Shri VarAha Dvadasii
The Most Holy Appearance Day of Lord Varahadev

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The Lead up to the Appearance of Lord Varahadeva - The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuëöha, Jaya and Vijaya, Cursed by the Sages
Victory of Hiraëyäkña Over All the Directions of the Universe
The Battle Between Lord Boar and the Demon Hiraëyäkña
The Killing of the Demon Hiraëyäkña

Lord Varaha-deva dasavatara page
Dasavataras' page

The pregnancy of Diti || Jaya and Vijaya cursed by the four Kumaras || The appearance of Lord Varaha || The victory of Hiranyaksha and his death at the hands of Lord Varaha.

From: Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 3.

After describing the appearance of the white Boar Incarnation that had appeared during the Svayambhuva devastation, Maitreya next described the red Boar Incarnation that had appeared during the Chakshusha devastation. Maitreya related these pastimes to Vidura in the same manner in which he had heard them long ago when Lord Brahma had narrated them to the demigods.

Once upon a time, at sunset, Kashyapa, the son of Marichi, was offering oblations to Lord Vishnu into the sacrificial fire. At this time, his wife, Diti, approached him due to being greatly afflicted by sex desire. Without trying to attract him gradually by her bodily expressions, the beautiful Diti frankly begged her husband, "O learned one, Cupid is forcibly distressing me with his arrows, just as an elephant troubles a banana tree. I want to have sons like my co-wives and so you should be merciful to me." "My father, Daksha, had separately asked each of his daughters, whom we preferred to marry. Then, after understanding our intentions, he handed over thirteen of his daughters to you, and we have been faithful to you ever since that time. O lotus-eyed one, when someone in distress approaches a great person, his pleas should never go in vain."

The hen-pecked Kashyapa could have strongly refused his wife, but because he was also sexually inclined, he tried to pacify Diti, who had become very poor-hearted and talkative, due to the contamination of lust. Kashyapa said, "O afflicted one, I shall soon gratify your desire. It is only due to having a good wife that a man like me can cross over the great ocean of material existence. Indeed, a wife is so helpful that she is called the better half of a man's body. Just as a military commander can easily conquer invaders while remaining protected within a fort, so a man can conquer his senses by taking shelter of a good wife. For this reason, a man could never repay his wife for all the benefit that he derives from her, even if he were to try to do so during his entire lifetime, or even after death."

"My dear Diti, although I cannot sufficiently repay you, I will satisfy your sex desire for the purpose of begetting children. I only request you to wait for a few minutes so that I may not become subject to criticism. The present moment is most inauspicious because at this time Lord Shiva rides upon his bull carrier, accompanied by his horrible ghostly companions. He gives such ghosts the chance of getting a gross material body by placing them into the wombs of women that indulge in sexual intercourse during this forbidden period. Lord Shiva is your sister's husband, and with his three eyes, he will see your forbidden act."

In spite of receiving such good instructions from her husband, Diti was so oppressed by sex desire that she caught hold of Kashyapa's clothes just like a shameless prostitute, and thus she practically forced him to gratify her lusty urge. After offering obeisances unto worshipful fate, Kashyapa lay down with Diti in a secluded place. After finishing the forbidden act, Kashyapa purified himself by bathing and once again sat down to chant the Gayatri mantra, while meditating upon the impersonal aspect of the Absolute. Meanwhile, after having gratified her lust, Diti came to her senses. With her head lowered in shame, she approached her husband and said, "My dear brahmana, please insure that my embryo is not killed by Lord Shiva, because of the great offense that I have committed against him."

Diti then prayed for Lord Shiva's mercy in a very clever manner: "Let me offer my obeisance unto the angry Lord Shiva. He is so great that he can immediately destroy my embryo, but at the same time he is so merciful and forgiving. Lord Shiva is known as the lord of all women, who are excused even by uncivilized hunters, and therefore I beg him to spare me from his wrath."

As Diti stood before him, trembling due to fear of his anger, Kashyapa said, "Because of your polluted mind, the improper time, your disobedience, and your neglect of the demigods, your conception will produce two abominable sons who will create havoc within the world by killing innocent persons, torturing women, and enraging the great souls. As a result, the Supreme Lord will incarnate to kill them, just as Indra smashes mountains with his thunderbolt."

Diti replied, "O my husband, it is a great relief for me to know that my sons will be killed by the all-merciful Supreme Lord, rather than the wrath of the brahmanas. One who offends the brahmanas or causes fear to others is so condemned that even those who are already in hell, or who are of the degraded species in which he will later on appear, feel no compassion toward him."

Kashyapa then informed Diti, "Due to your repentance and firm faith in the Supreme Lord, as well as your adoration for Lord Shiva and myself, one of your grandsons will be a greatly exalted devotee whose fame will rival that of the Lord Himself. Because of his great devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, others will follow in his footsteps, and because of his having satisfied the Supreme Lord, everyone will become pleased with him. As a first-class devotee, your grandson will be able to see the Supreme Lord, within and without; he will be a reservoir of all good qualities; and he will feel very pained to see the suffering of the conditioned souls in this material world."

After hearing about the glories of Prahlada, Diti became very pleased. But, because she could understand that her sons would cause great disturbances to the demigods, she continued to bear the powerful embryos for one hundred years without giving birth. Still, the force of Diti's pregnancy disturbed the entire universe, and the light of sun and moon became impaired.

After observing this fearful condition, the demigods approached Lord Brahma and submitted, "O lord, just see this darkness that is expanding in all directions. O sustainer of the universe, who knows the intentions of all living entities, Diti's pregnancy has caused this great disturbance, and thus our work has become suspended. Please be merciful unto us, for we have fallen into a very miserable condition."

In response, Lord Brahma informed the demigods of what had happened long ago. After having travelled all over the material creation, the four sages Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumara, entered the spiritual sky, wherein the Vaikuntha planets are situated. They were able to do this due to being freed from all material contamination. In the abode of Lord Narayana, the residents have forms similar to that of the Supreme Lord, and everyone is engaged in His unalloyed devotional service. There are many forests full of desire-trees, and throughout all seasons they are filled with fruit and flowers.

While flying in their airplanes, along with their consorts, the inhabitants of Vaikuntha eternally sing of the character and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Although the consorts that crowd the airplanes have large hips and beautifully smiling faces, they cannot stimulate the passion of the residents of Vaikuntha. This means that in Vaikuntha there is the enjoyment of the association with the opposite sex, but there is no sexual relationship, because everyone is fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness. When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, the cuckoos, cranes, chakravakas, swans, parrots and peacocks temporarily stop their singing to listen. Although flowers, such as the champaka, bakula, parijata and lotus are transcendentally fragrant, they are still conscious of tulasi's austerities, and of how the Lord prefers to garland Himself with her leaves. The ladies of Vaikuntha are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune, and yet they are sometimes seen cleaning the marble walls, just to receive the grace of the Supreme Lord, even though there is practically no dust.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Vaikuntha, the four Kumaras felt an unprecedented transcendental happiness. Then, after easily passing through six gates, the sages saw two doormen at the seventh gate that had similar bodily features and carried strong maces. They were four-armed and of bluish complexion, and due to their arched eyebrows, discontented nostrils and reddish eyes, they appeared somewhat agitated. The four Kumaras had opened doors everywhere without any conception of "ours" and "theirs", and so they innocently began to pass through the seventh gate. The sages, who had nothing to cover their bodies but the atmosphere, looked just like five-year-old boys, although they were the oldest created beings, next to Brahma.

Due to possessing a disposition quite unpalatable to the Lord, the two gatekeepers rudely blocked the Kumaras' entrance with their staffs. The Lord is always anxious to serve great sages, and thus the Kumaras were never to be prohibited from entering Vaikuntha. The boy-sages had been very eager to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and so upon being checked by the Lord's two chief doorkeepers, they immediately became agitated. Their eyes red with rage, the Kumaras exclaimed, "Who are these persons who are engaging in the Lord's service and yet have developed a discordant mentality? They must be imposters, and so they suspect others to be just like themselves. In Vaikuntha there is perfect harmony between the Supreme Lord and the other inhabitants. These two persons are dressed like the residents of Vaikuntha, but where has this seed of disharmony come from? Because of seeing duality, they have become contaminated. Therefore, they should be put into the material world, where everyone is conceived of as being either a friend or an enemy."

When the gatekeepers realized that they were being cursed by the brahmanas, they at once became very afraid. After falling down at the Kumaras' feet, they begged, "You are correct in punishing us for having neglected such great souls as yourselves. Still, in consideration of our repentance, we pray that you mercifully insure that the illusion of forgetting the Supreme Personality of Godhead will not overwhelm us as we fall down."

Just at that moment, the Supreme Lord, having learned of this incident, came there on foot accompanied by the goddess of fortune. Thus, the four Kumaras saw Lord Vishnu before them, Whom they had formerly seen only within their hearts while being absorbed in the ecstatic trance of meditation.

The Lord's beautiful blackish body was dressed in bright yellow cloth, and around His neck hung a garland of fresh flowers that was encircled by humming bees. While resting one of His hands upon Garuda's shoulder, the Lord twirled a lotus flower in another. Indeed, His beauty was so excellent that it defeated the pride of the goddess of fortune, and thus the Kumaras looked at Him with unsated eyes.

