Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Fifteen
SB3.15.20
TEXT 20
yat sankulam hari-padanati-matra-drstair
vaidurya-marakata-hema-mayair vimanaih
yesam brhat-kati-tatah smita-sobhi-mukhyah
krsnatmanam na raja adadhur utsmayadyaih
SYNONYMS
yat—that Vaikuntha abode; sankulam—is pervaded; hari-pada—at the two lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anati—by obeisances; matra—simply; drstaih—are obtained; vaidurya—lapis lazuli; marakata—emeralds; hema—gold; mayaih—made of; vimanaih—with airplanes; yesam—of those passengers; brhat—large; kati-tatah—hips; smita—smiling; sobhi—beautiful; mukhyah—faces; krsna—in Krsna; atmanam—whose minds are absorbed; na—not; rajah—sex desire; adadhuh—stimulate; utsmaya-adyaih—by intimate friendly dealings, laughing and joking.
TRANSLATION
The inhabitants of Vaikuntha travel in their airplanes made of lapis lazuli, emerald and gold. Although crowded by their consorts, who have large hips and beautiful smiling faces, they cannot be stimulated to passion by their mirth and beautiful charms.
PURPORT
In the material world, opulences are achieved by materialistic persons by dint of their labor. One cannot enjoy material prosperity unless he works very hard to achieve it. But the devotees of the Lord who are residents of Vaikuntha have the opportunity to enjoy a transcendental situation of jewels and emeralds. Ornaments made of gold bedecked with jewels are achieved not by working hard but by the benediction of the Lord. In other words, devotees in the Vaikuntha world, or even in this material world, cannot be poverty-stricken, as is sometimes supposed. They have ample opulences for enjoyment, but they need not labor to achieve them. It is also stated that in the Vaikuntha world the consorts of the residents are many, many times more beautiful than we can find in this material world, even in the higher planets. It is specifically mentioned here that a woman’s large hips are very attractive and they stimulate man’s passion, but the wonderful feature of Vaikuntha is that although the women have large hips and beautiful faces and are decorated with ornaments of emeralds and jewels, the men are so absorbed in Krsna consciousness that the beautiful bodies of the women cannot attract them. In other words, there is enjoyment of the association of the opposite sex, but there is no sexual relationship. The residents of Vaikuntha have a better standard of pleasure, so there is no need of sex pleasure. SB3.15.21 TEXT 21 sri rupini kvanayati caranaravindam lilambujena hari-sadmani mukta-dosa samlaksyate sphatika-kudya upeta-hemni sammarjativa yad-anugrahane ’nya-yatnah SYNONYMS sri—Laksmi, the goddess of fortune; rupini—assuming a beautiful form; kvanayati—tinkling; carana-aravindam—lotus feet; lila-ambujena—playing with a lotus flower; hari-sadmani—the house of the Supreme Personality; mukta-dosa—freed from all faults; samlaksyate—becomes visible; sphatika—crystal; kudye—walls; upeta—mixed; hemni—gold; sammarjati iva—appearing like a sweeper; yat-anugrahane—to receive her favor; anya—others’; yatnah—very much careful. TRANSLATION The ladies in the Vaikuntha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that the Supreme Lord, Govinda, is always served in His abode by many, many millions of goddesses of fortune. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29]. These millions and trillions of goddesses of fortune who reside in the Vaikuntha planets are not exactly consorts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but are the wives of the devotees of the Lord and also engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated here that in the Vaikuntha planets the houses are made of marble. Similarly, in the Brahma-samhita it is stated that the ground on the Vaikuntha planets is made of touchstone. Thus there is no need to sweep the stone in Vaikuntha, for there is hardly any dust on it, but still, in order to satisfy the Lord, the ladies there always engage in dusting the marble walls. Why? The reason is that they are eager to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so. It is also stated here that in the Vaikuntha planets the goddesses of fortune are faultless. Generally the goddess of fortune does not remain steadily in one place. Her name is Cancala, which means “one who is not steady.” We find, therefore, that a man who is very rich may become the poorest of the poor. Another example is Ravana. Ravana took away Laksmi, Sitaji, to his kingdom, and instead of being happy by the grace of Laksmi, his family and his kingdom were vanquished. Thus Laksmi in the house of Ravana is Cancala, or unsteady. Men of Ravana’s class want Laksmi only, without her husband, Narayana; therefore they become unsteady due to Laksmiji. Materialistic persons find fault on the part of Laksmi, but in Vaikuntha Laksmiji is fixed in the service of the Lord. In spite of her being the goddess of fortune, she cannot be happy without the grace of