carefully chosen words of momentous import, they had difficulty understanding them and, pondering deeply over their profundity, could not fathom the Lord His intention.
(15) The great conclusion the Supreme Lord had
revealed from His internal potency made the four brahmins in
extreme
delight with their hairs
standing on end speak with folded hands. (16) The
sages said:
'Oh Fortunate One, we don't understand o Lord what You mean to say, because You, despite
of being the ruler, spoke of [us] being merciful with You! (17)
You are the
supreme director of the spiritual world and the highest authority of
the brahmins who teach others. You oh master of the learned ones are
the
God of the gods, the Fortunate One who is the Soul, the worshipable
deity. (18)
From You there is the protection of the eternal occupation [sanâtana
dharma] in all Your different appearances, You are the supreme
objective of the religious principles; in our opinion
You are the one unchanging reality. (19)
Because by dint of Your mercy
the transcendentalists who break with all material desires effortlessly conquer birth and death, it can never be so
that You as such would depend on the mercy of others. (20) The
Grace of
Fortune [the goddess Lakshmî], of whom others in their wish for
material benefit occasionally accept the dust of her feet on their
heads, waits upon
You, anxious to secure a place like the king of the bumblebees
has with the aroma of the wreath of fresh tulsî leaves that is
offered
by the devotees. (21)
How can You, who as the reservoir of all opulences are not that anxious
about her impeccable devotional services, You, who for the pure
devotees are the object of the greatest devotion, be sanctified by the
dust on the path of the brahmins or find fortune by the S'rîvatsa
mark [the few white hairs on Your chest]? (22) You, oh Fortunate One, are
threefold [tapas,
s'auca,
dayâ] present in all the three [previous] yugas
[see 3.11]
for the protection of the animate and inanimate beings of this
universe. May Your transcendental form consisting of pure goodness for
the sake of the gods and the brahmins ban all ignorance and passion and
thus bring us all the best. (23) If You as the
protector of the brahmins - the highest class - do not consider
them worthy, do not consider them
the best who deserve all respect and to be addressed in friendly terms,
then oh God, Your auspicious path will be lost because
of which the common people would accept the
authority of wisdom. (24) And
that is not what You want. You, who as the reservoir of all goodness
wishes to do
good to
the people in general, destroyed by Your potencies the opposition.
Oh Lord, You are the one of the threefold of nature and the maintainer
of the universe and therefore Your potency remains undiminished [by the
role You are playing now]. That submissive attitude is but [a game for]
Your pleasure. (25) Whatever
punishment,
oh
Lord,
You
think
these
two deserve who are of a better life, we wholeheartedly will
accept. Take whatever measure You consider proper;
we understand that we have cursed the sinless ones.'(26) The Supreme Lord said: 'These two will elsewhere soon take birth from a godless womb. With a focus of mind intensified by anger they will remain firmly united with Me and soon return to My presence. Know that your curse was ordained by Me alone, oh learned ones.'
(27) Brâhma said: 'The sages now to their happiness had seen the beautiful to behold, self-illuminated realm of Vaikunthha, the abode of the irresistible Lord. (28) After circumambulating and offering the Supreme Lord their respects, they returned elated, applauding what they had learned about the glory of the Vaishnavas [the attendants of Lord Vishnu]. (29) The Supreme Lord then said to His two servants: 'Leave this place, let there be no fear, but live in togetherness. Even though I am capable of nullifying a brahmin's curse, I do not wish to do so, on the contrary, it has even My approval. (30) This departure has been foreseen by Lakshmî who was angry with you when you once prevented her from entering the gate while I was resting. (31) Unified in consciousness as My enemy you will find liberation from the consequence of disrespecting the brahmins and after only a short time return to Me.'
(32) After thus having addressed the two doorkeepers the Supreme Lord returned to His abode that is decorated with rows of palaces full of the wealth of the servitude of the goddess Lakshmî. (33) But that did not apply to the two excellent demigods who inevitably because of the curse of the brahmins had to miss the beauty and luster of Vaikunthha and fell into gloom. (34) Upon their fall from the abode of the Lord of Vaikunthha, a great roar of disappointment rose from all the fine palaces of the devotees. (35) These two prominent associates of the Lord have now entered the womb of Diti through the very powerful seed of Kas'yapa. (36) Because the Supreme Lord desired this to happen, all of you are now unsettled being faced with the prowess of these two unenlightened siblings. (37) With Him being the cause of the maintenance, creation and destruction of the universe, the bewildering yogamâyâ potency of the most ancient one is difficult to fathom for even the masters of yoga. But He is our Lord of Fortune and Master of the modes and will put things right. What [else] would be the purpose of our deliberation on this subject?'
