Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Sixteen

SB3.16.26

TEXT 26

sri-bhagavan uvaca

etau suretara-gatim pratipadya sadyah

samrambha-sambhrta-samadhy-anubaddha-yogau

bhuyah sakasam upayasyata asu yo vah

sapo mayaiva nimitas tad aveta viprah

SYNONYMS

sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead replied; etau—these two doorkeepers; sura-itara—demoniac; gatim—the womb; pratipadya—obtaining; sadyah—quickly; samrambha—by anger; sambhrta—intensified; samadhi—concentration of mind; anubaddha—firmly; yogau—united with Me; bhuyah—again; sakasam—to My presence; upayasyatah—shall return; asu—shortly; yah—which; vah—of you; sapah—curse; maya—by Me; eva—alone; nimitah—ordained; tat—that; aveta—know; viprah—O brahmanas.

TRANSLATION

The Lord replied: O brahmanas, know that the punishment you inflicted on them was originally ordained by Me, and therefore they will fall to a birth in a demoniac family. But they will be firmly united with Me in thought through mental concentration intensified by anger, and they will return to My presence shortly.

PURPORT

The Lord stated that the punishment inflicted by the sages upon the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya was conceived by the Lord Himself. Without the Lord’s sanction, nothing can happen. It is to be understood that there was a plan in the cursing of the Lord’s devotees in Vaikuntha, and His plan is explained by many stalwart authorities. The Lord sometimes desires to fight. The fighting spirit also exists in the Supreme Lord, otherwise how could fighting be manifested at all? Because the Lord is the source of everything, anger and fighting are also inherent in His personality. When He desires to fight with someone, He has to find an enemy, but in the Vaikuntha world there is no enemy because everyone is engaged fully in His service. Therefore He sometimes comes to the material world as an incarnation in order to manifest His fighting spirit.

In Bhagavad-gita (4.8) also it is said that the Lord appears just to give protection to the devotees and to annihilate the nondevotees. The nondevotees are found in the material world, not in the spiritual world; therefore, when the Lord wants to fight, He has to come to this world. But who will fight with the Supreme Lord? No one is able to fight with Him! Therefore, because the Lord’s pastimes in the material world are always performed with His associates, not with others, He has to find some devotee who will play the part of an enemy. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says to Arjuna, “My dear Arjuna, both you and I have appeared many, many times in this material world, but you have forgotten, whereas I remember.” Thus Jaya and Vijaya were selected by the Lord to fight with Him in the material world, and that was the reason the sages came to see Him and accidentally the doorkeepers were cursed. It was the Lord’s desire to send them to the material world, not perpetually, but for some time. Therefore, just as on a theatrical stage someone takes the part of enemy to the proprietor of the stage, although the play is for a short time and there is no permanent enmity between the servant and the proprietor, so the sura janas (devotees) were cursed by the sages to go to the asura jana, or atheistic families. That a devotee should come into an atheistic family is surprising, but it is simply a show. After finishing their mock fighting, both the devotee and the Lord are again associated in the spiritual planets. That is very explicitly explained here. The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual world, or Vaikuntha planet, for it is the eternal abode. But sometimes, as the Lord desires, devotees come into this material world as preachers or as atheists. In each case we must understand that there is a plan of the Lord. Lord Buddha, for example, was an incarnation, yet he preached atheism: “There is no God.” But actually there was a plan behind this, as explained in the Bhagavatam.

SB3.16.27

TEXT 27

brahmovaca

atha te munayo drstva

nayanananda-bhajanam

vaikuntham tad-adhisthanam

vikuntham ca svayam-prabham

SYNONYMS

brahma uvaca—Lord Brahma said; atha—now; te—those; munayah—sages; drstva—after seeing; nayana—of the eyes; ananda—pleasure; bhajanam—producing; vaikuntham—the Vaikuntha planet; tat—of Him; adhisthanam—the abode; vikuntham—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca—and; svayam-prabham—self-illuminating.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahma said: After seeing the Lord of Vaikuntha, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the self-illuminated Vaikuntha planet, the sages left that transcendental abode.

PURPORT

The transcendental abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in Bhagavad-gita and confirmed in this verse, is self-illuminated. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that in the spiritual world there is no need of sun, moon or electricity. This indicates that all the planets there are self-illuminated, self-sufficient and independent; everything there is complete. Lord Krsna says that once one goes to that Vaikuntha planet, he never returns. The inhabitants of Vaikuntha never return to the material world, but the incident of Jaya and Vijaya was a different case. They came to the material world for some time, and then they returned to Vaikuntha.