the Lord. Even the goddess of fortune needs the Lord’s grace in order to be happy, yet in the material world even Brahma, the highest created being, seeks the favor of Laksmi for happiness. SB3.15.22 TEXT 22 vapisu vidruma-tatasv amalamrtapsu presyanvita nija-vane tulasibhir isam abhyarcati svalakam unnasam iksya vaktram ucchesitam bhagavatety amatanga yac-chrih SYNONYMS vapisu—in the ponds; vidruma—made of coral; tatasu—banks; amala—transparent; amrta—nectarean; apsu—water; presya-anvita—surrounded by maidservants; nija-vane—in her own garden; tulasibhih—with tulasi; isam—the Supreme Lord; abhyarcati—worship; su-alakam—with her face decorated with tilaka; unnasam—raised nose; iksya—by seeing; vaktram—face; ucchesitam—being kissed; bhagavata—by the Supreme Lord; iti—thus; amata—thought; anga—O demigods; yat-srih—whose beauty. TRANSLATION The goddesses of fortune worship the Lord in their own gardens by offering tulasi leaves on the coral-paved banks of transcendental reservoirs of water. While offering worship to the Lord, they can see on the water the reflection of their beautiful faces with raised noses, and it appears that they have become more beautiful because of the Lord’s kissing their faces. PURPORT Generally, when a woman is kissed by her husband, her face becomes more beautiful. In Vaikuntha also, although the goddess of fortune is naturally as beautiful as can be imagined, she nevertheless awaits the kissing of the Lord to make her face more beautiful. The beautiful face of the goddess of fortune appears in ponds of transcendental crystal water when she worships the Lord with tulasi leaves in her garden. SB3.15.23 TEXT 23 yan na vrajanty agha-bhido racananuvadac chrnvanti ye ’nya-visayah kukatha mati-ghnih yas tu sruta hata-bhagair nrbhir atta-saras tams tan ksipanty asaranesu tamahsu hanta SYNONYMS yat—Vaikuntha; na—never; vrajanti—approach; agha-bhidah—of the vanquisher of all kinds of sins; racana—of the creation; anuvadat—than narrations; srnvanti—hear; ye—those who; anya—other; visayah—subject matter; ku-kathah—bad words; mati-ghnih—killing intelligence; yah—which; tu—but; srutah—are heard; hata-bhagaih—unfortunate; nrbhih—by men; atta—taken away; sarah—values of life; tan tan—such persons; ksipanti—are thrown; asaranesu—devoid of all shelter; tamahsu—in the darkest part of material existence; hanta—alas. TRANSLATION It is very much regrettable that unfortunate people do not discuss the description of the Vaikuntha planets but engage in topics which are unworthy to hear and which bewilder one’s intelligence. Those who give up the topics of Vaikuntha and take to talk of the material world are thrown into the darkest region of ignorance. PURPORT The most unfortunate persons are the impersonalists, who cannot understand the transcendental variegatedness of the spiritual world. They are afraid to talk about the beauty of the Vaikuntha planets because they think that variegatedness must be material. Such impersonalists think that the spiritual world is completely void, or, in other words, that there is no variegatedness. This mentality is described here as ku-katha mati-ghnih, “intelligence bewildered by unworthy words.” The philosophies of voidness and of the impersonal situation of the spiritual world are condemned here because they bewilder one’s intelligence. How can the impersonalist and the void philosopher think of this material world, which is full of variegatedness, and then say that there is no variegatedness in the spiritual world? It is said that this material world is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world, so unless there is variegatedness in the spiritual world, how can there be temporary variegatedness in the material world? That one can transcend this material world does not imply that there is no transcendental variegatedness. Here in the Bhagavatam, in this verse particularly, it is stressed that people who try to discuss and understand the real spiritual nature of the spiritual sky and the Vaikunthas are fortunate. The variegatedness of the Vaikuntha planets is described in relation to the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. But instead of trying to understand the spiritual abode and the spiritual activities of the Lord, people are more interested in politics and economic developments. They hold many conventions, meetings and discussions to solve the problems of this worldly situation, where they can remain for only a few years, but they are not interested in understanding the spiritual situation of the Vaikuntha world. If they are at all fortunate, they become interested in going back home, back to Godhead, but unless they understand the spiritual world, they rot in this material darkness continuously. SB3.15.24 TEXT 24 ye ’bhyarthitam api ca no nr-gatim prapanna jnanam ca tattva-visayam saha-dharmam yatra naradhanam bhagavato vitaranty amusya sammohita vitataya bata mayaya te SYNONYMS ye—those