As the Kumaras joyfully bowed their heads, the breeze that carried the aroma of tulasi leaves from the toes of the Lord's lotus feet entered their nostrils, causing a spiritual transformation in their body and mind, even though they had been fully attached to the impersonal Brahman. In other words, the Kumaras became converted from impersonalists that had desired to merge into the Lord's brahmajyoti, to devotees who desire to render service to the Lord.

After seeing the Lord's transcendental body, the Kumaras advanced to the stage of constant meditation upon His personal feature. Their anger having subsided, the four sages prayed, "Our dear Lord, whatever we had heard about You from our father, Lord Brahma, has now been confirmed by Your kind appearance before us. We now understand that the most elevated transcendentalists are those that constantly engage in hearing about Your pastimes, without caring for any other benediction, including liberation." "O Lord, we don't mind being born in any hellish condition, as long as our hearts and minds are always engaged in Your devotional service."

By dint of the Lord's presence, the Kumaras realized that it had been improper for them to curse the doorkeepers, in spite of the offense that had been committed.

The Supreme Lord then said, "These attendants of Mine, Jaya and Vijaya, have committed a great offense against you by ignoring My desire. I approve of the punishment that you have awarded to My servants. Indeed, since these doormen are My servants, I consider Myself to be the one that has offended you, and for this reason, I seek your forgiveness. Whatever wrong a servant commits causes people in general to blame the master, just as a single spot of white leprosy is considered to pollute the whole skin."

"For Me, the brahmanas are the most worshipable personalities, and so I am prepared to cut off My arm if its conduct proves to be hostile toward you. Because I am the servant of My devotees, My lotus feet have become so sacred that they immediately purify one of all sins. I do not enjoy the offerings that are made into the sacrificial fire with as much relish as I enjoy the delicacies cooked in ghee that are offered to the mouths of the brahmanas who have dedicated their lives unto Me." "The Ganga is the remnants of water left after washing My feet, and it sanctifies the three worlds. If I can take the dust of the Vaishnavas' feet upon My head, then who would refuse to do the same? These servants of Mine have offended you due to not knowing My mind. Still, I will consider it a great favor if you allow them to return to My presence soon, after reaping the consequences of their transgression."

After hearing with wide-open ears, the Lord's extremely humble and beautiful speech, which was difficult to comprehend due to its profound import, the Kumaras pondered over its meaning for some time. Although the sages could not understand the Lord's actual intention, a thrill passed through their bodies due to the delight of simply beholding Him. Understanding their fault in cursing the Lord's faultless servants, the Kumaras said, "O Lord, we cannot understand Your plans, for You have spoken as if we had done something good for You. Your adoration of the brahmanas is meant to teach others, for it is You who are the supreme worshipable Deity." "O Lord, whatever punishment You wish to award to these two innocent persons, or to us, we shall accept without duplicity."

The Lord replied, "O brahmanas, I have already ordained the punishment that you inflicted upon Jaya and Vijay, and thus they will have to accept birth in a demoniac family. But, by concentration of their minds upon Me in anger, they will always remain connected with Me, and soon thereafter, they will return to My abode."

It is to be understood that the Lord Himself engineered the cursing of Jaya and Vijaya. Ordinarily, there is no possibility that the Kumaras could become so angry, that the Lord could neglect His gatekeepers, or that anyone could return to the material world after reaching Vaikuntha. Sometimes, the Lord desires to fight, and because there are no enemies in Vaikuntha, He incarnates into the material world for this purpose. The Lord only likes to perform His pastimes along with His associates, however, and so He chooses a devotee to play the part of His enemy. Then, after making a temporary show of fighting, the Lord recalls His devotee to the spiritual world.

Thereafter, the four Kumaras circumambulated the Lord, offered their obeisances, and departed from the gates of Vaikuntha. The Lord then ordered Jaya and Vijaya, "Depart from here, but do not be afraid. I could have nullified the brahmanas' curse, but I chose not to do so. Lakshmi, whom you had once stopped at the gate while I was sleeping, already predicted your fall. Although seven births in the material world are your designated punishment, I want you to accept three demoniac births instead. By practicing mystic yoga in anger, you will become quickly cleansed of your sinful reactions, and thus be able to return to Me in a very short time."

After saying this, the Lord departed, and Jaya and Vijaya, who had become morose and pale because of the brahmanas' curse, fell down from Vaikuntha. As they were falling, the Kumaras reassured them that after three demoniac births, they would once again return to Vaikuntha. The demigods, who were observing all of this from their celestial airplanes, let out a great roar of disappointment, and thereafter, Jaya and Vijaya entered Diti's womb, after being covered by Kashyapa's powerful semen.

Lord Brahma then concluded by informing the demigods, "It is the prowess of these twin demons that has disturbed you, by minimizing your own potency. I have no remedy for this situation, however, for all of this is taking place by the desire of the Lord. Rest assured that the Supreme Lord will come to our rescue, and so do not bother to speculate any longer about the dense darkness that is covering all directions."

After hearing this, the demigods became relieved from their fear and returned to their respective abodes. Meanwhile, after bearing her embryos for one hundred years, Diti gave birth to twin sons who were great demons. At this time, there were many fearful natural disturbances, such as earthquakes, and raging fires were seen burning everywhere. The inauspicious planets, such as Saturn and Mars, outshone the auspicious ones like Venus and Jupiter; and comets, meteors and thunderbolts appeared in the sky. Fierce winds made a displeasing hissing noise and uprooted great trees; and due to the covering of clouds, all became shrouded in darkness. The ocean became highly agitated, and all of the lotuses that grew within the rivers and lakes withered.

Solar and lunar eclipses occurred repeatedly, and from the mountain caves came sounds like the rattling of chariots. She-jackals vomited fire while crying out ominously, and asses ran here and there in herds, striking the earth with their hard hooves and braying loudly. Being frightened by the braying asses, birds flew shrieking from their nests, and cows passed stool and urine due to fear. Indeed, the terrified cows yielded blood instead of milk, and the clouds rained puss instead of water. The deities in the temples shed tears, and trees fell down even though there were no gusts of wind.

Upon seeing all of these evil omens, everyone except the four Kumaras became seized by fear. Not knowing about the fall of Jaya and Vijaya and their subsequent birth as demons, everyone thought that the dissolution of the universe was at hand.

Kashyapa named the first-born, who was formerly Jaya, Hiranyaksha and the one who was conceived first, who was formerly Vijaya, was named Hiranyakashipu. Soon after their birth, the demoniac twins exhibited uncommon bodily features, and their steel-like frames became so tall that they seemed to touch the sky. Indeed, they blocked the view in all directions, and as they walked, the earth shook with every step.

After performing great austerities, Hiranyakashipu received benedictions from Lord Brahma, and as a result, he became unafraid of death and very proud. Being most powerful, Hiranyakashipu was able to bring the entire three worlds under his control. His brother, Hiranyaksha, had also received Brahma's benediction of near-immortality, and so he became similarly powerful and conceited.

To satisfy his elder brother, Hiranyaksha took his club and began to travel all over the universe, with a fighting spirit. Because no one was able to kill him due to Brahma's benediction, even the demigods fearfully hid upon seeing Hiranyaksha, just as snakes hide out of fear of Garuda.

When Hiranyaksha thus saw Indraloka vacant, he roared loudly, understanding that the demigods had admitted defeat without even fighting. After returning from heaven, Hiranyaksha sportingly dove deep into the ocean, and upon seeing him, all of the great aquatics panicked and fled. Finally, after moving about in the ocean for many years, Hiranyaksha reached Vibhavari, Varuna's capital. Just to make fun of the lord of the waters, Hiranyaksha fell at his feet and smilingly begged, "Give me battle, O supreme lord!"

Upon seeing Hiranyaksha's arrogance, Varuna became enraged. Still, he curbed his anger by means of intelligence and replied, "O dear one, I have given up fighting because I am too old. You are so skilled in battle that I can see no one else but the most ancient person, Lord Vishnu, who can satisfy you."

"O chief of the Daityas, I suggest that you approach Him, and thus become rid of your pride by lying down dead upon the battlefield, surrounded by carnivorous animals."

Without paying any more heed to Varuna, Hiranyaksha departed. Then, when he happened to meet the great sage Narada, the demon learned the whereabouts of the Supreme Lord. After once again entering the depths of the ocean, Hiranyaksha saw the all-powerful Supreme Lord in His boar incarnation bearing the earth upwards, while keeping her on the ends of His tusks. Upon seeing the Lord, the demon laughingly exclaimed, "An amphibious beast! O best of the demigods, dressed in the form of a boar, the earth belongs to us, the inhabitants of the lower regions, and so I cannot allow You to take it away from my presence. You rascal! Today I shall enliven my kinsmen by killing You. When You fall down dead with Your skull smashed by my mace, the demigods and rishis who offer You oblations in sacrifice will also cease to be, just like a tree that can no longer live without roots."

Although the Lord was certainly pained to hear such abusive language, He tolerated it so that He could continue carrying the earth, which had become very frightened.

