Chennai, September 16, 2013: Parikshit finds it difficult to accept that the Lord is free from partiality since in most cases He favours the celestial beings and kills the demons. Suka explains that He does not entertain any partiality.

The action of the Supreme Being exemplifies the greatness of his devotees as in the case of Prahalada and Vritra. The Lord’s redemptive acts, though apparently punitive, are indeed blessings to those getting ‘punished.’ The Lord transcending the Gunas assumes His Yogamaya with which He manifests as the two opposing forces, the attacker and the attacked.

Suka then alludes to the similar doubt Yudhishtira raised to Narada regarding Sisupala’s deliverance during the Rajasuya Yaga, said Sri Sankara Rama Dikshitar in a discourse. Sisupala was known to cast aspersions on Krishna because of his birth, and during the Rajasuya Yaga he hurled abuses at Him unmindful of the solemn occasion.

However, when Krishna slayed him with His discus, the august assembly at Yudhishtira’s court was bewildered to witness his attaining union with the Lord. Narada explicates this by referring to Sisupala’s past as one of the gatekeepers of Vishnu in Vaikunta.

The gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya refused to let the Sanatkumara sages in. The offended sages cursed them to be born as Asuras in three successive births. The Lord interceded on their behalf, ordaining that in each birth, professing bitter enmity to Vishnu, they will meet their end at His hands and after the punishment period regain the status as the servitors of the Lord. Accordingly, they were born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and Kumbhakarna, and Sisupala and Dantavaktra.

Narada reasons that this is possible since to attain salvation, the mind has to be fixed on Him always. Constant contemplation of the Lord in any form cleanses all impurities. This is typified by the attainment by the Gopis through lust, Kamsa through fear, the Vrishnis through kinship, the Pandavas through affection, the sages through Bhakti and by Sisupala through hatred, a case of Vidwesha-bhakti.

Source: The Hindu, September 16, 2013