persons; abhyarthitam—desired; api—certainly; ca—and; nah—by us (Brahma and the other demigods); nr-gatim—the human form of life; prapannah—have attained; jnanam—knowledge; ca—and; tattva-visayam—subject matter about the Absolute Truth; saha-dharmam—along with religious principles; yatra—where; na—not; aradhanam—worship; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vitaranti—perform; amusya—of the Supreme Lord; sammohitah—being bewildered; vitataya—all-pervading; bata—alas; mayaya—by the influence of the illusory energy; te—they. TRANSLATION Lord Brahma said: My dear demigods, the human form of life is of such importance that we also desire to have such life, for in the human form one can attain perfect religious truth and knowledge. If one in this human form of life does not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His abode, it is to be understood that he is very much affected by the influence of external nature. PURPORT Brahmaji condemns very vehemently the condition of the human being who does not take interest in the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental abode, Vaikuntha. The human form of life is desired even by Brahmaji. Brahma and other demigods have much better material bodies than human beings, yet the demigods, including Brahma, nevertheless desire to attain the human form of life because it is specifically meant for the living entity who can attain transcendental knowledge and religious perfection. It is not possible to go back to Godhead in one life, but in the human form one should at least understand the goal of life and begin Krsna consciousness. It is said that the human form is a great boon because it is the most suitable boat for crossing over the nescience ocean. The spiritual master is considered to be the most able captain in that boat, and the information from the scriptures is the favorable wind for floating over the ocean of nescience. The human being who does not take advantage of all these facilities in this life is committing suicide. Therefore one who does not begin Krsna consciousness in the human form of life loses his life to the influence of the illusory energy. Brahma regrets the situation of such a human being. SB3.15.25 TEXT 25 yac ca vrajanty animisam rsabhanuvrttya dure yama hy upari nah sprhaniya-silah bhartur mithah suyasasah kathananuraga- vaiklavya-baspa-kalaya pulaki-krtangah SYNONYMS yat—Vaikuntha; ca—and; vrajanti—go; animisam—of the demigods; rsabha—chief; anuvrttya—following in the footsteps; dure—keeping at a distance; yamah—regulative principles; hi—certainly; upari—above; nah—us; sprhaniya—to be desired; silah—good qualities; bhartuh—of the Supreme Lord; mithah—for one another; suyasasah—glories; kathana—by discussions, discourses; anuraga—attraction; vaiklavya—ecstasy; baspa-kalaya—tears in the eyes; pulaki-krta—shivering; angah—bodies. TRANSLATION Persons whose bodily features change in ecstasy and who breathe heavily and perspire due to hearing the glories of the Lord are promoted to the kingdom of God, even though they do not care for meditation and other austerities. The kingdom of God is above the material universes, and it is desired by Brahma and other demigods. PURPORT It is clearly stated herein that the kingdom of God is above the material universes. Just as there are many hundreds of thousands of higher planets above this earth, so there are many millions and billions of spiritual planets belonging to the spiritual sky. Brahmaji states herein that the spiritual kingdom is above the kingdom of the demigods. One can enter the kingdom of the Supreme Lord only when one is highly developed in desirable qualities. All good qualities develop in the person of a devotee. It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, verse 12, that anyone who is Krsna conscious is endowed with all the good qualities of the demigods. In the material world the qualities of the demigods are highly appreciated, just as, even in our experience, the qualities of a gentleman are more highly appreciated than the qualities of a man in ignorance or in a lower condition of life. The qualities of the demigods in the higher planets are far superior to the qualities of the inhabitants of this earth. Brahmaji confirms herewith that only persons who have developed the desirable qualities can enter into the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, the devotee’s desirable qualities are described to be twenty-six in number. They are stated as follows: He is very kind; he does not quarrel with anyone; he accepts Krsna consciousness as the highest goal of life; he is equal to everyone; no one can find fault in his character; he is magnanimous, mild and always clean, internally and externally; he does not profess to possess anything in this material world; he is a benefactor to all living entities; he is peaceful and is a soul completely surrendered to Krsna; he has no material desire to fulfill; he is meek and humble, always steady, and