Brothers Sanak-Sanandan, blessed forever to look five year old, are free to go anywhere at will.
Once, the foursome went to Vaikunth to have an audience with the Deity. But the doorkeepers, Jay and Vijay, did not take them seriously. The duo delayed their entry by three pal – just over a minute, one pal being of the duration of 24.1 seconds. But their fault was not to be taken lightly. No ordinary mortals they, Sanak-Sanandan are sons of Brahma Himself, renowned the world over for their
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knowledge and psychic powers. The sages put a curse on the celestial guards. Jay and Vijay were to leave their post and be born on Earth as daityas, not once but three times. In each of their births, Vishnu would kill them in as many avatars.So, in due course of time, Jay-Vijay were reborn to Diti as daityas, Hiranyakshand Hiranyakashipu.
When Hiranyaksh grew up, he carried off Earth down to Paatallok to prevent offerings being made to devas. Narayan killed him in the Avatar of Varaha. Hiranyakashipu was killed by Nrisingh Avatar to save BhaktaPrehlada. In the second birth, Jay-Vijay were born on Earth as Ravana and Kumbhkarna to Vishrava Muni and his wife Keshi. The two were killed by Rama avatar. The third time, the two came to the world of mortals as Shishupal and Dantvakra Demon and were killed by Krishna avatar.
In Baal Kaand of the RamacharitaManas, Tulsi Das gives another version of the story. Narad Muni becomes overly proud of himself after his victory over Kama Deva – the Lord of Lust. To relieve His ardent devotee of this serious flaw, Vishnu devises a plot. He takes the form of a princess so beautiful that the sage forgets his vow of celibacy the moment he sees her. Would she marry him or won’t she? He rushes off to Vaikunth to beg Vishnu to grant him such a charming face that no dame on Earth would turn him down. Vishnu tells him with a smile that He would do what is best for him. Over-confident of his looks, Narad Muni goes back to the venue where the princess is all set to choose a groom for herself from among kings and princes of the land. The more the Muni arches his neck to catch the maid’s attention, the more studiously she ignores him. Also present on the occasion, in disguise of Brahmin scholars,of course, are Shiva’s two attendants. They jeer at Narad’s antics. “Just look at your face!” Retreating to a nearby pool, Narad sees his reflection in water. It is too late when he realises that Vishnu has given him the face, but of a monkey! His lust forgotten, Narad loses his temper and curses Shiva’s attendants that they would be born daitya and killed by a Vishnu avatar.
The conduct of Jay-Vijay and Shiva’s two attendants is not much different from what we see today in the personal staff of those in high power. At a spritiual plane as well, the so-called babas, matas and gurus, who are expected to take their followers nearer the Deity, only end up distancing themselves and others from reaching the goal.
Sanak-Sanandan are highly evolved souls, who have all the time at their disposal. Would such child-like sages curse mere doorkeepers so gravely? Myths like dreams have their own logic and it may not perhaps be right to measure them with mundane yardstick. One could equally be right in holding that the mythical doorkeepers are distractions which may keep even the evolved souls from union with the Deity. One must keep such distractions at bay.
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