As Lord Varaha rose out of the water, Hiranyaksha chased Him and roared, "Are You not ashamed of Yourself for running away after being challenged by an adversary? There is nothing that is reproachable for shameless creatures like You!"

Despite these harsh words, Lord Varaha calmly placed the earth upon the surface of the water and then empowered her with the capacity to float. At this time, Lord Brahma and the other demigods praised the Lord for His wonderful act of lifting up the earth, and they showered flowers upon Him. Then, to express His terrible anger, the Lord replied, "Indeed, We are creatures of the jungle and are searching for hunting dogs like you. One who is freed from the entanglement of death has no fear from the loose talk in which you are indulging, for you are bound up by the laws of death. Now, give up your foolish talk and attempt to kill Me. One may be very proud, but he does not deserve a seat in an assembly if he fails to fulfill his promise."

Being thus challenged, Hiranyaksha became very angry and agitated, and his whole body began to tremble. While hissing indignantly, the demon sprang at the Lord and tried to strike Him with his powerful mace. By moving aside, however, the Lord dodged the blow, and then with His own mace, He attempted to smash Hiranyaksha's forehead. Being an expert fighter, the demon blocked the blow with his own mace, however, and thereafter, a fierce encounter took place.

As both combatants struck one another repeatedly with their strong clubs, the smell of blood that flowed from their wounds made them more and more furious. Being very eager for victory, both the Lord and the demon exhibited wonderful maneuvers, so that the battle looked like a contest between two powerful bulls for the sake of a cow.

Lord Brahma had been staying in the sky, along with all of the demigods and celestial rishis, so that he could witness the terrible fight that was being waged for the sake of the earth. Becoming somewhat anxious, he addressed Lord Varaha, "My dear Lord, Hiranyaksha has always oppressed the demigods, brahmanas, cows and other innocent creatures. There is no need for You to play with this serpentine demon any longer, for he is very skilled in utilizing mystic powers, and he is most arrogant and wicked." "My dear infallible Lord, please kill him before the demoniac hour of twilight arrives and thus increases his strength. The auspicious period called abhijit began at noon and has almost passed. Therefore, please dispose of Your formidable enemy quickly and thus establish peace within the world."

In response, the Lord heartily laughed, while at the same time He accepted Brahma's prayers with a glance that was laden with love. Then, as Hiranyaksha fearlessly stood nearby, Lord Varaha suddenly sprang at him while aiming His mace at the demon's chin.

Hiranyaksha blocked the blow with his own mace, however, and as a result, the Lord's club slipped from His hand. That blazing mace looked splendid while whirling around and around as it fell, and a great cry of alarm arose from the onlooking demigods and rishis. Still, even though he had an excellent opportunity to strike his unarmed foe, Hiranyaksha respected the etiquette for single-combat by refraining from doing so. This kindled the Lord's fury even more, however, and He invoked His Sudarshana chakra. As this wonderful disc revolved in the Lord's hand, while He was at close quarters with His enemy, the demigods and rishis exclaimed, "May victory be Yours!" "Dispatch him at once!" "Don't play with the demon any longer!"

Seeing Lord Varaha before him with the Sudarshana chakra in His hand, Hiranyaksha resentfully bit his lip and began to hiss like a serpent. Then, that great demon with fearful tusks suddenly sprang into the air while wielding his club, and while doing so, he shouted, "You are slain!"

As Hiranyaksha tried to strike Him, Lord Varaha playfully kicked the mace from his hand with His left foot and then said, "Pick up your weapon, since you are so eager to conquer Me."

Being so challenged, Hiranyaksha picked up his mace and then hurled it impetuously while roaring loudly. Without even flinching, however, Lord Varaha easily caught the mace in His hand, and so the demon felt greatly humiliated. Being reluctant to take back his weapon when the Lord offered it to him, Hiranyaksha instead picked up a flaming trident and violently hurled it. As the trident blazed brightly while soaring through the sky, Lord Varaha tore it to pieces by releasing His Sudarshana chakra. At this, the demon became more enraged, and while letting out a loud roar, he rushed at Lord Varaha impetuously. After striking the Lord on the chest with his hard fist, Hiranyaksha immediately disappeared.

The Lord was not disturbed in the least by the blow, however, any more than an elephant would feel hurt being struck by a flower garland. Thereafter, Hiranyaksha employed many conjuring tricks against the Lord, Who is Yogeshvara, and all who saw the magical display thought that the dissolution of the universe was at hand.

Fierce winds began blowing and the dust that was raised created darkness in all directions. Torrents of stones fell from the sky, along with showers of puss, hair, blood, stool, urine and bones- accompanied by lightning and thunder. Mountains discharged various weapons, and naked demonesses with their hair hanging loose suddenly appeared, carrying tridents. Hosts of Yakshas and Rakshasas were heard uttering cruel and savage slogans as they marched on foot or rode upon horses, elephants and chariots.

By releasing His Sudarshana chakra, however, the Lord was able to dispel all of these illusions, and at that moment, a shudder of terror passed through Diti's heart. While recalling the words of her husband, blood began to flow from her breasts.

When Hiranyaksha saw that his magical creations had been dispelled, he once again made himself visible. In a fit of rage, he tried to crush the Lord within his arms as a last resort. But, to his great surprise, after trying to grab the Lord, the demon found that He was still outside the circle of his arms. Then, as Hiranyaksha angrily struck Him with his fists, Lord Varaha slapped him indifferently at the root of the ear, making him stagger backwards. With his eyeballs bulging out of their sockets, his hair scattered, and his limbs broken, the great demon fell down dead, like an uprooted tree.

Lord Brahma and the other demigods quickly arrived at that spot, to see the slain body of the demon close up. Still biting his lip, Hiranyaksha's bodily luster had not faded, in spite of the absence of the soul, because the Lord's lotus foot remained touching it. Lord Brahma admiringly said, "Oh, who could meet with such a blessed death? This fortunate demon was struck by the lotus foot of the Lord, upon Whom yogis meditate in mystic trance in the hopes of gaining liberation from their unreal, material bodies."

Thereafter, the demigods expressed their great appreciation for the Lord's having assumed His Varaha form and relieving them of their agonizing fear of the demon. After receiving the demigods' praises, the Lord returned to His own abode in the spiritual world, where there is always an uninterrupted festival going on.

Suta Gosvami concluded his narration by saying, "O brahmanas, anyone who hears, chants, or takes pleasure in the wonderful description of Lord Varaha's killing of Hiranyaksha is at once relieved from the results of all kinds of sinful activities, including the killing of a brahmana."

brahmoväca
iti tad gåëatäà teñäà
munénäà yoga-dharmiëäm
pratinandya jagädedaà
vikuëöha-nilayo vibhuù

TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmä said: After thus congratulating the sages for their nice words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose abode is in the kingdom of God, spoke as follows.

SB 3.16.2
TEXT 2

çré-bhagavän uväca
etau tau pärñadau mahyaà
jayo vijaya eva ca
kadarthé-kåtya mäà yad vo
bahv akrätäm atikramam

TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead said: These attendants of Mine, Jaya and Vijaya by name, have committed a great offense against you because of ignoring Me.
PURPORT
To commit an offense at the feet of a devotee of the Lord is a great wrong. Even when a living entity is promoted to Vaikuëöha, there is still the chance that he may commit offenses, but the difference is that when one is in a Vaikuëöha planet, even if by chance one commits an offense, he is protected by the Lord. This is the remarkable fact in the dealings of the Lord and the servitor, as seen in the present incident concerning Jaya and Vijaya. The word atikramam used herein indicates that in offending a devotee one neglects the Supreme Lord Himself.
By mistake the doormen held the sages from entering Vaikuëöhaloka, but because they were engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, their annihilation was not expected by advanced devotees. The Lord’s presence on the spot was very pleasing to the hearts of the devotees. The Lord understood that the trouble was due to His lotus feet not being seen by the sages, and therefore He wanted to please them by personally going there. The Lord is so merciful that even if there is some impediment for the devotee, He Himself manages matters in such a way that the devotee is not bereft of having audience at His lotus feet. There is a very good example in the life of Haridäsa Öhäkura. When Caitanya Mahäprabhu was residing at Jagannätha puré, Haridäsa Öhäkura, who happened to be Muhammadan by birth, was with Him. In Hindu temples, especially in those days, no one but a Hindu was allowed to enter. Although Haridäsa Öhäkura was the greatest of all Hindus in his behavior, he considered himself a Muhammadan and did not enter the temple. Lord Caitanya could understand his humility, and since he did not go to see the temple, Lord Caitanya Himself, who is nondifferent from Jagannätha, used to come and sit with Haridäsa Öhäkura daily. Here in Çrémad-Bhägavatam we also find this same behavior of the Lord. His devotees were prevented from seeing His lotus feet, but the Lord Himself came to see them on the same lotus feet for which they aspired. It is also significant that He was accompanied by the goddess of fortune. The goddess of fortune is not to be seen by ordinary persons, but the Lord was so kind that although the devotees did not aspire for such an honor, He appeared before them with the goddess of fortune.

SB 3.16.3
TEXT 3

yas tv etayor dhåto daëòo
bhavadbhir mäm anuvrataiù
sa evänumato ’smäbhir
munayo deva-helanät

TRANSLATION
O great sages, I approve of the punishment that you who are devoted to Me have meted out to them.

