Teachings of the Four Kumāras - From Anger to Ecstasy

This article presents a thematic survey of the Four Kumāras' journey from anger at Vaikuṇṭha to their ecstatic prayers to Lord Viṣṇu, and their profound philosophical instructions to King Pṛthu. It organizes the teachings found in the Vaniquotes category Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Verses Spoken by the Four Kumāras.

The Four Kumāras—Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana, and Sanat-kumāra—are eternally liberated souls who travel the universe in the form of five-year-old boys. Although they began as impersonalists, they became pure devotees by the mercy of the Lord. In the Third Canto, they are the catalysts for the fall of Jaya and Vijaya, cursing them for blocking entry to Vaikuṇṭha. In the Fourth Canto, Sanat-kumāra delivers one of the most important philosophical discourses in the Bhāgavatam, instructing King Pṛthu on the ultimate goal of life.

An Incident at Vaikuṇṭha (The Curse)

In the Third Canto, the Four Kumāras travel to the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭha. When they attempt to pass through the seventh gate, they are rudely stopped by the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya, who mistake them for naked children. The Kumāras, astonished to find such duality and fear in the spiritual world, curse the doorkeepers.

The Anomaly of Duality

The Four Kumāras question how residents of Vaikuṇṭha, who serve the Lord of equality, can harbor fear or see differences between themselves and others. They conclude that the doorkeepers are "imposters."

  • "Checked by the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya, Sanandana and the other great sages (four Kumāras) very angrily cursed them."
  • "The sages said: Who are these two persons who have developed such a discordant mentality even though they are posted in the service of the Lord in the highest position and are expected to have developed the same qualities as the Lord?"
  • "How are these two persons living in Vaikuṇṭha? Where is the possibility of an enemy's coming into this kingdom of God? The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no enemy. Who could be envious of Him? Probably they are imposters; therefore they suspect others to be like themselves."
  • "Why then is there a seed of fear in this field of harmony? These two persons are dressed like inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha, but wherefrom can their disharmony come into existence?"
  • "In the Vaikuṇṭha world there is complete harmony between the residents and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as there is complete harmony within space between the big and the small skies."

Jaya and Vijaya's Punishment

To rectify this "contaminated" mentality, the Kumāras decide to send Jaya and Vijaya to the material world, where the three enemies (lust, anger, and greed) are appropriate.

  • "Therefore let us consider how these two contaminated persons should be punished. The punishment should be apt, for thus benefit can eventually be bestowed upon them."
  • "Since they find duality in the existence of Vaikuṇṭha life, they are contaminated and should be removed from this place to the material world, where the living entities have three kinds of enemies."
  • "It would be better for you to go immediately to the material world and take your birth in a family of most sinful asuras."
  • "You two foolish doorkeepers. Being agitated by the material qualities of passion and ignorance, you are unfit to live at the shelter of Madhudviṣa's lotus feet, which are free from such modes."
  • "While Jaya and Vijaya, thus cursed by the sages, were falling to the material world, they were addressed as follows by the same sages."
  • "By the same sages (four Kumāras), who were very kind to them. 'O doorkeepers (Jaya and Vijaya), after three births you will be able to return to your positions in Vaikuṇṭha, for then the duration of the curse will have ended.'"

Prayers to Lord Viṣṇu (Transformation and Ecstasy)

When Lord Viṣṇu appears to settle the dispute, Four Kumāras smell the aroma of the tulasī leaves from His toes. This transforms their hearts from brahman realization to pure bhakti. They offer profound prayers, apologizing for their anger and glorifying the Lord's form.

Seeing the Lord Face to Face

Four Kumāras express their fortune at seeing the Lord, whose form they had previously only heard about from their father, Brahmā.