SB3.16.28

TEXT 28

bhagavantam parikramya

pranipatyanumanya ca

pratijagmuh pramuditah

samsanto vaisnavim sriyam

SYNONYMS

bhagavantam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parikramya—after circumambulating; pranipatya—after offering obeisances; anumanya—after learning; ca—and; pratijagmuh—returned; pramuditah—extremely delighted; samsantah—glorifying; vaisnavim—of the Vaisnavas; sriyam—opulence.

TRANSLATION

The sages circumambulated the Supreme Lord, offered their obeisances and returned, extremely delighted at learning of the divine opulences of the Vaisnava.

PURPORT

It is still a respectful practice to circumambulate the Lord in Hindu temples. Especially in Vaisnava temples there is an arrangement for people to offer their respects to the Deity and circumambulate the temple at least three times.

SB3.16.29

TEXT 29

bhagavan anugav aha

yatam ma bhaistam astu sam

brahma-tejah samartho ’pi

hantum necche matam tu me

SYNONYMS

bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anugau—to His two attendants; aha—said; yatam—depart from this place; ma—let there not be; bhaistam—fear; astu—let there be; sam—happiness; brahma—of a brahmana; tejah—the curse; samarthah—being able; api—even; hantum—to nullify; na icche—do not desire; matam—approved; tu—on the contrary; me—by Me.

TRANSLATION

The Lord then said to His attendants, Jaya and Vijaya: Depart this place, but fear not. All glories unto you. Though I am capable of nullifying the brahmanas’ curse, I would not do so. On the contrary, it has My approval.

PURPORT

As explained in connection with text 26, all the incidents that took place had the approval of the Lord. Ordinarily, there is no possibility that the four sages could be so angry with the doorkeepers, nor could the Supreme Lord neglect His two doorkeepers, nor can one come back from Vaikuntha after once taking birth there. All these incidents, therefore, were designed by the Lord Himself for the sake of His pastimes in the material world. Thus He plainly says that it was done with His approval. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for inhabitants of Vaikuntha to come back to this material world simply because of a brahminical curse. The Lord especially blesses the so-called culprits: “All glories unto you.” A devotee, once accepted by the Lord, can never fall down. That is the conclusion of this incident.

SB3.16.30

TEXT 30

etat puraiva nirdistam

ramaya kruddhaya yada

purapavarita dvari

visanti mayy uparate

SYNONYMS

etat—this departure; pura—formerly; eva—certainly; nirdistam—foretold; ramaya—by Laksmi; kruddhaya—furious; yada—when; pura—previously; apavarita—prevented; dvari—at the gate; visanti—entering; mayi—as I; uparate—was resting.

TRANSLATION

This departure from Vaikuntha was foretold by Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. She was very angry because when she left My abode and then returned, you stopped her at the gate while I was sleeping.

SB3.16.31

TEXT 31

mayi samrambha-yogena

nistirya brahma-helanam

pratyesyatam nikasam me

kalenalpiyasa punah

SYNONYMS

mayi—unto Me; samrambha-yogena—by practice of mystic yoga in anger; nistirya—being liberated from; brahma-helanam—the result of disobedience to the brahmanas; pratyesyatam—will come back; nikasam—near; me—Me; kalena—in due course of time; alpiyasa—very short; punah—again.

TRANSLATION

The Lord assured the two Vaikuntha inhabitants, Jaya and Vijaya: By practicing the mystic yoga system in anger, you will be cleansed of the sin of disobeying the brahmanas and within a very short time return to Me.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead advised the two doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, that by dint of bhakti-yoga in anger they would be delivered from the curses of the brahmanas. Srila Madhva Muni remarks in this connection that by practicing bhakti-yoga one can become free from all sinful reactions. Even a brahma-sapa, or curse by a brahmana, which cannot be overcome by any other means, can be overcome by bhakti-yoga.

One can practice bhakti-yoga in many rasas. There are twelve rasas, five primary and seven secondary. The five primary rasas constitute direct bhakti-yoga, but although the seven secondary rasas are indirect, they are also counted within bhakti-yoga if they are used in the service of the Lord. In other words, bhakti-yoga is all-inclusive. If one somehow or other becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes engaged in bhakti-yoga, as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.29.15): kamam krodham bhayam. The gopis were attracted to Krsna by bhakti-yoga in a relationship of lusty desire (kama). Similarly, Kamsa was attached to bhakti-yoga by dint of fear of his death. Thus bhakti-yoga is so powerful that even becoming an enemy of the Lord and always thinking of Him can deliver one very quickly. It is said, visnu-bhaktah smrto daiva asuras tad-vipanyayah: “Devotees of Lord Visnu are called demigods, whereas nondevotees are called asuras.” But bhakti-yoga is so powerful that both demigods and asuras can derive its benefits if they always think of the personality of Godhead. The basic principle of bhakti-yoga is to think of the Supreme Lord always. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.65), man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: “Always think of Me.” It doesn’t matter which way one thinks; the very thought of the Personality of Godhead is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga.

