The Doorkeepers of Vaikuntha

Verse 1 (padma.6.109.1)

गणावूचतुः । कदाचिद्विष्णुदासोऽथ कृत्वा नित्यविधिं द्विजः । पाककर्माकरोद्यावदहरत्कोप्यलक्षितः

gaṇāvūcatuḥ kadācidviṣṇudāso'tha kṛtvā nityavidhiṁ dvijaḥ pākakarmākarodyāvadaharatkopyalakṣitaḥ

Both attendants said: Once, the brahmin Vishnudasa, having performed his daily rites, began the work of cooking food. As soon as he had cooked it, some unseen person carried it away.

Verse 2 (padma.6.109.2)

तमदृष्ट्वाप्यसौ पाकं पुनर्नैवाकरोत्तदा । सायंकालार्चनस्यासौ व्रतभंगभयाद्द्विजः

tamadṛṣṭvāpyasau pākaṁ punarnaivākarottadā sāyaṁkālārcanasyāsau vratabhaṁgabhayāddvijaḥ

Not seeing that thief, that brahmin, fearing the breach of his vow, could not, that day, cook food again for the evening worship.

Verse 3 (padma.6.109.3)

द्वितीयेऽह्नि ततः पाकं कृत्वा यावत्स विष्णवे । उपहारार्पणं कर्तुं तावत्कोप्यहरत्पुनः

dvitīye'hni tataḥ pākaṁ kṛtvā yāvatsa viṣṇave upahārārpaṇaṁ kartuṁ tāvatkopyaharatpunaḥ

Then, on the second day, having cooked the food, as soon as he set about offering it to Vishnu, someone again carried it off.

Verse 4 (padma.6.109.4)

एवं सप्तदिनं तस्य पाकं कोप्यहरद्द्विज । जातः सविस्मयः सोऽथ मनस्येव व्यचारयत्

evaṁ saptadinaṁ tasya pākaṁ kopyaharaddvija jātaḥ savismayaḥ so'tha manasyeva vyacārayat

O brahmin, thus for seven days someone kept carrying off his food. Then, astonished, he began to ponder within his own mind.

Verse 5 (padma.6.109.5)

अहो नित्यं समभ्येत्य कः पाकं हरते मम । क्षेत्रसंन्यासिनां स्थानमत्याज्यं सर्वथा मया

aho nityaṁ samabhyetya kaḥ pākaṁ harate mama kṣetrasaṁnyāsināṁ sthānamatyājyaṁ sarvathā mayā

'Ah, who comes every day and carries off my food? I should never abandon this place set apart for those who have renounced the world.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.109.6)

पुनः पाकं विधायात्र भुज्यते यदि चेन्मया । सायंकालार्चनं चैतत्परित्याज्यं कथं मया

punaḥ pākaṁ vidhāyātra bhujyate yadi cenmayā sāyaṁkālārcanaṁ caitatparityājyaṁ kathaṁ mayā

'If I cook food here again and eat it myself, how then should I forgo this evening worship?'

Verse 7 (padma.6.109.7)

किंचित्पाकं विधायैतद्भोक्तव्यं तु मया नहि । अनिर्वेद्य हरौ सर्वं वैष्णवैर्नैव भुज्यते

kiṁcitpākaṁ vidhāyaitadbhoktavyaṁ tu mayā nahi anirvedya harau sarvaṁ vaiṣṇavairnaiva bhujyate

'Even if I cook a little food, I should not eat it myself, for Vaishnavas never eat anything without first offering it entirely to Hari.'

Verse 8 (padma.6.109.8)

उपोषितोऽहं च कथं तिष्ठाम्यत्र व्रतस्थितः । अद्य संरक्षणं सम्यक्पाकस्यात्र करोम्यहम्

upoṣito'haṁ ca kathaṁ tiṣṭhāmyatra vratasthitaḥ adya saṁrakṣaṇaṁ samyakpākasyātra karomyaham

'And how, having fasted, should I remain here established in this vow? Today I shall properly guard the food here.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.109.9)

इति पाकं विधायासौ तत्रैवालक्षितः स्थितः । तावद्ददर्श चांडालं पाकान्नहरणे स्थितम्

iti pākaṁ vidhāyāsau tatraivālakṣitaḥ sthitaḥ tāvaddadarśa cāṁḍālaṁ pākānnaharaṇe sthitam

Thus, having cooked the food, he remained there hidden and unseen. Then he saw a chandala (outcaste) engaged in carrying off the cooked food.

