Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 7 Chapter 1:28-47

Book 7: Chapter 1

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 7: Chapter 1: Verses 28-47 A dialogue between Narada and Yudhisthira : the story of Jaya and Vijaya With their sins thus washed off by constant contemplation through animosity on the almighty Lord Sri Krsna, who appeared as a human being by His own will, people attained to Him (easily and speedily too). Fixing their mind on the almighty Lord through concupiscence, hatred, fear or attachment as through devotion, and getting rid of their sin standing as a barrier against His realization, many attained union with Him. The cowherd women (of Vraja) attained to Him through concupiscence; Kamsa, through fear; Sisupala (the ruler of the Cedis) and other kings (like him), through hatred; the Vrsnis (the kinsmen of Lord Sri Krsna), through kinship; you (the Pandava brothers), through attachment and we (the sage Narada and others), through devotion, O lord l Vena (stood no chance of attaining to the Lord inasmuch as he) did not fall under any of the five categories (mentioned in verse 29) of those contemplating on the Lord. Hence by any means whatsoever one should fix one's mind on Sri Krsna (the all-enchanting Supreme Deity). Sisupala (the ruler of the Cedis), your maternal aunt's son, as well as Dantavaktra (son of another maternal aunt of yours), O Yudhisthira (son of Pandu), were (no other than) the two foremost attendants (Jaya and Vijaya) of Lord Visnu, (that had been) hurled down from their (divine) abode (Vaikuntha) under the curse of the Brahmana sages. Yudhisthira said : What kind of and whose curse was it that prevailed (even) against the servants of Lord Sri Hari ? The incarnation of those exclusively devoted to Sri Had appears as something incredible. Be pleased to narrate the episode connected with the corporeal existence of the denizens of Vaikunthapura (the abode of Lord Visnu), devoid (as they are) of a (material) body, Indriyas and life-breath. Narada replied : (While) traversing the three spheres (heaven, earth and the intermediate region), the sage Sanandana and his (three) brothers, sons of Brahma (the creator), once went to the realm (Vaikuntha) of Lord Visnu by the Lord's (own) will. Though born before the elders (in Brahma's creation, Marici and others), they look like children of five to six years of age and have no covering on their body except the quarters. Accounting them infants, the two gate-keepers (Jaya and Vijaya) stopped them. Full of anger, they (the sages) cursed them thus : "You do not even deserve to dwell at the soles of (much less serve) the feet of Lord Visnu (the Slayer of the demon Madhu), which are free from (all tinge of) Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance). Therefore, enter you at once, O fools, the most sinful demoniac womb !" Cursed in the aforesaid words, the two gate-keepers (of Vaikuntha) were, while falling down from their abode, addressed once more (as follows) by the merciful sages (Sanaka and others): "Let this imprecation make for your return to your realm at the end of three incarnations." They were born as Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa (the two sons of Diti), the adored of the Daityas and the Danavas (alike). Hiranyakasipu was the elder; while Hiranyaksa, the younger, was born afterwards. Hiranyakasipu was slain by Sri Hari, who had taken the form of a lion (Lord Nrsimha); and Hiranyaksa was killed by Him even as He assumed the body of a boar for the sake of lifting up the earth (from water). Anxious to get rid of his son, Prahrada, the beloved of Lord Visnu (the Protector of both Brahma and Siva), Hiranyakasipu inflicted on him tortures of various kinds in order to bring about his death, but could not kill with (all) his devices that perfectly tranquil boy, who had identified himself with all living beings, looked upon all with the same eye, and was invested with a divine glory. Then (in the next birth) they were born as a pair of Raksasas (ogres), the tormenters of all the worlds, Ravana and Kumbhakarna (by name), sons of the sage Visrava by Kesini. In order to redeem them from the curse the Lord slew them in that birth too, assuming the form of Sri Rama (a scion of Raghu). You will hear about the valour of Sri Rama from the lips of the sage Markandeya, O king ! Those very Raksasas (Ravana and Kumbhakarna) were born (again) in the Ksatriya race as Sisupala and Dantavaktra (sons of your maternal aunts). Their sins (in the shape of their impure bodies that were guilty of offence against the Lord) having been destroyed by the discus (Sudarsana) of Lord Sri Krsna, they have now (at the end of three incarnations) been redeemed from the curse (of Sanaka and his three brothers). Having (first) been exalted to the state of absorption into the immortal Lord (Sri Krsna) through contemplation intensified by constant enmity, they (eventually) returned to the (divine) presence of Sri Hari as attendants of Lord Visnu. Yudhisthira submitted : How did intense hatred come to be developed (in the mind of Hiranyakaaipu) towards his. high-souled and beloved son (Prahrada)? (Also) tell me, O glorious sage, the circumstances under which exclusive devotion to the immortal Lord sprang up in the heart of Prahrada. Thus ends the first discourse, forming part of the Introduction to the story of Prahrada, in Book Seven of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.