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Shri Datta Swami

Posted on: 20 Sep 2021

               

Why was Raavana thrown into hell while Shishupaala reached Your abode?

[Smt. Anita Renkuntla asked: Pādanamaskāram Swamiji. While reading Your discourse, a doubt arises that the three incarnations of Jaya, a Dvaarapaalaka of Lord Vishnu showed excessive Tamas and Rajas. Hiranyakashipu in Satyayuga has insulted the Lord throughout his life. And later he was killed by the Lord. Raavana in Tretaayuga too exhibited the same qualities to humiliate the Lord many a times. But, later he was thrown into hell. Whereas Shishupaala in Dvaapara too abused You, but reached Your abode. I understand that the entire world is unreal from the point of God. Please enlighten me regarding my doubts. Three of them were liberated souls and acted according to Your desire. Why was Raavana thrown into hell and Shishupaala reached Your abode?]

Swami Replied:- The two gatekeepers of the abode of God were cursed by Sages to take birth on the earth. Since both repented much, both were given some way of consideration and in such process, both were born as demons to reach God in three births as enemies. In two births both were punished in the hell for their sins. The birth of Shishupaala was the last birth and his sins were not as serious as the demons in the previous births. Hiranyaaksha and Raavana opposed God in general and claimed themselves as God. Shishupaala never did such atrocities as done by the earlier demons. He was insulted very much because Rukmini ran away with Krishna on the marriage day. The sin goes to the brothers of Rukmini, who fixed her marriage with Shishupaala against her wish. Had they fixed her marriage with Krishna, Shishupaala would not have come to marry Rukmini. Hence, he developed lot of jealousy towards Krishna, which is natural for any human being. For his nominal sins, he was punished by Krishna with the Sudarshana Chakra weapon. Moreover, that was the final birth and as per the word of God, the gatekeeper has to return to the abode of God. Similarly, Dantavaktra, his colleague called Vijaya was also punished and both reached God. Compared to Hiranyakashipu and Kumbhakarna, the sins of Dantavaktra were very nominal and death itself is sufficient for those nominal sins.

 
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