  • "The Kumāras said: Our dear Lord, You are not manifested to rascals, even though You are seated within the heart of everyone. But as far as we are concerned, we see You face to face, although You are unlimited."
  • "O Lord, we therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto Your eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, which You have so kindly manifested before us."
  • "The statements we have heard about You from our father, Brahmā, through the ears have now been actually realized by Your kind appearance."
  • "Your supreme, eternal form cannot be seen by unfortunate, less intelligent persons, but we are so much satisfied in our mind and vision to see it."
  • "This transcendental, eternal form of Your personality can be understood only by Your mercy, through unflinching devotional service, by great sages whose hearts have been purified in the devotional way."

Surrender and Apology

Realizing that the Lord is affectionate even to His servants, the Four Kumāras offer to accept any punishment for having cursed His doorkeepers.

  • "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."
  • "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."
  • "O Lord, we pray that You let us be born in any hellish condition of life, just as long as our hearts and minds are always engaged in the service of Your lotus feet."
  • "Our words are made beautiful (by speaking of Your activities) just as tulasī leaves are beautified when offered unto Your lotus feet, and as long as our ears are always filled with the chanting of Your transcendental qualities."
  • "These pastimes are like ornamental decorations on the ears of devotees. By rendering devotional service and transcending the material qualities, one can easily be fixed in transcendence in the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
  • "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."

God Is The Protector of Dharma

The Four Kumāras glorify the Lord as the protector of the brāhmaṇas and the source of all religious principles.

  • "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."
  • "You are the supreme director of the brahminical culture. Your considering the brāhmaṇas 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 brāhmaṇas also."
  • "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."
  • "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."
  • "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."

The Lord's Detachment and Opulence

The Four Kumāras note that although Lakṣmī serves Him, He remains unattached, favoring only His devotees.

  • "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."
  • "Lakṣmī, 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 tulasī leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee."
  • "How can You be purified, therefore, by the dust of the path traversed by the brāhmaṇas, and how can You be glorified or made fortunate by the marks of Śrīvatsa on Your chest?"
  • "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."
  • "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."

Instructions to King Pṛthu (The Science of the Soul)

In the Fourth Canto, the Four Kumāras arrive at the palace of King Pṛthu. Sanat-kumāra, acting as the spokesperson, answers the King's inquiry about the ultimate welfare of the living entity.

Value of Association

Sanat-kumāra begins by praising the King's inquiry and emphasizing the power of associating with devotees, which benefits both speaker and hearer.

  • "Sanat-kumāra said: My dear King Pṛthu, I am very nicely questioned by you. Such questions are beneficial for all living entities, especially because they are raised by you, who are always thinking of the good of others."
  • "Although you know everything, you ask such questions because that is the behavior of saintly persons. Such intelligence is befitting your position."
  • "When there is a congregation of devotees, their discussions, questions and answers become conclusive to both the speaker and the audience. Thus such a meeting is beneficial for everyone's real happiness."
  • "One has to make progress in spiritual life by not associating with persons who are simply interested in sense gratification and making money. Not only such persons, but one who associates with such persons should be avoided."

Trap of Sense Gratification

Sanat-kumāra warns that human life is wasted when one is absorbed in sense gratification, which destroys memory and knowledge.

  • "For human society, constantly thinking of how to earn money and apply it for sense gratification brings about the destruction of everyone's interests. When one becomes devoid of knowledge and devotional service, he enters into species of life like those of trees and stones."
  • "When one's mind and senses are attracted to sense objects for enjoyment, the mind becomes agitated. As a result of continually thinking of sense objects, one's real consciousness almost becomes lost."
  • "Those who strongly desire to cross the ocean of nescience must not associate with the modes of ignorance, for hedonistic activities are the greatest obstructions to realization of religious principles, economic development, regulated sense gratification."

Loss of Memory and Consciousness

Sanat-kumāra explains that attachment to matter leads to a loss of spiritual memory, which is the destruction of self-interest.

  • "When one deviates from his original consciousness, he loses the capacity to remember his previous position or recognize his present one. When remembrance is lost, all knowledge acquired is based on a false foundation."
  • "There is no stronger obstruction to one's self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one's self-realization."
  • "Out of the four principles - namely religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation - liberation has to be taken very seriously. The other three are subject to destruction by the stringent law of nature - death."