Verse 10 (padma.6.109.10)

क्षुत्क्षामं दीनवदनमस्थिचर्मावशेषितम् । तमालोक्य द्विजाग्र्योभूत्कृपयापन्नमानसः

kṣutkṣāmaṁ dīnavadanamasthicarmāvaśeṣitam tamālokya dvijāgryobhūtkṛpayāpannamānasaḥ

He was wasted with hunger, his face pitiable, reduced to nothing but skin and bone. Seeing him, that foremost of brahmins became filled with compassion.

Verse 11 (padma.6.109.11)

विलोक्यान्नहरं विप्रस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेत्यभाषत । कथमत्ति भवान्रूक्षं घृतमेतद्गृहाण भोः

vilokyānnaharaṁ viprastiṣṭhatiṣṭhetyabhāṣata kathamatti bhavānrūkṣaṁ ghṛtametadgṛhāṇa bhoḥ

Seeing the one carrying off the food, the brahmin said: 'Stay, stay! How will you eat this dry food? Here, friend, take this ghee.'

Verse 12 (padma.6.109.12)

इत्थं ब्रुवंतं विप्राग्र्यं आयांतं च विलोक्य सः । वेगादधावत्तद्भीत्या मूर्च्छितश्च पपात ह

itthaṁ bruvaṁtaṁ viprāgryaṁ āyāṁtaṁ ca vilokya saḥ vegādadhāvattadbhītyā mūrcchitaśca papāta ha

Seeing that foremost of brahmins thus speaking and approaching, he (the chandala) fled swiftly in fear, and fell fainting to the ground.

Verse 13 (padma.6.109.13)

भीतं तं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा चांडालं स द्विजोत्तमः । वेगादभ्येत्य कृपया स्ववस्त्रांतैरवीजयत्

bhītaṁ taṁ mūrcchitaṁ dṛṣṭvā cāṁḍālaṁ sa dvijottamaḥ vegādabhyetya kṛpayā svavastrāṁtairavījayat

Seeing that fearful, fainted outcaste, that excellent brahmin swiftly came to him, and, out of compassion, began fanning him with the end of his own garment.

Verse 14 (padma.6.109.14)

अथोत्थितं तमेवासौ विष्णुदासो व्यलोकयत् । साक्षान्नारायणं देवं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्

athotthitaṁ tamevāsau viṣṇudāso vyalokayat sākṣānnārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ śaṁkhacakragadādharam

Then, as he rose, Vishnudasa beheld him as none other than the divine Narayana himself, bearing the conch, discus, and mace.

Verse 15 (padma.6.109.15)

पीतांबरं चतुर्बाहुं श्रीवत्सांकं किरीटिनम् । अतसीपुष्पसंकाशं कौस्तुभोरःस्थलं विभुम्

pītāṁbaraṁ caturbāhuṁ śrīvatsāṁkaṁ kirīṭinam atasīpuṣpasaṁkāśaṁ kaustubhoraḥsthalaṁ vibhum

— clad in yellow, four-armed, bearing the Shrivatsa mark, crowned, of a hue like the flax-flower, and bearing the Kaustubha gem upon his chest —

Verse 16 (padma.6.109.16)

तं दृष्ट्वा सात्विकैर्भावैरावृतो द्विजसत्तमः । स्तोतुं चापि नमस्कर्तुं तदानालं बभूव सः

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sātvikairbhāvairāvṛto dvijasattamaḥ stotuṁ cāpi namaskartuṁ tadānālaṁ babhūva saḥ

— beholding him, that excellent brahmin, overwhelmed with sattvic emotion, became at that moment unable even to offer praise or salutation.

Verse 17 (padma.6.109.17)

अथ शक्रादयो देवास्तत्रैवाभ्याययुस्तदा । गंधर्वाप्सरसश्चापि जगुश्च ननृतुर्मुदा

atha śakrādayo devāstatraivābhyāyayustadā gaṁdharvāpsarasaścāpi jaguśca nanṛturmudā

Then Indra and the other gods came there at once. Gandharvas and apsarases too began singing and dancing with joy.