SB 3.16.4
TEXT 4

tad vaù prasädayämy adya
brahma daivaà paraà hi me
tad dhéty ätma-kåtaà manye
yat sva-pumbhir asat-kåtäù

TRANSLATION
To Me, the brähmaëa is the highest and most beloved personality. The disrespect shown by My attendants has actually been displayed by Me because the doormen are My servitors. I take this to be an offense by Myself; therefore I seek your forgiveness for the incident that has arisen.
PURPORT
The Lord is always in favor of the brähmaëas and the cows, and therefore it is said, go-brähmaëa-hitäya ca. Lord Kåñëa, or Viñëu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is also the worshipable Deity of the brähmaëas. In the Vedic literature, in the åg-mantra hymns of the Åg Veda, it is stated that those who are actually brähmaëas always look to the lotus feet of Viñëu: oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà sadä paçyanti sürayaù. Those who are qualified brähmaëas worship only the Viñëu form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which means Kåñëa, Räma and all Viñëu expansions. A so-called brähmaëa who is born in the family of brähmaëas but performs activities aimed against the Vaiñëavas cannot be accepted as a brähmaëa, because brähmaëa means Vaiñëava and Vaiñëava means brähmaëa. One who has become a devotee of the Lord is also a brähmaëa. The formula is brahma jänätéti brähmaëaù. A brähmaëa is one who has understood Brahman, and a Vaiñëava is one who has understood the Personality of Godhead. Brahman realization is the beginning of realization of the Personality of Godhead. One who understands the Personality of Godhead also knows the impersonal feature of the Supreme, which is Brahman. Therefore one who becomes a Vaiñëava is already a brähmaëa. It should be noted that the glories of the brähmaëa described in this chapter by the Lord Himself refer to His devotee-brähmaëa, or the Vaiñëava. It should never be misunderstood that the so-called brähmaëas who are born in brähmaëa families but have no brahminical qualifications are referred to in this connection.

SB 3.16.5
TEXT 5

yan-nämäni ca gåhëäti
loko bhåtye kåtägasi
so ’sädhu-vädas tat-kértià
hanti tvacam ivämayaù

TRANSLATION
A wrong act committed by a servant leads people in general to blame his master, just as a spot of white leprosy on any part of the body pollutes all of the skin.
PURPORT
A Vaiñëava, therefore, should be fully qualified. As stated in the Bhägavatam, anyone who has become a Vaiñëava has developed all the good qualities of the demigods. There are twenty-six qualifications mentioned in the Caitanya-caritämåta. A devotee should always see that his Vaiñëava qualities increase with the advancement of his Kåñëa consciousness. A devotee should be blameless because any offense by the devotee is a scar on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The devotee’s duty is to be always conscious in his dealings with others, especially with another devotee of the Lord.

SB 3.16.6
TEXT 6

yasyämåtämala-yaçaù-çravaëävagähaù
sadyaù punäti jagad äçvapacäd vikuëöhaù
so ’haà bhavadbhya upalabdha-sutértha-kértiç
chindyäà sva-bähum api vaù pratiküla-våttim

TRANSLATION
Anyone in the entire world, even down to the caëòäla, who lives by cooking and eating the flesh of the dog, is immediately purified if he takes bath in hearing through the ear the glorification of My name, fame, etc. Now you have realized Me without doubt; therefore I will not hesitate to lop off My own arm if its conduct is found hostile to you.
PURPORT
Real purification can take place in human society if its members take to Kåñëa consciousness. This is clearly stated in all Vedic literature. Anyone who takes to Kåñëa consciousness in all sincerity, even if he is not very advanced in good behavior, is purified. A devotee can be recruited from any section of human society, although it is not expected that everyone in all segments of society is well behaved. As stated in this verse and in many places in Bhagavad-gétä, even if one is not born in a brähmaëa family, or even if he is born in a family of caëòälas, if he simply takes to Kåñëa consciousness he is immediately purified. In Bhagavad-gétä, Ninth Chapter, verses 30–32, it is clearly stated that even though a man is not well behaved, if he simply takes to Kåñëa consciousness he is understood to be a saintly person. As long as a person is in this material world he has two different relationships in his dealings with others—one relationship pertains to the body, and the other pertains to the spirit. As far as bodily affairs or social activities are concerned, although a person is purified on the spiritual platform, it is sometimes seen that he acts in terms of his bodily relationships. If a devotee born in the family of a caëòäla (the lowest caste) is sometimes found engaged in his habitual activities, he is not to be considered a caëòäla. In other words, a Vaiñëava should not be evaluated in terms of his body. The çästra states that no one should think the Deity in the temple to be made of wood or stone, and no one should think that a person coming from a lower-caste family who has taken to Kåñëa consciousness is still of the same low caste. These attitudes are forbidden because anyone who takes to Kåñëa consciousness is understood to be fully purified. He is at least engaged in the process of purification, and if he sticks to the principle of Kåñëa consciousness he will very soon be fully purified. The conclusion is that if one takes to Kåñëa consciousness with all seriousness, he is to be understood as already purified, and Kåñëa is ready to give him protection by all means. The Lord assures herein that He is ready to give protection to His devotee even if there is need to cut off part of His own body.

SB 3.16.7
TEXT 7

yat-sevayä caraëa-padma-pavitra-reëuà
sadyaù kñatäkhila-malaà pratilabdha-çélam
na çrér viraktam api mäà vijahäti yasyäù
prekñä-lavärtha itare niyamän vahanti

TRANSLATION
The Lord continued: Because I am the servitor of My devotees, My lotus feet have become so sacred that they immediately wipe out all sin, and I have acquired such a disposition that the goddess of fortune does not leave Me, even though I have no attachment for her and others praise her beauty and observe sacred vows to secure from her even a slight favor.
PURPORT
The relationship between the Lord and His devotee is transcendentally beautiful. As the devotee thinks that it is due to being a devotee of the Lord that he is elevated in all good qualities, so the Lord also thinks that it is because of His devotion to the servitor that all His transcendental glories have increased. In other words, as the devotee is always anxious to render service to the Lord, so the Lord is ever anxious to render service to the devotee. The Lord admits herein that although He certainly has the quality that anyone who receives a slight particle of the dust of His lotus feet becomes at once a great personality, this greatness is due to His affection for His devotee. It is because of this affection that the goddess of fortune does not leave Him and that not only one but many thousands of goddesses of fortune engage in His service. In the material world, simply to get a little favor from the goddess of fortune, people observe many rigid regulations of austerity and penance. The Lord cannot tolerate any inconvenience on the part of the devotee. He is therefore famous as bhakta-vatsala.

SB 3.16.8
TEXT 8

nähaà tathädmi yajamäna-havir vitäne
çcyotad-ghåta-plutam adan huta-bhuì-mukhena
yad brähmaëasya mukhataç carato ’nughäsaà
tuñöasya mayy avahitair nija-karma-päkaiù

TRANSLATION
I do not enjoy the oblations offered by the sacrificers in the sacrificial fire, which is one of My own mouths, with the same relish as I do the delicacies overflowing with ghee which are offered to the mouths of the brähmaëas who have dedicated to Me the results of their activities and who are ever satisfied with My prasäda.
PURPORT
The devotee of the Lord, or the Vaiñëava, does not take anything without offering it to the Lord. Since a Vaiñëava dedicates all the results of his activities to the Lord, he does not taste anything eatable which is not first offered to Him. The Lord also relishes giving to the Vaiñëava’s mouth all eatables offered to Him. It is clear from this verse that the Lord eats through the sacrificial fire and the brähmaëa’s mouth. So many articles—grains, ghee, etc.—are offered in sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord. The Lord accepts sacrificial offerings from the brähmaëas and devotees, and elsewhere it is stated that whatever is given for the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas to eat is also accepted by the Lord. But here it is said that He accepts offerings to the mouths of brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas with even greater relish. The best example of this is found in the life of Advaita Prabhu in his dealings with Haridäsa Öhäkura. Even though Haridäsa was born of a Muhammadan family, Advaita Prabhu offered him the first dish of prasäda after the performance of a sacred fire ceremony. Haridäsa Öhäkura informed him that he was born of a Muhammadan family and asked why Advaita Prabhu was offering the first dish to a Muhammadan instead of an elevated brähmaëa. Out of his humbleness, Haridäsa condemned himself a Muhammadan, but Advaita Prabhu, being an experienced devotee, accepted him as a real brähmaëa. Advaita Prabhu asserted that by offering the first dish to Haridäsa Öhäkura, he was getting the result of feeding one hundred thousand brähmaëas. The conclusion is that if one can feed a brähmaëa or Vaiñëava, it is better than performing hundreds of thousands of sacrifices. In this age, therefore, it is recommended that harer näma [Cc. Ädi 17.21]—chanting the holy name of God—and pleasing the Vaiñëava are the only means to elevate oneself to spiritual life.

