Do you know who were Jay and Vijay in Vaikunth Dham of Lord Vishnu? Let’s explore this today.
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Introduction
Hinduism is more than just a religion; it is a way of living according to virtues, righteousness, duty and faithfulness. According to Dharma, we are all bound by our Karma, which defines our next steps in life. In this blog, I will enlighten you on life, its phases, and overcoming your own shortcomings, just as Jaya and Vijaya did.
For many of you, these names may be unfamiliar. Jaya and Vijaya were great devotees of Lord Vishnu. They performed intense penance to please Shri Hari Vishnu, the Hindu God, and were blessed by him to become the dwarpal (gatekeepers) of seventh gate of Vaikunth Dham.
Who were Jaya and Vijaya?
As per Brahmanda Purana, Jaya and Vijaya were the sons of Kali, who was the son of lord Varuna and his wife Stuta. However, because of their great devotion and immense penance they were blessed by Lord Vishnu to be gate keepers of Vaikunth Dham.
What is Vaikunth Dham?
Vaikunth Dham is the heavenly abode of Shri Vishnu, where he resides alongside his consort, Goddess Lakshmi. Vaikunth Dham teaches us to detach from worldly attachments and live in transcendental bliss. The Vedanta Sutra explains Maya, or the material world, in which five distinct aspects of existence are defined for humans:
- anna-maya : consciousness of food
- prana-maya : consciousness of being alive
- mano-maya : consciousness of one’s existence
- vijana-maya : consciousness of mental platform
- Ananada maya : blissful life
When a human transcends the four aforementioned Mayas and seeks the liberation of the soul by delving into Ananda Maya, or transcendental bliss, they reach the stage of entering Vaikunth Dham.
Meanwhile, through their unwavering devotion and intense penance, Jaya and Vijaya reached the stage of transcendental bliss and were reinstated as the guardians of the seventh door of Vaikunth Dham. Vaikunth Dham symbolizes the highest stage of the soul’s evolution in a given age. According to ancient texts, it is said to have 96 crores of Parshads (divine attendants) in Vaikunth Dham.
What happened to Jaya And Vijaya?
Once, Jaya and Vijaya were diligently and sincerely guarding Vaikunth Dham. Lord Vishnu approached them and said that he and Maa Lakshmi were having a discussion and instructed them not to let anyone in.
As ordered, Jaya and Vijaya stood guard with their four arms, unwavering in their duty. Suddenly, the four Kumaras of Lord Brahma arrived at Vaikunth Dham, seeking an audience with Shri Vishnu. According to the Bhagavata Purana, the four Kumaras—Sanananda, Sanaka, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara—are the Manasputras of Brahma( sons born from the power of Lord Brahma’s mind). These eternal sages, who roamed the universe freely, decided to visit Shri Vishnu.
Having undergone great penance, the four Kumaras appeared as small children, though their true age was far greater. When Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers, saw them, they mistakenly assumed them to be mere children and stopped them from entering. Angered by this, the Kumaras reminded them that Lord Vishnu is always available to his devotees. They declared that it was beyond the power of Jaya and Vijaya to prevent a devotee from reaching his Lord and expressing his devotion.
Subsequently, here Jaya means praise and Vijaya means victory. Both the attributes also represent the ego which grows with being victorious and praised.
Jaya and Vijaya, in their role as the doorkeepers of Lord Vishnu, allowed ego to cloud their judgment, leading them to make this mistake. This is akin to the moment when we reach our goals and begin to award ourselves medals for our achievements.
Remaining devoted and humble, even at the peak of success, is one of the hardest virtues to maintain. Such ego can inflate to a level where it refuses to accept new lessons or growth. This same happened with Jaya and Vijaya at that moment.
To relieve them from their pride and ego and to uplift their spirtual being, they were cursed. Hence, the soul is often taught a lesson to humble itself and embrace new knowledge.
What was the curse?