Verse 18 (padma.6.109.18)

विमानशतसंकीर्णं देवर्षिगणसंकुलम् । गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषं स्थानं तदभवत्तदा

vimānaśatasaṁkīrṇaṁ devarṣigaṇasaṁkulam gītavāditranirghoṣaṁ sthānaṁ tadabhavattadā

That place then became crowded with hundreds of celestial chariots, thronged with hosts of gods and sages, and filled with the resounding of songs and music.

Verse 19 (padma.6.109.19)

ततो विष्णुः समालिंग्य स्वभक्तं सात्विकं तथा । सायुज्यमात्मनो दत्त्वानयद्वैकुंठमंदिरम्

tato viṣṇuḥ samāliṁgya svabhaktaṁ sātvikaṁ tathā sāyujyamātmano dattvānayadvaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram

Then Vishnu, embracing his sattvic devotee, granting him union with himself, took him to the abode of Vaikuntha.

Verse 20 (padma.6.109.20)

विमानवरसंस्थानमास्थितं विष्णुसन्निधौ । दीक्षितश्चोलनृपतिर्विष्णुदासं ददर्श ह

vimānavarasaṁsthānamāsthitaṁ viṣṇusannidhau dīkṣitaścolanṛpatirviṣṇudāsaṁ dadarśa ha

The consecrated king of Chola beheld Vishnudasa, established upon that excellent chariot, going into the close presence of Vishnu.

Verse 21 (padma.6.109.21)

वैकुंठभवनं यांतं विष्णुदासं विलोक्य सः । स्वगुरुं मुद्गलं वेगादाह्वयेत्थं वचोऽब्रवीत्

vaikuṁṭhabhavanaṁ yāṁtaṁ viṣṇudāsaṁ vilokya saḥ svaguruṁ mudgalaṁ vegādāhvayetthaṁ vaco'bravīt

Seeing Vishnudasa going to the abode of Vaikuntha, he swiftly summoned his own preceptor Mudgala and spoke these words.

Verse 22 (padma.6.109.22)

चोल उवाच। यत्स्पर्धया मया चैतद्यज्ञदानादिकं कृतम् । स विष्णुरूपधृग्विप्रो याति वैकुंठमंदिरम्

cola uvāca yatspardhayā mayā caitadyajñadānādikaṁ kṛtam sa viṣṇurūpadhṛgvipro yāti vaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram

Chola said: 'That very brahmin who bore the form of Vishnu, and against whom I performed this sacrifice, gift-giving, and the rest in rivalry — he is going to the abode of Vaikuntha.'

Verse 23 (padma.6.109.23)

दीक्षितेन मया सम्यक्सत्रेऽस्मिन्विष्णवे त्वया । हुतमग्नौ कृता विप्रा दानाद्यैः पूर्णमानसाः

dīkṣitena mayā samyaksatre'sminviṣṇave tvayā hutamagnau kṛtā viprā dānādyaiḥ pūrṇamānasāḥ

'Consecrated, I duly offered oblations into the fire for Vishnu in this sacrifice, and, through you, brahmins were made fully satisfied with gifts and the like.'

Verse 24 (padma.6.109.24)

नैवाद्यापि समे देवः प्रसन्नो जायते ध्रुवम् । भक्त्यैव तस्य विप्रस्य साक्षात्कारं ददौ हरिः

naivādyāpi same devaḥ prasanno jāyate dhruvam bhaktyaiva tasya viprasya sākṣātkāraṁ dadau hariḥ

'Yet, even to this day, the god has surely not become pleased with me. But by devotion alone, Hari granted that brahmin his direct vision.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.109.25)

तस्माद्दानैश्च यज्ञैश्च नैव विष्णुः प्रसीदति । भक्तिरेव परं तस्य निदानं दर्शने विभोः

tasmāddānaiśca yajñaiśca naiva viṣṇuḥ prasīdati bhaktireva paraṁ tasya nidānaṁ darśane vibhoḥ

'Therefore Vishnu is not pleased through gifts and sacrifices alone. Devotion alone is the supreme cause for the vision of that Lord.'