SB 3.16.9
TEXT 9

yeñäà bibharmy aham akhaëòa-vikuëöha-yoga-
mäyä-vibhütir amaläìghri-rajaù kiréöaiù
vipräàs tu ko na viñaheta yad-arhaëämbhaù
sadyaù punäti saha-candra-laläma-lokän

TRANSLATION
I am the master of My unobstructed internal energy, and the water of the Ganges is the remnant left after My feet are washed. That water sanctifies the three worlds, along with Lord Çiva, who bears it on his head. If I can take the dust of the feet of the Vaiñëava on My head, who will refuse to do the same?
PURPORT
The difference between the internal and external energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is that in the internal energy, or in the spiritual world, all the opulences are undisturbed, whereas in the external or material energy, all the opulences are temporary manifestations. The Lord’s supremacy is equal in both the spiritual and material worlds, but the spiritual world is called the kingdom of God, and the material world is called the kingdom of mäyä. Mäyä refers to that which is not actually fact. The opulence of the material world is a reflection. It is stated in Bhagavad-gétä that this material world is just like a tree whose roots are up and branches down. This means that the material world is the shadow of the spiritual world. Real opulence is in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world the predominating Deity is the Lord Himself, whereas in the material world there are many lords. That is the difference between the internal and external energies. The Lord says that although He is the predominating factor of the internal energy and although the material world is sanctified just by the water that has washed His feet, He has the greatest respect for the brähmaëa and the Vaiñëava. When the Lord Himself offers so much respect to the Vaiñëava and the brähmaëa, how can one deny such respect to such personalities?

SB 3.16.10
TEXT 10

ye me tanür dvija-varän duhatér madéyä
bhütäny alabdha-çaraëäni ca bheda-buddhyä
drakñyanty agha-kñata-dåço hy ahi-manyavas tän
gådhrä ruñä mama kuñanty adhidaëòa-netuù

TRANSLATION
The brähmaëas, the cows and the defenseless creatures are My own body. Those whose faculty of judgment has been impaired by their own sin look upon these as distinct from Me. They are just like furious serpents, and they are angrily torn apart by the bills of the vulturelike messengers of Yamaräja, the superintendent of sinful persons.
PURPORT
The defenseless creatures, according to Brahma-saàhitä, are the cows, brähmaëas, women, children and old men. Of these five, the brähmaëas and cows are especially mentioned in this verse because the Lord is always anxious about the benefit of the brähmaëas and the cows and is prayed to in this way. The Lord especially instructs, therefore, that no one should be envious of these five, especially the cows and brähmaëas. In some of the Bhägavatam readings, the word duhitèù is used instead of duhatéù. But in either case, the meaning is the same. Duhatéù means “cow,” and duhitèù can also be used to mean “cow” because the cow is supposed to be the daughter of the sun-god. Just as children are taken care of by the parents, women as a class should be taken care of by the father, husband or grown-up son. Those who are helpless must be taken care of by their respective guardians, otherwise the guardians will be subjected to the punishment of Yamaräja, who is appointed by the Lord to supervise the activities of sinful living creatures. The assistants, or messengers, of Yamaräja are likened here to vultures, and those who do not execute their respective duties in protecting their wards are compared to serpents. Vultures deal very seriously with serpents, and similarly the messengers will deal very seriously with neglectful guardians.

SB 3.16.11
TEXT 11

ye brähmaëän mayi dhiyä kñipato ’rcayantas
tuñyad-dhådaù smita-sudhokñita-padma-vakträù
väëyänuräga-kalayätmajavad gåëantaù
sambodhayanty aham iväham upähåtas taiù

TRANSLATION
On the other hand, they captivate My heart who are gladdened in heart and who, their lotus faces enlightened by nectarean smiles, respect the brähmaëas, even though the brähmaëas utter harsh words. They look upon the brähmaëas as My own Self and pacify them by praising them in loving words, even as a son would appease an angry father or as I am pacifying you.
PURPORT
It has been observed in many instances in the Vedic scriptures that when the brähmaëas or Vaiñëavas curse someone in an angry mood, the person who is cursed does not take it upon himself to treat the brähmaëas or Vaiñëavas in the same way. There are many examples of this. For instance, the sons of Kuvera, when cursed by the great sage Närada, did not seek revenge in the same harsh way, but submitted. Here also, when Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the four Kumäras, they did not become harsh towards them; rather, they submitted. That should be the way of treating brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas. One may sometimes be faced with a grievous situation created by a brähmaëa, but instead of meeting him with a similar mood, one should try to pacify him with a smiling face and mild treatment. Brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas should be accepted as earthly representatives of Näräyaëa. Nowadays some foolish persons have manufactured the term daridra-näräyaëa, indicating that the poor man should be accepted as the representative of Näräyaëa. But in Vedic literature we do not find that poor men should be treated as representatives of Näräyaëa. Of course, “those who are unprotected” are mentioned here, but the definition of this phrase is clear from the çästras. The poor man should not be unprotected, but the brähmaëa should especially be treated as the representative of Näräyaëa and should be worshiped like Him. It is specifically said that to pacify the brähmaëas, one’s face should be lotuslike. A lotuslike face is exhibited when one is adorned with love and affection. In this respect, the example of the father’s being angry at the son and the son’s trying to pacify the father with smiling and sweet words is very appropriate.

SB 3.16.12
TEXT 12

tan me sva-bhartur avasäyam alakñamäëau
yuñmad-vyatikrama-gatià pratipadya sadyaù
bhüyo mamäntikam itäà tad anugraho me
yat kalpatäm acirato bhåtayor viväsaù

TRANSLATION
These servants of Mine have transgressed against you, not knowing the mind of their master. I shall therefore deem it a favor done to Me if you order that, although reaping the fruit of their transgression, they may return to My presence soon and the time of their exile from My abode may expire before long.
PURPORT
From this statement we can understand how anxious the Lord is to get his servitor back into Vaikuëöha. This incident, therefore, proves that those who have once entered a Vaikuëöha planet can never fall down. The case of Jaya and Vijaya is not a falldown; it is just an accident. The Lord is always anxious to get such devotees back again to the Vaikuëöha planets as soon as possible. It is to be assumed that there is no possibility of a misunderstanding between the Lord and the devotees, but when there are discrepancies or disruptions between one devotee and another, one has to suffer the consequences, although that suffering is temporary. The Lord is so kind to His devotees that He took all the responsibility for the doormen’s offense and requested the sages to give them facilities to return to Vaikuëöha as soon as possible.

SB 3.16.13
TEXT 13

brahmoväca
atha tasyoçatéà devém
åñi-kulyäà sarasvatém
näsvädya manyu-dañöänäà
teñäm ätmäpy atåpyata

TRANSLATION
Brahmä continued: Even though the sages had been bitten by the serpent of anger, their souls were not satiated with hearing the Lord’s lovely and illuminating speech, which was like a series of Vedic hymns.

SB 3.16.14
TEXT 14

satéà vyädäya çåëvanto
laghvéà gurv-artha-gahvaräm
vigähyägädha-gambhéräà
na vidus tac-cikérñitam

TRANSLATION
The Lord’s excellent speech was difficult to comprehend because of its momentous import and its most profound significance. The sages heard it with wide-open ears and pondered it as well. But although hearing, they could not understand what He intended to do.
PURPORT
It should be understood that no one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead in speaking. There is no difference between the Supreme Person and His speeches, for He stands on the absolute platform. The sages tried with wide open ears to understand the words from the lips of the Supreme Lord, but although His speech was very concise and meaningful, the sages could not completely comprehend what He was saying. They could not even comprehend the purport of the speech or what the Supreme Lord wanted to do. Nor could they understand whether the Lord was angry or pleased with them.

SB 3.16.15
TEXT 15

te yoga-mäyayärabdha-
pärameñöhya-mahodayam
procuù präïjalayo vipräù
prahåñöäù kñubhita-tvacaù

TRANSLATION
The four brähmaëa sages were nevertheless extremely delighted to behold Him, and they experienced a thrill throughout their bodies. They then spoke as follows to the Lord, who had revealed the multiglories of the Supreme Personality through His internal potency, yogamäyä.
PURPORT
The sages were almost too puzzled to speak before the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the first time, and the hairs of their bodies stood erect due to their extreme joy. The highest opulence in the material world is called pärameñöhya, the opulence of Brahmä. But that material opulence of Brahmä, who lives on the topmost planet within this material world, cannot compare to the opulence of the Supreme Lord because the transcendental opulence in the spiritual world is caused by yogamäyä, whereas the opulence in the material world is caused by mahämäyä.

SB 3.16.16
TEXT 16

åñaya ücuù
na vayaà bhagavan vidmas
tava deva cikérñitam
kåto me ’nugrahaç ceti
yad adhyakñaù prabhäñase

TRANSLATION
The sages said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, we are unable to know what You intend for us to do, for even though You are the supreme ruler of all, You speak in our favor as if we had done something good for You.
PURPORT
The sages could understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is above everyone, was speaking as if He were in the wrong; therefore it was difficult for them to understand the words of the Lord. They could understand, however, that the Lord was speaking in such a humble way just to show them His all-merciful favor.

