Srimad Bhagavatam – day 376
The sages cursed, “O foolish men! Traits of goodness (sattva) alone pervade Vaikunṭha and all those who live in close proximity to Srihari here. However, enveloped by traits of passion and ignorance (rajas, tamas) both of you have discarded traits of goodness (sattva)”.
Swamiji explains: I am explaining to you in far greater detail. Some of these words the sages did not actually use.
“Since the traits of action/passion and ignorance need to be destroyed, we too will enact as if we are also enveloped by these traits and thereby punish you”- thinking thus, the sages continued, “Since you are enveloped with traits of action/passion and ignorance you have lost the eligibility to live in Vaikunṭha”.
Swamiji explains: Now you analyze- who do you think actually guards Lord Mahavishnu, who is an embodiment of pure traits? Are the door-keepers Jaya-Vijaya protecting His interests or are Sanaka and other sages protecting Him?
In my opinion, these four sages are protecting righteousness (dharma), truthfulness (satya) and traits of goodness (sattva guna)! In order to set this right, they arrived in Vaikunṭha. In fact, it can be said that the Lord himself arrived there in the form of the four sages. The door-keepers at Vaikunṭha should distance themselves from traits of passion and ignorance (rajas, tamas).
If the door-keepers were truly filled with pure traits (sattva) they would have recognized the great sages. Since these traits had become deficient in them, they failed in their job. The sages arrived at the right time to set right this deficiency.
The sages cursed, “You are unfit to live in Vaikunṭha. Hence may you fall to lower planets, into demonic wombs and obtain demonic births!”
When the door-keepers were falling down to the lower planets due to the strength of the curse, the eminent sages, who are an epitome of compassion, kindly said, “After 3 material births you will be freed from your curse and will return to Vaikunṭha.”
Swamiji explains: Through the medium of the sages the Lord punished the traits of passion and ignorance that had arisen in the door-keepers. Thereafter the ever-compassionate Lord who cannot stay away from his devotees for long, once again through the mouths of the sages addressed them and limited the punishment to only 3 births. He thought, ‘O gate-keepers, you are going to be tormented not only with traits of passion and ignorance but also due to gross body made up of muscles-blood, impurities, diseases, sense organs and other afflictions. You will suffer piteously on earth’. Then the Lord, who was filled with compassion, assured them that they would return to Him after 3 births.
In some versions of Bhagavatam it is said that they ask for the boon. “O Lord we agree that we have sinned. Yet we cannot stay away from You for long”. Then the Lord asks, “Do you want 10 births in which you are devoted towards Me or do you seek 3 births in which you totally despise Me?” In other places it is said that it is bestowed upon them due to the Lord’s mercy. Even that episode comes in this Bhagavatam.
Maharishi Nārada continued, “Thereafter these two were born as the sons of Diti and were respected by the demons belonging to the Diti-Danava clans. Among the brothers Hiraṇyakaśipu was the eldest. Hiraṇyākṣa was youngest. The Lord incarnated as Narasimha to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu. In the form of the boar Yagna-varāha the Lord, while lifting up the Earth, killed the demon Hiraṇyākṣa.
In order to protect Prahlāda the Lord incarnated as Narasimha and killed Hiraṇyakaśipu. In order to protect Vedas, dharma and Earth He incarnated as Yagna-varāha and killed Hiraṇyākṣa. Here the Lord had to take on two incarnations.
Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, was a steadfast devotee of Lord Srihari and was very dear to Him. With the desire to kill this son who was devoted towards the Lord, Hiraṇyakaśipu tormented him in innumerable ways.
Taṁ sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtaṁ praśāntaṁ sama-darśanam
Bhagavat-tejasā spṛṣṭaṁ nāśaknod dhantum udyamaiḥ
Prahlada is the supremely knowledgeable being (maha-jnani) who sees the Lord as pervading through this universe. As such feelings of likes-dislikes do not exist in him. The divine effulgence of the Lord, who resides as the Self within all living entities, flows totally in him.
Even when he was in his mother’s womb, he obtained initiation from Maharishi Nārada. For many births this supreme Mahatma had been Self-realized. As such even when he was flung from mountain tops, pierced with sharp weapons and tormented in unimaginable ways, he remained unhurt. Hiraṇyakaśipu’s attempts to kill his son were rendered fruitless”.
Nārāyaṇāya namah