In the material planets there are different grades of sinful activities, of which disrespecting a brahmana or a Vaisnava is the most sinful. Here it is clearly stated that one can overcome even that grave sin simply by thinking of Visnu, not even favorably but in anger. Thus even if those who are not devotees always think of Visnu, they become free from all sinful activities. Krsna consciousness is the highest form of thought. Lord Visnu is thought of in this age by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. From the statements of the Bhagavatam it appears that if one thinks of Krsna, even as an enemy, that particular qualification—thinking of Visnu, or Krsna—cleanses one of all sins.

SB3.16.32

TEXT 32

dvahsthav adisya bhagavan

vimana-sreni-bhusanam

sarvatisayaya laksmya

justam svam dhisnyam avisat

SYNONYMS

dvah-sthau—to the doorkeepers; adisya—just directing them; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimana-sreni-bhusanam—always decorated with first-class airplanes; sarva-atisayaya—in every respect extensively opulent; laksmya—opulences; justam—bedecked with; svam—His own; dhisnyam—abode; avisat—went back.

TRANSLATION

After thus speaking at the door of Vaikuntha, the Lord returned to His abode, where there are many celestial airplanes and all-surpassing wealth and splendor.

PURPORT

It is clear from this verse that all the incidents took place at the entrance of Vaikunthaloka. In other words, the sages were not actually within Vaikunthaloka, but were at the gate. It could be asked, “How could they return to the material world if they entered Vaikunthaloka?” But factually they did not enter, and therefore they returned. There are many similar incidents where great yogis and brahmanas, by dint of their yoga practice, have gone from this material world to Vaikunthaloka—but they were not meant to stay there. They came back. It is also confirmed here that the Lord was surrounded by many Vaikuntha airplanes. Vaikunthaloka is described here as having splendid opulence, far surpassing the splendor of this material world.

All other living creatures, including the demigods, are born of Brahma, and Brahma is born of Lord Visnu. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita, in the Tenth Chapter, aham sarvasya prabhavah: Lord Visnu is the origin of all manifestations in the material world. Those who know that Lord Visnu is the origin of everything, who are conversant with the process of creation and who understand that Visnu, or Krsna, is the most worshipable object of all living entities, engage themselves in Visnu worship as Vaisnavas. The Vedic hymns also confirm this: om tad visnoh paramam padam. The goal of life is to understand Visnu. The Bhagavatam also confirms this elsewhere. Foolish people, not knowing that Visnu is the supreme worshipable object, create so many worshipable objects in this material world, and therefore they fall down.

SB3.16.33

TEXT 33

tau tu girvana-rsabhau

dustarad dhari-lokatah

hata-sriyau brahma-sapad

abhutam vigata-smayau

SYNONYMS

tau—those two gatekeepers; tu—but; girvana-rsabhau—the best of the demigods; dustarat—unable to be avoided; hari-lokatah—from Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Hari; hata-sriyau—diminished in beauty and luster; brahma-sapat—from the curse of a brahmana; abhutam—became; vigata-smayau—morose.

TRANSLATION

But those two gatekeepers, the best of the demigods, their beauty and luster diminished by the curse of the brahmanas, became morose and fell from Vaikuntha, the abode of the Supreme Lord.

SB3.16.34

TEXT 34

tada vikuntha-dhisanat

tayor nipatamanayoh

haha-karo mahan asid

vimanagryesu putrakah

SYNONYMS

tada—then; vikuntha—of the Supreme Lord; dhisanat—from the abode; tayoh—as both of them; nipatamanayoh—were falling; haha-karah—roaring in disappointment; mahan—great; asit—occurred; vimana-agryesu—in the best of airplanes; putrakah—O demigods.

TRANSLATION

Then, as Jaya and Vijaya fell from the Lord’s abode, a great roar of disappointment arose from all the demigods, who were sitting in their splendid airplanes.

SB3.16.35

TEXT 35

tav eva hy adhuna praptau

parsada-pravarau hareh

diter jathara-nirvistam

kasyapam teja ulbanam

SYNONYMS

tau—those two doorkeepers; eva—certainly; hi—addressed; adhuna—now; praptau—having gotten; parsada-pravarau—important associates; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; diteh—of Diti; jathara—womb; nirvistam—entering; kasyapam—of Kasyapa Muni; tejah—semen; ulbanam—very strong.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahma continued: Those two principal doorkeepers of the Personality of Godhead have now entered the womb of Diti, the powerful semen of Kasyapa Muni having covered them.