Path of Detachment

Sanat-kumāra advises that the only way to detach from matter is to increase attachment to the Supreme Lord through devotion.

  • "It has been conclusively decided in the scriptures, after due consideration, that the ultimate goal for the welfare of human society is detachment from the bodily concept of life and increased and steadfast attachment for the Supreme Lord."
  • "Attachment for the Supreme can be increased by practicing devotional service, inquiring about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, applying bhakti-yoga in life, worshiping the Yogeśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These actions are pious in themselves."
  • "The devotee should gradually increase the culture of devotional service by constant hearing of the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
  • "Persons who are very expert and most intelligent in understanding things as they are engage in hearing narrations of the auspicious activities and pastimes of the Lord, which are worth chanting and worth hearing."

Drinking the Nectar

The Four Kumāras urges King Pṛthu to become disgusted with sense enjoyment by drinking the nectar of the Lord's glories.

  • "One should mold his life in such a way that he cannot live in peace without drinking the nectar of the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. One can be thus elevated by being disgusted with the taste for sense enjoyment."
  • "A candidate for spiritual advancement must be nonviolent, must follow in the footsteps of great ācāryas, must always remember the nectar of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must follow the regulative principles without material desire and, while following the regulative principles, should not blaspheme others. A devotee should lead a very simple life and not be disturbed by the duality of opposing elements. He should learn to tolerate them."
  • "You (Pṛthu) already have an inclination to glorify the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such attachment is very difficult to achieve, but when one has attained such unflinching faith in the Lord, it automatically cleanses lusty desires from the core of the heart."

God's Lotus Feet Are Like Boats

Sanat-kumāra compares the Lord's lotus feet to a boat for crossing the ocean of material existence.

  • "Although those who are nondevotees undergo severe austerities and penances to cross that ocean, we recommend that you simply take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are like boats for crossing the ocean."
  • "The devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, can very easily overcome hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities."
  • "Such persons do not care even for the highest material benediction, namely liberation, to say nothing of other less important benedictions like the material happiness of the heavenly kingdom."

The Soul and Supersoul

Sanat-kumāra explains the distinction between the soul and the bod;sy, and the realization of the Supersoul.

  • "Sanat-kumāra advised the King: Therefore, my dear King Pṛthu, try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within everyone's heart along with the individual soul, in each and every body, either moving or not moving."
  • "The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself as one with the cause and effect within this body, but one who has transcended the illusory energy by deliberate consideration, can understand that the Paramātmā is eternally transcendental to the material creation."
  • "Only because of different causes does a person see a difference between himself and others, just as one sees the reflection of a body appearing differently manifested on water, on oil or in a mirror."
  • "We accept as blessings different states of higher life, distinguishing them from lower states of life, but we should know that such distinctions exist only in relation to the interchange of the modes of material nature."

Transcendental Realization

Sanat-kumāra concludes by describing the state of the liberated soul, who sees no difference between internal and external actions.

  • "When a person becomes devoid of all material desires and liberated from all material qualities, he transcends distinctions between actions executed externally and internally."
  • "At that time the difference between the soul and the Supersoul, which was existing before self-realization, is annihilated. When a dream is over, there is no longer a distinction between the dream and the dreamer."
  • "Upon becoming fixed in his attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the grace of the spiritual master and by awakening knowledge and detachment, the living entity, situated within the heart of the body, burns up his material surroundings exactly as fire."
  • "When the soul exists for sense gratification, he creates different desires, and for that reason he becomes subjected to designations. But when one is in the transcendental position, he is not interested in anything except fulfilling the desires of the Lord."
  • "A devotee should lead a very simple life and not be disturbed by the duality of opposing elements. He should learn to tolerate them."

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

This article is a thematic compilation of the teachings presented in the Vaniquotes category Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by the Four Kumaras. We invite you to visit the link to read the complete collection of verses presented in alphabetical order.

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