Verse 26 (padma.6.109.26)

गणावूचतुः । इत्युक्त्वा भागिनेयं स्वमभिषिच्य नृपासने । आबाल्याद्दीक्षितो यज्ञे सा पुत्रत्वमगाद्यतः

gaṇāvūcatuḥ ityuktvā bhāgineyaṁ svamabhiṣicya nṛpāsane ābālyāddīkṣito yajñe sā putratvamagādyataḥ

Both attendants said: Having said this, he consecrated his own nephew upon the royal throne, since he himself had been consecrated in the sacrifice since childhood, by which that nephew had come to stand as his son.

Verse 27 (padma.6.109.27)

तस्मादद्यापि तद्देशे सदा राज्यांशभागिनः । स्वस्रेया एव जायंते तत्कृताचारवर्तिनः

tasmādadyāpi taddeśe sadā rājyāṁśabhāginaḥ svasreyā eva jāyaṁte tatkṛtācāravartinaḥ

Therefore, even today, in that land, it is ever the sister's sons (nephews) who become sharers in the portion of the kingdom, following that same established custom.

Verse 28 (padma.6.109.28)

यज्ञवाटं ततोऽभ्येत्य वह्निकुंडाग्रतः स्थितः । त्रिरुच्चैर्व्याजहाराशु विष्णुं संबोधयंस्तदा

yajñavāṭaṁ tato'bhyetya vahnikuṁḍāgrataḥ sthitaḥ triruccairvyājahārāśu viṣṇuṁ saṁbodhayaṁstadā

Then, going to the sacrificial enclosure, he stood before the fire-pit, and swiftly cried out three times in a loud voice, addressing Vishnu.

Verse 29 (padma.6.109.29)

विष्णो भक्तिं स्थिरां देहि मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः । इत्युक्त्वा सोऽपतद्वह्नौ सर्वेषामेव पश्यताम्

viṣṇo bhaktiṁ sthirāṁ dehi manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ ityuktvā so'patadvahnau sarveṣāmeva paśyatām

'O Vishnu, grant me steadfast devotion through the deeds of mind, speech, and body.' Having said this, he leapt into the fire, in the sight of all.

Verse 30 (padma.6.109.30)

मुद्गलस्तु तदा क्रोधाच्छिखामुत्पाटयत्स्वकाम् । ततस्त्वद्यापि तद्गोत्रे मुद्गला विशिखाभवन्

mudgalastu tadā krodhācchikhāmutpāṭayatsvakām tatastvadyāpi tadgotre mudgalā viśikhābhavan

Then Mudgala, in anger, tore out his own tuft of hair. Therefore, even to this day, in that gotra, the descendants of Mudgala go without the tuft.

Verse 31 (padma.6.109.31)

तावदाविरभूद्विष्णुः कुंडाग्नौ भक्तवत्सलः । तमालिंग्य विमानाग्र्यं समारोहयदच्युतः

tāvadāvirabhūdviṣṇuḥ kuṁḍāgnau bhaktavatsalaḥ tamāliṁgya vimānāgryaṁ samārohayadacyutaḥ

At that very moment, Vishnu, ever gracious to his devotees, appeared within that fire-pit. Embracing him, Achyuta placed him aboard the excellent chariot.

Verse 32 (padma.6.109.32)

तमालिंग्यात्मसारूप्यं दत्त्वा वैकुंठमंदिरम् । तेनैव सह देवेशो जगाम त्रिदशैर्वृतः

tamāliṁgyātmasārūpyaṁ dattvā vaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram tenaiva saha deveśo jagāma tridaśairvṛtaḥ

Embracing him, granting him a form equal to his own, the Lord of gods, surrounded by the celestials, departed together with him to the abode of Vaikuntha.

Verse 33 (padma.6.109.33)

नारद उवाच। यो विष्णुदासः स तु पुण्यशीलो यश्चोलभूपः स सुशील नामा । एतावुभौ तत्समरूपभाजौ द्वाःस्थौ कृतौ तेन रमाप्रियेण

nārada uvāca yo viṣṇudāsaḥ sa tu puṇyaśīlo yaścolabhūpaḥ sa suśīla nāmā etāvubhau tatsamarūpabhājau dvāḥsthau kṛtau tena ramāpriyeṇa

Narada said: He who was Vishnudasa became Punyashila, and he who was the king of Chola became known by the name Sushila. That same beloved of Rama (Vishnu) made these two into doorkeepers bearing forms equal to his own.