SB 3.16.17
TEXT 17

brahmaëyasya paraà daivaà
brähmaëäù kila te prabho
vipräëäà deva-devänäà
bhagavän ätma-daivatam

TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are the supreme director of the brahminical culture. Your considering the brähmaëas to be in the highest position is Your example for teaching others. Actually You are the supreme worshipable Deity, not only for the gods but for the brähmaëas also.
PURPORT
In the Brahma-saàhitä it is clearly stated that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes. There are undoubtedly many demigods, the chiefs of whom are Brahmä and Çiva. Lord Viñëu is the Lord of Brahmä and Çiva, not to speak of the brähmaëas in this material world. As mentioned in Bhagavad-gétä, the Supreme Lord is very favorable towards all activities performed according to brahminical culture, or the qualities of control of the senses and mind, cleanliness, forbearance, faith in scripture, and practical and theoretical knowledge. The Lord is the Supersoul of everyone. In Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the Lord is the source of all emanations; thus He is also the source of Brahmä and Çiva.

SB 3.16.18
TEXT 18

tvattaù sanätano dharmo
rakñyate tanubhis tava
dharmasya paramo guhyo
nirvikäro bhavän mataù

TRANSLATION
You are the source of the eternal occupation of all living entities, and by Your multimanifestations of Personalities of Godhead, You have always protected religion. You are the supreme objective of religious principles, and in our opinion You are inexhaustible and unchangeable eternally.
PURPORT
The statement in this verse dharmasya paramo guhyaù refers to the most confidential part of all religious principles. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä. The conclusion of Lord Kåñëa in His advice to Arjuna is: “Give up all other religious engagement and just surrender unto Me.” This is the most confidential knowledge in executing religious principles. In the Bhägavatam also it is stated that if one does not become Kåñëa conscious after very rigidly executing one’s specified religious duties, all his labor in following so-called religious principles is simply a waste of time. Here also the sages confirm the statement that the Supreme Lord, not the demigods, is the ultimate goal of all religious principles. There are many foolish propagandists who say that worship of the demigods is also a way to reach the supreme goal, but in the authorized statements of Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Bhagavad-gétä this is not accepted. Bhagavad-gétä says that one who worships a particular demigod can reach the demigod’s planet, but one who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead can enter into Vaikuëöha. Some propagandists say that regardless of what one does he will ultimately reach the supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, but this is not valid. The Lord is eternal, the Lord’s servitor is eternal, and the Lord’s abode is also eternal. They are all described here as sanätana, or eternal. The result of devotional service, therefore, is not temporary, as is the achievement of heavenly planets by worshiping the demigods. The sages wanted to stress that although the Lord, out of His causeless mercy, says that He worships the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas, actually the Lord is worshipable not only by the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas but also by the demigods.

SB 3.16.19
TEXT 19

taranti hy aïjasä måtyuà
nivåttä yad-anugrahät
yoginaù sa bhavän kià svid
anugåhyeta yat paraiù

TRANSLATION
Mystics and transcendentalists, by the mercy of the Lord, cross beyond nescience by ceasing all material desires. It is not possible, therefore, that the Supreme Lord can be favored by others.
PURPORT
Unless one is favored by the Supreme Lord, one cannot cross over the ocean of the nescience of repeated birth and death. Here it is stated that yogés or mystics cross beyond nescience by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many kinds of mystics, such as the karma-yogé, jïäna-yogé, dhyäna-yogé and bhakti-yogé. The karmés particularly search after the favor of the demigods, the jïänés want to become one with the Supreme Absolute Truth, and the yogés are satisfied simply by partial vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramätmä, and ultimately by oneness with Him. But the bhaktas, the devotees, want to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally and serve Him. It has already been admitted that the Lord is eternal, and those who want the favor of the Supreme Lord perpetually are also eternal. Therefore yogés here means devotees. By the mercy of the Lord, devotees can easily pass beyond the nescience of birth and death and attain the eternal abode of the Lord. The Lord is therefore not in need of another’s favor because no one is equal to or greater than Him. Actually, everyone needs the favor of the Lord for successful understanding of his human mission.

SB 3.16.20
TEXT 20

yaà vai vibhütir upayäty anuvelam anyair
arthärthibhiù sva-çirasä dhåta-päda-reëuù
dhanyärpitäìghri-tulasé-nava-däma-dhämno
lokaà madhuvrata-pater iva käma-yänä

TRANSLATION
The goddess of fortune, Lakñmé, the dust of whose feet is worn on the head by others, waits upon You, as appointed, for she is anxious to secure a place in the abode of the king of bees, who hovers on the fresh wreath of tulasé leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee.
PURPORT
As previously described, tulasé has attained all superior qualities due to being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord. The comparison made here is very nice. As the king of bees hovers over the tulasé leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, so Lakñmé, the goddess who is sought by the demigods, brähmaëas, Vaiñëavas and everyone else, always engages in rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord. The conclusion is that no one can be the benefactor of the Lord; everyone is actually the servant of the servant of the Lord [Cc. Madhya 13.80].

SB 3.16.21
TEXT 21

yas täà vivikta-caritair anuvartamänäà
nätyädriyat parama-bhägavata-prasaìgaù
sa tvaà dvijänupatha-puëya-rajaù-punétaù
çrévatsa-lakñma kim agä bhaga-bhäjanas tvam

TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are exceedingly attached to the activities of Your pure devotees, yet You are never attached to the goddesses of fortune who constantly engage in Your transcendental loving service. How can You be purified, therefore, by the dust of the path traversed by the brähmaëas, and how can You be glorified or made fortunate by the marks of Çrévatsa on Your chest?
PURPORT
It is said in the Brahma-saàhitä that the Lord is always served by many hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune in His Vaikuëöha planet, yet because of His attitude of renunciation of all opulences, He is not attached to any one of them. The Lord has six opulences—unlimited wealth, unlimited fame, unlimited strength, unlimited beauty, unlimited knowledge and unlimited renunciation. All the demigods and other living entities worship Lakñmé, the goddess of fortune, just to get her favor, yet the Lord is never attached to her because He can create an unlimited number of such goddesses for His transcendental service. The goddess of fortune, Lakñmé, is sometimes envious of the tulasé leaves which are placed at the lotus feet of the Lord, for they remain fixed there and do not move, whereas Lakñméjé, although stationed by the chest of the Lord, sometimes has to please other devotees who pray for her favor. Lakñméjé sometimes has to go to satisfy her numerous devotees, but tulasé leaves never forsake their position, and the Lord therefore appreciates the service of the tulasé more than the service of Lakñmé. When the Lord says, therefore, that it is due to the causeless mercy of the brähmaëas that Lakñméjé does not leave Him, we can understand that Lakñméjé is attracted by the opulence of the Lord, not by the brähmaëas’ benedictions upon Him. The Lord is not dependent on anyone’s mercy for His opulence; He is always self-sufficient. The Lord’s statement that His opulence is due to the benediction of the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas is only to teach others that they should offer respect to the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas, the devotees of the Lord.

SB 3.16.22
TEXT 22

dharmasya te bhagavatas tri-yuga tribhiù svaiù
padbhiç caräcaram idaà dvija-devatärtham
nünaà bhåtaà tad-abhighäti rajas tamaç ca
sattvena no varadayä tanuvä nirasya

TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are the personification of all religion. Therefore You manifest Yourself in three millenniums, and thus You protect this universe, which consists of animate and inanimate beings. By Your grace, which is of pure goodness and is the bestower of all blessings, kindly drive away the elements of rajas and tamas for the sake of the demigods and twice-born.
PURPORT
The Lord is addressed in this verse as tri-yuga, or one who appears in three millenniums—namely the Satya, Dväpara and Tretä yugas. He is not mentioned as appearing in the fourth millennium, or Kali-yuga. It is described in Vedic literature that in Kali-yuga He comes as channa-avatära, or an incarnation, but He does not appear as a manifest incarnation. In the other yugas, however, the Lord is a manifest incarnation, and therefore he is addressed as tri-yuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.
Çrédhara Svämé describes tri-yuga as follows: yuga means “couple,” and tri means “three.” The Lord is manifested as three couples by His six opulences, or three couples of opulences. In that way He can be addressed as tri-yuga. The Lord is the personality of religious principles. In three millenniums religious principles are protected by three kinds of spiritual culture, namely austerity, cleanliness and mercy. The Lord is called tri-yuga in that way also. In the age of Kali these three requisites to spiritual culture are almost absent, but the Lord is so kind that in spite of Kali-yuga’s being devoid of these three spiritual qualities, He comes and protects the people of this age in His covered incarnation as Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is called “covered” because although He is Kåñëa Himself, He presents Himself as a devotee of Kåñëa, not directly Kåñëa. The devotees pray to Lord Caitanya, therefore, to eliminate their stock of passion and ignorance, the most conspicuous assets of this yuga. In the Kåñëa consciousness movement one cleanses himself of the modes of passion and ignorance by chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, as introduced by Lord Caitanya.
The four Kumäras were cognizant of their situation in the modes of passion and ignorance because, although in Vaikuëöha, they wanted to curse devotees of the Lord. Since they were conscious of their own weakness, they prayed to the Lord to remove their still-existing passion and ignorance. The three transcendental qualifications—cleanliness, austerity and mercy—are the qualifications of the twice-born and the demigods. Those who are not situated in the quality of goodness cannot accept these three principles of spiritual culture. For the Kåñëa consciousness movement, therefore, there are three sinful activities which are prohibited—namely illicit sex, intoxication, and eating food other than the prasäda offered to Kåñëa. These three prohibitions are based on the principles of austerity, cleanliness and mercy. Devotees are merciful because they spare the poor animals, and they are clean because they are free of contamination from unwanted foodstuff and unwanted habits. Austerity is represented by restricted sex life. These principles, indicated by the prayers of the four Kumäras, should be followed by the devotees who are engaged in Kåñëa consciousness.