has conquered the sensual activities; he does not eat more than required to maintain body and soul together; he is never mad after material identity; he is respectful to all others and does not demand respect for himself; he is very grave, very compassionate and very friendly; he is poetic; he is expert in all activities, and he is silent in nonsense. Similarly, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 21, the qualifications of a saintly person are mentioned. It is said there that a saintly person eligible to enter into the kingdom of God is very tolerant and very kind to all living entities. He is not partial; he is kind both to human beings and to animals. He is not such a fool that he will kill a goat Narayana to feed a human Narayana, or daridra-narayana. He is very kind to all living entities; therefore he has no enemy. He is very peaceful. These are the qualities of persons who are eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. That such a person gradually becomes liberated and enters the kingdom of God is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 2. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, Third Chapter, verse 24, also states that if a person does not cry or exhibit bodily changes after chanting the holy name of God without offense, it is to be understood that he is hardhearted and that therefore his heart does not change even after he chants the holy name of God, Hare Krsna. These bodily changes can take place due to ecstasy when we offenselessly chant the holy names of God: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It may be noted that there are ten offenses we should avoid. The first offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories of the Lord. People must be educated in understanding the glories of the Supreme; therefore the devotees who engage in preaching the glories of the Lord are never to be decried. It is the greatest offense. Furthermore, the holy name of Visnu is the most auspicious name, and His pastimes are also nondifferent from the holy name of the Lord. There are many foolish persons who say that one can chant Hare Krsna or chant the name of Kali or Durga or Siva because they are all the same. If one thinks that the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the names and activities of the demigods are on the same level, or if one accepts the holy name of Visnu to be a material sound vibration, that is also an offense. The third offense is to think of the spiritual master who spreads the glories of the Lord as an ordinary human being. The fourth offense is to consider the Vedic literatures, such as the Puranas or other transcendentally revealed scriptures, to be ordinary books of knowledge. The fifth offense is to think that devotees have given artificial importance to the holy name of God. The actual fact is that the Lord is nondifferent from His name. The highest realization of spiritual value is to chant the holy name of God, as prescribed for the age—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The sixth offense is to give some interpretation on the holy name of God. The seventh offense is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting the holy name of God. It is understood that one can be freed from all sinful reaction simply by chanting the holy name of God, but if one thinks that he is therefore at liberty to commit all kinds of sinful acts, that is a symptom of offense. The eighth offense is to equate the chanting of Hare Krsna with other spiritual activities, such as meditation, austerity, penance or sacrifice. They cannot be equated at any level. The ninth offense is to specifically glorify the importance of the holy name before persons who have no interest. The tenth offense is to be attached to the misconception of possessing something, or to accept the body as one’s self, while executing the process of spiritual cultivation. When one is free from all ten of these offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakasru. Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and asru means “tears in the eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord are eligible to enter the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chanting Hare Krsna, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritamrta suggests a nice remedy in this connection. There it is said in verse 31, Chapter Eight, of Adi-lila, that if anyone takes shelter of Lord Caitanya and just chants the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, he becomes freed from all offenses. SB3.15.26 TEXT 26 tad visva-gurv-adhikrtam bhuvanaika-vandyam divyam vicitra-vibudhagrya-vimana-socih apuh param mudam apurvam upetya yoga- maya-balena munayas tad atho vikuntham SYNONYMS tat—then; visva-guru—by the teacher of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhikrtam—predominated; bhuvana—of the planets; eka—alone; vandyam—worthy to be worshiped; divyam—spiritual; vicitra—highly