PURPORT

Here is clear proof of how a living entity coming originally from Vaikunthaloka is encaged in material elements. The living entity takes shelter within the semen of a father, which is injected within the womb of a mother, and with the help of the mother’s emulsified ovum the living entity grows a particular type of a body. In this connection it is to be remembered that the mind of Kasyapa Muni was not in order when he conceived the two sons, Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. Therefore the semen he discharged was simultaneously extremely powerful and mixed with the quality of anger. It is to be concluded that while conceiving a child one’s mind must be very sober and devotional. For this purpose the Garbhadhana-samskara is recommended in the Vedic scriptures. If the mind of the father is not sober, the semen discharged will not be very good. Thus the living entity, wrapped in the matter produced from the father and mother, will be demoniac like Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. The conditions of conception are to be carefully studied. This is a very great science.

SB3.16.36

TEXT 36

tayor asurayor adya

tejasa yamayor hi vah

aksiptam teja etarhi

bhagavams tad vidhitsati

SYNONYMS

tayoh—of them; asurayoh—of the two asuras; adya—today; tejasa—by the prowess; yamayoh—of the twins; hi—certainly; vah—of all you demigods; aksiptam—agitated; tejah—power; etarhi—thus certainly; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat—that; vidhitsati—desires to do.

TRANSLATION

It is the prowess of these twin asuras [demons] that has disturbed you, for it has minimized your power. There is no remedy within my power, however, for it is the Lord Himself who desires to do all this.

PURPORT

Although Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa, formerly Jaya and Vijaya, became asuras, the demigods of this material world could not control them, and therefore Lord Brahma said that neither he nor all the demigods could counteract the disturbance they created. They came within the material world by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He alone could counteract such disturbances. In other words, although Jaya and Vijaya assumed the bodies of asuras, they remained more powerful than anyone, thus proving that the Supreme Personality of Godhead desired to fight because the fighting spirit is also within Him. He is the original in everything, but when He desires to fight He must fight with a devotee. Therefore by His desire only were Jaya and Vijaya cursed by the Kumaras. The Lord ordered the gatekeepers to go down to the material world to become His enemies so that He could fight with them and His fighting desires would be satisfied by the service of His personal devotees.

Brahma showed the demigods that the situation created by the darkness, for which they were disturbed, was the desire of the Supreme Lord. He wanted to show that even though these two attendants were coming in the forms of demons, they were very powerful, greater than the demigods, who could not control them. No one can surpass the acts of the Supreme Lord. The demigods were also advised not to try to counteract this incident, because it was ordered by the Lord. Similarly, anyone who is ordered by the Lord to perform some action in this material world, especially preaching His glories, cannot be counteracted by anyone; the will of the Lord is executed under all circumstances.

SB3.16.37

TEXT 37

visvasya yah sthiti-layodbhava-hetur adyo

yogesvarair api duratyaya-yogamayah

ksemam vidhasyati sa no bhagavams tryadhisas

tatrasmadiya-vimrsena kiyan iharthah

SYNONYMS

visvasya—of the universe; yah—who; sthiti—maintenance; laya—destruction; udbhava—creation; hetuh—the cause; adyah—the most ancient person; yoga-isvaraih—by the masters of yoga; api—even; duratyaya—cannot be easily understood; yoga-mayah—His yogamaya potency; ksemam—good; vidhasyati—will do; sah—He; nah—of us; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tri-adhisah—the controller of the three modes of material nature; tatra—there; asmadiya—by our; vimrsena—deliberation; kiyan—what; iha—on this subject; arthah—purpose.

TRANSLATION

My dear sons, the Lord is the controller of the three modes of nature and is responsible for the creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe. His wonderful creative power, yogamaya, cannot be easily understood even by the masters of yoga. That most ancient person, the Personality of Godhead, will alone come to our rescue. What purpose can we serve on His behalf by deliberating on the subject?

PURPORT

When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one’s calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridasa Thakura was. He was a great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the Lord by preaching the Lord’s glories. But Haridasa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. Similarly, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahlada Maharaja was put through so many tribulations. The Pandavas, who were direct friends of Krsna, lost their kingdom, their wife was insulted, and they had to undergo many severe tribulations. Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavatam’s conclusion is that a devotee is never disturbed by such reverses. He accepts even reverse conditions as the grace of the Lord. One who continues to serve the Lord even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Godhead, back to the Vaikuntha planets. Lord Brahma assured the demigods that there was no use in talking about how the disturbing situation of darkness was taking place, since the actual fact was that it was ordered by the Supreme Lord. Brahma knew this because he was a great devotee; it was possible for him to understand the plan of the Lord.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Sixteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuntha, Jaya and Vijaya, Cursed by the Sages.”

Next chapter (SB 3.17)