SB 3.16.23
TEXT 23

na tvaà dvijottama-kulaà yadi hätma-gopaà
goptä våñaù svarhaëena sa-sünåtena
tarhy eva naìkñyati çivas tava deva panthä
loko ’grahéñyad åñabhasya hi tat pramäëam

TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are the protector of the highest of the twice-born. If You do not protect them by offering worship and mild words, then certainly the auspicious path of worship will be rejected by people in general, who act on the strength and authority of Your Lordship.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gétä it is stated by the Lord Himself that the acts and character of great authorities are followed by people in general. Leaders of ideal character are therefore needed in society. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in this material world just to show the example of perfect authority, and people have to follow His path. The Vedic injunction is that one cannot understand the Absolute Truth simply by mental speculation or logical argument. One has to follow the authorities. Mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Great authorities should be followed; otherwise, if we simply depend on the scriptures, we are sometimes misled by rascals, or else we cannot understand or follow the different spiritual injunctions. The best path is to follow the authorities. The four brähmaëa-sages stated that Kåñëa is naturally the protector of the cows and brähmaëas: go-brähmaëa-hitäya ca. When Kåñëa was on this planet, He set a practical example. He was a cowherd boy, and He was very respectful to the brähmaëas and devotees.
It is also affirmed herein that the brähmaëas are the best of the twice-born. Brähmaëas, kñatriyas and vaiçyas are all twice-born, but the brähmaëas are the best. When there is a fight between two persons, each of them protects the upper part of his body—the head, the arms and the belly. Similarly, for the actual advancement of human civilization, the best part of the social body, namely the brähmaëas, the kñatriyas and vaiçyas (the intelligent class of men, the military class and the mercantile men) should be given special protection. Protection of the laborers should not be neglected, but special protection should be given to the upper orders. Of all classes of men, the brähmaëas and the Vaiñëavas should be given special protection. They should be worshiped. When their protection is performed, it is just like worshiping God. That is not exactly protection; it is a duty. One should worship the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas by offering them all kinds of endowments and sweet words, and if one has no means to offer anything, he must at least use sweet words to pacify them. The Lord personally exhibited this behavior towards the Kumäras.
If this system is not introduced by the leaders, then human civilization will be lost. When there is no protection and special treatment for persons who are devotees of the Lord, who are highly intelligent in spiritual life, then the whole society is lost. The word naìkñyati indicates that such a civilization becomes spoiled and is annihilated. The kind of civilization recommended is called deva-patha, which means the “royal road of the demigods.” Demigods are supposed to be fully fixed in devotional service, or Kåñëa consciousness; that is the auspicious path that should be protected. If the authorities or the leaders of society do not give special respect to the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas and do not offer them not only sweet words but all facilities, then the path of progress will be lost to human civilization. The Lord personally wanted to teach this, and therefore He offered so much praise to the Kumäras.

SB 3.16.24
TEXT 24

tat te ’nabhéñöam iva sattva-nidher vidhitsoù
kñemaà janäya nija-çaktibhir uddhåtäreù
naitävatä try-adhipater bata viçva-bhartus
tejaù kñataà tv avanatasya sa te vinodaù

TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, You never want the auspicious path to be destroyed, for You are the reservoir of all goodness. Just to benefit people in general, You destroy the evil element by Your mighty potency. You are the proprietor of the three creations and the maintainer of the entire universe. Therefore Your potency is not reduced by Your submissive behavior. Rather, by submission You exhibit Your transcendental pastimes.
PURPORT
Lord Kåñëa was never reduced in His position by becoming a cowherd boy or by offering respect to Sudämä Brähmaëa or His other devotees like Nanda Mahäräja, Vasudeva, Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira and the Päëòavas’ mother, Kunté. Everyone knew that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, yet His behavior was exemplary. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]; His form is completely spiritual, full of bliss and knowledge, and it is eternal. Because the living entities are His parts and parcels, originally they also belong to the same quality of eternal form as the Lord, but when they come in contact with mäyä, the material potency, due to their forgetfulness their existential constitution is covered. We should try to understand the appearance of Lord Kåñëa in this spirit, as the Kumäras pray to Him. He is eternally a cowherd boy at Våndävana, He is eternally the leader of the Battle of Kurukñetra, and He is eternally the opulent prince of Dvärakä and the lover of the damsels of Våndävana; all His appearances are meaningful because they show His real characteristics to the conditioned souls, who have forgotten their relationship with the Supreme Lord. He does everything for their benefit. The force exhibited in the Battle of Kurukñetra by the desire of Kåñëa and through the agency of Arjuna was also necessary because when people become too irreligious, force is required. Nonviolence in this respect is rascaldom.

SB 3.16.25
TEXT 25

yaà vänayor damam adhéça bhavän vidhatte
våttià nu vä tad anumanmahi nirvyalékam
asmäsu vä ya ucito dhriyatäà sa daëòo
ye ’nägasau vayam ayuìkñmahi kilbiñeëa

TRANSLATION
O Lord, whatever punishment You wish to award to these two innocent persons or also to us we shall accept without duplicity. We understand that we have cursed two faultless persons.
PURPORT
The sages, the four Kumäras, now reject their cursing of the two doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, because they are now conscious that persons who engage in the service of the Lord cannot be at fault at any stage. It is said that anyone who has implicit faith in the service of the Lord, or who actually engages in transcendental loving service, has all the good qualities of the demigods. Therefore, a devotee cannot be at fault. If sometimes it is found that he is in error by accident or by some temporary arrangement, that should not be taken very seriously. The cursing of Jaya and Vijaya is here repented. Now the Kumäras are thinking in terms of their position in the modes of passion and ignorance, and they are prepared to accept any kind of punishment from the Lord. In general, when dealing with devotees, we should not try to find faults. In Bhagavad-gétä also it is confirmed that the devotee who faithfully serves the Supreme Lord, even if found to commit a gross mistake, should be considered a sädhu, or saintly person. Due to former habits he may commit some wrong, but because he is engaged in the service of the Lord, that wrong should not be taken very seriously.

SB 3.16.26
TEXT 26

çré-bhagavän uväca
etau suretara-gatià pratipadya sadyaù
saàrambha-sambhåta-samädhy-anubaddha-yogau
bhüyaù sakäçam upayäsyata äçu yo vaù
çäpo mayaiva nimitas tad aveta vipräù

TRANSLATION
The Lord replied: O brähmaëas, 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 Vaikuëöha, 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 Vaikuëöha 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-gétä (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-gétä 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 Vaikuëöha 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 Bhägavatam.

SB 3.16.27
TEXT 27

brahmoväca
atha te munayo dåñövä
nayanänanda-bhäjanam
vaikuëöhaà tad-adhiñöhänaà
vikuëöhaà ca svayaà-prabham

TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmä said: After seeing the Lord of Vaikuëöha, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the self-illuminated Vaikuëöha planet, the sages left that transcendental abode.
PURPORT
The transcendental abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in Bhagavad-gétä and confirmed in this verse, is self-illuminated. In Bhagavad-gétä 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 Kåñëa says that once one goes to that Vaikuëöha planet, he never returns. The inhabitants of Vaikuëöha 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 Vaikuëöha.

SB 3.16.28
TEXT 28

bhagavantaà parikramya
praëipatyänumänya ca
pratijagmuù pramuditäù
çaàsanto vaiñëavéà çriyam

TRANSLATION
The sages circumambulated the Supreme Lord, offered their obeisances and returned, extremely delighted at learning of the divine opulences of the Vaiñëava.
PURPORT
It is still a respectful practice to circumambulate the Lord in Hindu temples. Especially in Vaiñëava temples there is an arrangement for people to offer their respects to the Deity and circumambulate the temple at least three times.

SB 3.16.29
TEXT 29

bhagavän anugäv äha
yätaà mä bhaiñöam astu çam
brahma-tejaù samartho ’pi
hantuà necche mataà tu 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 brähmaëas’ 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 Vaikuëöha 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 Vaikuëöha 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.

SB 3.16.30
TEXT 30

etat puraiva nirdiñöaà
ramayä kruddhayä yadä
puräpaväritä dväri
viçanté mayy upärate

TRANSLATION
This departure from Vaikuëöha was foretold by Lakñmé, 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.

