Need for Humility

Sri Annamalai Swami

I once asked Bhagavan why Perumal Swami became an enemy of the ashram after initially being such a good devotee.

Bhagavan replied: 'He was not serving with humility, he always served with a sense of ego. He always had a feeling, "I must be the sole manager of this ashram."

Bhagavan then went on to tell me the story of Jaya and Vijaya. Vishnu had appointed them watchmen in Vaikuntha. They were both very devoted to Vishnu but they were also very proud of their positions. This made them very egotistic. They had a lot of power because everyone who wanted to enter Vaikuntha had to get their permission first. One day four rishis - Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Sanaka and Sanatsujata - came to Vaikuntha to see Lord Vishnu. Jaya and Vijaya got very angry with them for no apparent reason and refused to let them in. Angered by this refusal, the rishis decided to curse Jaya and Vijaya. The said that these two watchmen would have to take birth as the enemies of Lord Vishnu in three successive births before they would be allowed to come back to Vaikuntha. When the curse took effect Jaya and Vijaya were reborn as rakshasas during the incarnations of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna.

Bhagavan concluded this story saying, 'Because they served with a strong sense of ego they had to take birth as Vishnu's enemies. Perumal Swami also served at Skandashram with a strong sense of ego. When his ego got the better of him he became an enemy of the ashram.'