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?'