decorated; vibudha-agrya—of the devotees (who are the best of the learned); vimana—of the airplanes; socih—illuminated; apuh—attained; param—the highest; mudam—happiness; apurvam—unprecedented; upetya—having attained; yoga-maya—by spiritual potency; balena—by the influence; munayah—the sages; tat—Vaikuntha; atho—that; vikuntham—Visnu. TRANSLATION Thus the great sages, Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumara, upon reaching the above-mentioned Vaikuntha in the spiritual world by dint of their mystic yoga performance, perceived unprecedented happiness. They found that the spiritual sky was illuminated by highly decorated airplanes piloted by the best devotees of Vaikuntha and was predominated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a second. He is above everyone. No one is equal to Him, nor is anyone greater than Him. Therefore He is described here as visva-guru. He is the prime living entity of the entire material and spiritual creation and is bhuvanaika-vandyam, the only worshipable personality in the three worlds. The airplanes in the spiritual sky are self-illuminated and are piloted by great devotees of the Lord. In other words, in the Vaikuntha planets there is no scarcity of the things which are available in the material world; they are available, but they are more valuable because they are spiritual and therefore eternal and blissful. The sages felt an unprecedented happiness because Vaikuntha was not predominated by an ordinary man. The Vaikuntha planets are predominated by expansions of Krsna, who are differently named as Madhusudana, Madhava, Narayana, Pradyumna, etc. These transcendental planets are worshipable because the Personality of Godhead personally rules them. It is said here that the sages reached the transcendental spiritual sky by dint of their mystic power. That is the perfection of the yoga system. The breathing exercises and disciplines to keep health in proper order are not the ultimate goals of yoga perfection. The yoga system as generally understood is astanga-yoga, or siddhi, eightfold perfection in yoga. By dint of perfection in yoga one can become lighter than the lightest and heavier than the heaviest; one can go wherever he likes and can achieve opulences as he likes. There are eight such perfections. The rsis, the four Kumaras, reached Vaikuntha by becoming lighter than the lightest and thus passing over the space of the material world. Modern mechanical space vehicles are unsuccessful because they cannot go to the highest region of this material creation, and they certainly cannot enter the spiritual sky. But by perfection of the yoga system one not only can travel through material space, but can surpass material space and enter the spiritual sky. We learn this fact also from an incident concerning Durvasa Muni and Maharaja Ambarisa. It is understood that in one year Durvasa Muni traveled everywhere and went into the spiritual sky to meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana. By present standards, scientists calculate that if one could travel at the speed of light, it would take forty thousand years to reach the highest planet of this material world. But the yoga system can carry one without limitation or difficulty. The word yoga-maya is used in this verse. Yoga-maya-balena vikuntham. The transcendental happiness exhibited in the spiritual world and all other spiritual manifestations there are made possible by the influence of yoga-maya, the internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB3.15.27 TEXT 27 tasminn atitya munayah sad asajjamanah kaksah samana-vayasav atha saptamayam devav acaksata grhita-gadau parardhya- keyura-kundala-kirita-vitanka-vesau SYNONYMS tasmin—in that Vaikuntha; atitya—after passing through; munayah—the great sages; sat—six; asajja manah—without being much attracted; kaksah—walls; samana—equal; vayasau—age; atha—thereafter; saptamayam—at the seventh gate; devau—two Vaikuntha doormen; acaksata—saw; grhita—carrying; gadau—maces; para-ardhya—most valuable; keyura—bracelets; kundala—earrings; kirita—helmets; vitanka—beautiful; vesau—garments. TRANSLATION After passing through the six entrances of Vaikuntha-puri, the Lord’s residence, without feeling astonishment at all the decorations, they saw at the seventh gate two shining beings of the same age, armed with maces and adorned with most valuable jewelry, earrings, diamonds, helmets, garments, etc. PURPORT The sages were so eager to see the Lord within Vaikuntha-puri that they did not care to see the transcendental decorations of the six gates which they passed by one after another. But at the seventh door they found two doormen of the same age. The significance of the doormen’s being of the same age is that in the Vaikuntha planets there is no old age, so one cannot distinguish who is older than whom. The inhabitants of Vaikuntha are decorated like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, with sankha, cakra, gada