SB 3.16.31
TEXT 31

mayi saàrambha-yogena
nistérya brahma-helanam
pratyeñyataà nikäçaà me
kälenälpéyasä punaù

TRANSLATION
The Lord assured the two Vaikuëöha inhabitants, Jaya and Vijaya: By practicing the mystic yoga system in anger, you will be cleansed of the sin of disobeying the brähmaëas 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 brähmaëas. Çréla Madhva Muni remarks in this connection that by practicing bhakti-yoga one can become free from all sinful reactions. Even a brahma-çäpa, or curse by a brähmaëa, 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 Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.29.15): kämaà krodhaà bhayam. The gopés were attracted to Kåñëa by bhakti-yoga in a relationship of lusty desire (käma). Similarly, Kaàsa 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, viñëu-bhaktaù småto daiva äsuras tad-vipanyayaù: “Devotees of Lord Viñëu 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-gétä (18.65), man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù: “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 brähmaëa or a Vaiñëava is the most sinful. Here it is clearly stated that one can overcome even that grave sin simply by thinking of Viñëu, not even favorably but in anger. Thus even if those who are not devotees always think of Viñëu, they become free from all sinful activities. Kåñëa consciousness is the highest form of thought. Lord Viñëu is thought of in this age by chanting Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare. From the statements of the Bhägavatam it appears that if one thinks of Kåñëa, even as an enemy, that particular qualification—thinking of Viñëu, or Kåñëa—cleanses one of all sins.

SB 3.16.32
TEXT 32

dväùsthäv ädiçya bhagavän
vimäna-çreëi-bhüñaëam
sarvätiçayayä lakñmyä
juñöaà svaà dhiñëyam äviçat

TRANSLATION
After thus speaking at the door of Vaikuëöha, 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 Vaikuëöhaloka. In other words, the sages were not actually within Vaikuëöhaloka, but were at the gate. It could be asked, “How could they return to the material world if they entered Vaikuëöhaloka?” But factually they did not enter, and therefore they returned. There are many similar incidents where great yogés and brähmaëas, by dint of their yoga practice, have gone from this material world to Vaikuëöhaloka—but they were not meant to stay there. They came back. It is also confirmed here that the Lord was surrounded by many Vaikuëöha airplanes. Vaikuëöhaloka 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 Brahmä, and Brahmä is born of Lord Viñëu. Kåñëa states in Bhagavad-gétä, in the Tenth Chapter, ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù: [Bg. 10.8] Lord Viñëu is the origin of all manifestations in the material world. Those who know that Lord Viñëu is the origin of everything, who are conversant with the process of creation and who understand that Viñëu, or Kåñëa, is the most worshipable object of all living entities, engage themselves in Viñëu worship as Vaiñëavas. The Vedic hymns also confirm this: oà tad viñëoù paramaà padam. The goal of life is to understand Viñëu. The Bhägavatam also confirms this elsewhere. Foolish people, not knowing that Viñëu is the supreme worshipable object, create so many worshipable objects in this material world, and therefore they fall down.

SB 3.16.33
TEXT 33

tau tu gérväëa-åñabhau
dustaräd dhari-lokataù
hata-çriyau brahma-çäpäd
abhütäà vigata-smayau

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

SB 3.16.34
TEXT 34

tadä vikuëöha-dhiñaëät
tayor nipatamänayoù
hähä-käro mahän äséd
vimänägryeñu putrakäù

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.

SB 3.16.35
TEXT 35

täv eva hy adhunä präptau
pärñada-pravarau hareù
diter jaöhara-nirviñöaà
käçyapaà teja ulbaëam

TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmä continued: Those two principal doorkeepers of the Personality of Godhead have now entered the womb of Diti, the powerful semen of Kaçyapa Muni having covered them.
PURPORT
Here is clear proof of how a living entity coming originally from Vaikuëöhaloka 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 Kaçyapa Muni was not in order when he conceived the two sons, Hiraëyäkña and Hiraëyakaçipu. 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 Garbhädhäna-saàskära 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 Hiraëyäkña and Hiraëyakaçipu. The conditions of conception are to be carefully studied. This is a very great science.

SB 3.16.36
TEXT 36

tayor asurayor adya
tejasä yamayor hi vaù
äkñiptaà teja etarhi
bhagaväàs tad vidhitsati

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 Hiraëyakaçipu and Hiraëyäkña, formerly Jaya and Vijaya, became asuras, the demigods of this material world could not control them, and therefore Lord Brahmä 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 Kumäras. 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.
Brahmä 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.

SB 3.16.37
TEXT 37

viçvasya yaù sthiti-layodbhava-hetur ädyo
yogeçvarair api duratyaya-yogamäyaù
kñemaà vidhäsyati sa no bhagaväàs tryadhéças
taträsmadéya-vimåçena kiyän ihärthaù

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, yogamäyä, 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 Haridäsa Öhäkura 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 Haridäsa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. Similarly, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahläda Mahäräja was put through so many tribulations. The Päëòavas, who were direct friends of Kåñëa, 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 Bhägavatam’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 Vaikuëöha planets. Lord Brahmä 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. Brahmä 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 Çrémad-Bhägavatam, entitled “The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuëöha, Jaya and Vijaya, Cursed by the Sages.”

SB 3.17.1
TEXT 1

maitreya uväca
niçamyätma-bhuvä gétaà
käraëaà çaìkayojjhitäù
tataù sarve nyavartanta
tridiväya divaukasaù

TRANSLATION
Çré Maitreya said: The demigods, the inhabitants of the higher planets, were freed from all fear upon hearing the cause of the darkness explained by Brahmä, who was born from Viñëu. Thus they all returned to their respective planets.
PURPORT
The demigods, who are denizens of higher planets, are also very much afraid of incidents such as the universe’s becoming dark, and so they consulted Brahmä. This indicates that the quality of fear exists for every living entity in the material world. The four principal activities of material existence are eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. The fear element exists also in the demigods. On every planet, even in the higher planetary systems, including the moon and the sun, as well as on this earth, the same principles of animal life exist. Otherwise, why are the demigods also afraid of the darkness? The difference between the demigods and ordinary human beings is that the demigods approach authority, whereas the inhabitants of this earth defy authority. If people would only approach the authority, then every adverse condition in this universe could be rectified. Arjuna was also disturbed on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra, but he approached the authority, Kåñëa, and his problem was solved. The conclusive instruction of this incident is that we may be disturbed by some material condition, but if we approach the authority who can actually explain the matter, then our problem is solved. The demigods approached Brahmä for the meaning of the disturbance, and after hearing from him they were satisfied and returned home peacefully.

SB 3.17.2
TEXT 2

ditis tu bhartur ädeçäd
apatya-pariçaìkiné
pürëe varña-çate sädhvé
putrau prasuñuve yamau

TRANSLATION
The virtuous lady Diti had been very apprehensive of trouble to the gods from the children in her womb, and her husband predicted the same. She brought forth twin sons after a full one hundred years of pregnancy.

SB 3.17.3
TEXT 3

utpätä bahavas tatra
nipetur jäyamänayoù
divi bhuvy antarikñe ca
lokasyoru-bhayävahäù

TRANSLATION
On the birth of the two demons there were many natural disturbances, all very fearful and wonderful, in the heavenly planets, the earthly planets and in between them.

SB 3.17.4
TEXT 4

sahäcalä bhuvaç celur
diçaù sarväù prajajvaluù
solkäç cäçanayaù petuù
ketavaç cärti-hetavaù

TRANSLATION
There were earthquakes along the mountains on the earth, and it appeared that there was fire everywhere. Many inauspicious planets like Saturn appeared, along with comets, meteors and thunderbolts.
PURPORT
When natural disturbances occur on a planet, one should understand that a demon must have taken birth there. In the present age the number of demoniac people is increasing; therefore natural disturbances are also increasing. There is no doubt about this, as we can understand from the statements of the Bhägavatam.

SB 3.17.5
TEXT 5

vavau väyuù suduùsparçaù
phüt-kärän érayan muhuù
unmülayan naga-patén
vätyänéko rajo-dhvajaù

TRANSLATION
There blew winds which were most uninviting to the touch, hissing again and again and uprooting gigantic trees. They had storms for their armies and clouds of dust for their ensigns.
PURPORT
When there are natural disturbances like blowing cyclones, too much heat or snowfall, and uprooting of trees by hurricanes, it is to be understood that the demoniac population is increasing and so the natural disturbance is also taking place. There are many countries on the globe, even at the present moment, where all these disturbances are current. This is true all over the world. There is insufficient sunshine, and there are always clouds in the sky, snowfall and severe cold. These assure that such places are inhabited by demoniac people who are accustomed to all kinds of forbidden, sinful activity.

SB 3.17.6
TEXT 6

uddhasat-taòid-ambhoda-
ghaöayä nañöa-bhägaëe
vyomni praviñöa-tamasä
na sma vyädåçyate padam

TRANSLATION
The luminaries in the heavens were screened by masses of clouds, in which lightning sometimes flashed as though laughing. Darkness reigned everywhere, and nothing could be seen.

SB 3.17.7
TEXT 7

cukroça vimanä värdhir
udürmiù kñubhitodaraù
sodapänäç ca saritaç
cukñubhuù çuñka-paìkajäù

TRANSLATION
The ocean with its high waves wailed aloud as if stricken with sorrow, and there was a commotion among the creatures inhabiting the ocean. The rivers and lakes were also agitated, and lotuses withered.

SB 3.17.8
TEXT 8

muhuù paridhayo ’bhüvan
sarähvoù çaçi-süryayoù