Moreover, the four children of Lord Brahma signify the new discoveries of the four Vedas of knowledge. As they were prevented from meeting Lord Vishnu, it lead to darkness for Jaya and Vijaya. Likewise, the four children are considered as new pearls of wisdom relating to Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha as the Brahmanda (universe) evolves. The angry Kumaras cursed Jay and Vijay that their divinity would end.
Blinded by ego and other vices, Jaya and Vijaya hindered the flow of knowledge and devotion. As a result, they were cursed by the four Kumaras, condemning them to be separated from Lord Vishnu. After much pleading and apologies, the Kumaras offered them a choice: either take seven rebirths on Earth as devotees or be born as enemies of Lord Vishnu in three rebirths. However Jaya and Vijaya chose the second option, eager to return to their divine abode as soon as possible. Thus were born as different asuras (demons) or evil-minded humans in three different lives.
As a result, their punishment involved living as human beings, a journey designed to bring their souls through a process of pacification and evolution. From the body’s viewpoint, this transformation took place within a single lifetime, while from the soul’s perspective, it spanned across different lives. This experience was intended to humble them, deepen their understanding, and draw them closer to Lord Vishnu, enabling their continued spiritual growth.
Thus, Jaya and Vijaya accepted their fate to be reborn as enemies of Lord Vishnu in their next three lives. Symbolically, this curse meant they would take on the roles of villains embodying the vices of lust, anger and greed in their earthly incarnations.
How Jaya and Vijaya got free from the curse?
Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu
According to the Bhagavata Purana, the two gatekeepers were born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu in Satya yuga. Although, Hiranyaksha was an asura who took the Earth to the bottom of the “Cosmic Ocean”. Lord Vishnu as Varaha awatar slew him.
Moreover, Hiranyakashipu, the demon king, was against Lord Vishnu and tried to stop his son Prahlad from worshipping the deity. Prahlad was a devoted follower of Lord Vishnu, but Hiranyakashipu disapproved of his faith. He gave the task of turning Prahlad away from his devotion to his sister, Holika.
Holika had a boon that made her immune to fire, so she sat in the fire with Prahlad on her lap, hoping to kill him. However, Prahlad’s strong devotion and the grace of Lord Vishnu protected him, while Holika was consumed by the flames. Prahlad remained unharmed. In response to this, Lord Vishnu took the form of Narsimha to kill the demon Hiranyakashipu.
Ravana and Kumbhakarana
In the Treta Yuga, Jaya and Vijaya were born as the demon brothers Ravana and Kumbhakarna. Ravana kidnapped Goddess Sita and fought against Lord Rama, with his brother Kumbhakarna by his side. Both were ultimately defeated and killed by Lord Rama, the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Sisupala and Dantavakra
In Dwapara Yuga, in their last rebirth, they were born as Dantavakra and Shishupal, enemies of Lord Krishna. Eventually, they were also killed by Lord Krishna.
It is worth noting that the power of Jaya and Vijaya was decreasing with every birth. Lord Vishnu had to incarnate again and again to kill them.
Jaya and Vijaya’s return to heaven
Following Lord Vishnu’s decree, Jaya and Vijaya embarked on a transformative journey through three earthly lives. From their beginnings as fearsome demons to their roles as formidable devils, and finally as humble humans, each life brought them closer to divinity. Their journey culminated in their triumphant return to Vaikuntha Dham, where they were welcomed back to the divine realm forever.
Conclusion
At the end, I would conclude by saying that, even a curse carries hidden blessings for the soul’s evolution, as illustrated by the story of Jaya and Vijaya. Although cursed to face trials as demons and adversaries of Lord Vishnu, their journey through three earthly lives ultimately led them back to divine grace. This transformation highlights how challenges, while seemingly harsh, are part of a larger plan designed by God. He refrains from intervening because he sees the broader benefits for both the soul and the universe. Each trial is a deliberate step in his divine plan, guiding us toward growth and enlightenment.
Keep growing with us.
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