and padma (conch, wheel, club and lotus). SB3.15.28 TEXT 28 matta-dvirepha-vanamalikaya nivitau vinyastayasita-catustaya-bahu-madhye vaktram bhruva kutilaya sphuta-nirgamabhyam rakteksanena ca manag rabhasam dadhanau SYNONYMS matta—intoxicated; dvi-repha—bees; vana-malikaya—with a garland of fresh flowers; nivitau—hanging on the neck; vinyastaya—placed around; asita—blue; catustaya—four; bahu—hands; madhye—between; vaktram—face; bhruva—with their eyebrows; kutilaya—arched; sphuta—snorting; nirgamabhyam—breathing; rakta—reddish; iksanena—with eyes; ca—and; manak—somewhat; rabhasam—agitated; dadhanau—glanced over. TRANSLATION The two doormen were garlanded with fresh flowers which attracted intoxicated bees and which were placed around their necks and between their four blue arms. From their arched eyebrows, discontented nostrils and reddish eyes, they appeared somewhat agitated. PURPORT Their garlands attracted swarms of bees because they were garlands of fresh flowers. In the Vaikuntha world everything is fresh, new and transcendental. The inhabitants of Vaikuntha have bodies of bluish color and four hands like Narayana. SB3.15.29 TEXT 29 dvary etayor nivivisur misator aprstva purva yatha purata-vajra-kapatika yah sarvatra te ’visamaya munayah sva-drstya ye sancaranty avihata vigatabhisankah SYNONYMS dvari—in the door; etayoh—both doorkeepers; nivivisuh—entered; misatoh—while seeing; aprstva—without asking; purvah—as before; yatha—as; purata—made of gold; vajra—and diamond; kapatikah—the doors; yah—which; sarvatra—everywhere; te—they; avisa-maya—without any sense of discrimination; munayah—the great sages; sva-drstya—out of their own will; ye—who; sancaranti—move; avihatah—without being checked; vigata—without; abhisankah—doubt. TRANSLATION The great sages, headed by Sanaka, had opened doors everywhere. They had no idea of “ours” and “theirs.” With open minds, they entered the seventh door out of their own will, just as they had passed through the six other doors, which were made of gold and diamonds. PURPORT The great sages—namely, Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumara—although very old in years, maintained themselves eternally as small children. They were not at all duplicitous, and they entered the doors exactly as little children enter places without any idea of what it is to trespass. That is a child’s nature. A child can enter any place, and no one checks him. Indeed, a child is generally welcome in his attempts to go places, but if it so happens that a child is checked from entering a door, he naturally becomes very sorry and angry. That is the nature of a child. In this case, the same thing happened. The childlike saintly personalities entered all the six doors of the palace, and no one checked them; therefore when they attempted to enter the seventh door and were forbidden by the doormen, who checked them with their sticks, they naturally became very angry and sorrowful. An ordinary child would cry, but because these were not ordinary children, they immediately made preparations to punish the doormen, for the doormen had committed a great offense. Even to this day a saintly person is never checked from entering anyone’s door in India. SB3.15.30 TEXT 30 tan viksya vata-rasanams caturah kumaran vrddhan dasardha-vayaso viditatma-tattvan vetrena caskhalayatam atad-arhanams tau tejo vihasya bhagavat-pratikula-silau SYNONYMS tan—them; viksya—after seeing; vata-rasanan—naked; caturah—four; kumaran—boys; vrddhan—aged; dasa-ardha—five years; vayasah—appearing as of the age; vidita—had realized; atma-tattvan—the truth of the self; vetrena—with their staffs; ca—also; askhalayatam—forbade; a-tat-arhanan—not deserving such from them; tau—those two porters; tejah—glories; vihasya—disregarding the etiquette; bhagavat-pratikula-silau—having a nature displeasing to the Lord. TRANSLATION The four boy-sages, who had nothing to cover their bodies but the atmosphere, looked only five years old, even though they were the oldest of all living creatures and had realized the truth of the self. But when the porters, who happened to possess a disposition quite unpalatable to the Lord, saw the sages, they blocked their way with their staffs, despising their glories, although the sages did not deserve such treatment at their hands. PURPORT The four sages were the first-born sons of Brahma. Therefore all other living entities, including Lord Siva, are born later and are therefore younger than the four Kumaras. Although they looked like five-year-old boys and traveled naked, the Kumaras were older than all other living creatures and had realized the truth of the self. Such saints were not to be forbidden to enter the kingdom of Vaikuntha, but by chance the doormen objected to their entrance. This was not fitting. The Lord is always anxious to serve sages like the Kumaras, but in spite of knowing this fact, the doormen, astonishingly and outrageously, prohibited them from entering.