FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.29

द्वार्येतयोर्निविविशुर्मिषतोरपृष्ट्वा पूर्वा यथा पुरटवज्रकपाटिका या: । सर्वत्र तेऽविषमया मुनय: स्वद‍ृष्टय‍ा ये सञ्चरन्त्यविहता विगताभिशङ्का: ॥ २९ ॥
dvāry etayor niviviśur miṣator apṛṣṭvā
[dvaary etayor nivivishur mishator aprishtvaa]
pūrvā yathā puraṭa-vajra-kapāṭikā yāḥ
[poorvaa yathaa purata-vajra-kapaatikaa yaah]
sarvatra te ’viṣamayā munayaḥ sva-dṛṣṭyā
[sarvatra te ’vishamayaa munayah sva-drishtyaa]
ye sañcaranty avihatā vigatābhiśaṅkāḥ
[ye sancharanty avihataa vigataabhishankaah]
dvāri — in the door etayoḥ — both doorkeepers niviviśuḥ — entered miṣatoḥ — while seeing apṛṣṭvā — without asking pūrvāḥ — as before yathā — as puraṭa — made of gold vajra — and diamond kapāṭikāḥ — the doors yāḥ — which sarvatra — everywhere te — they aviṣa-mayā — without any sense of discrimination munayaḥ — the great sages sva-dṛṣṭyā — out of their own will ye — who sañcaranti — move avihatāḥ — without being checked vigata — without abhiśaṅkāḥ — doubt.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dvāry etayor niviviśur miṣator apṛṣṭvā
dvāri
in the door
etayoḥ
both doorkeepers
niviviśuḥ
entered
miṣatoḥ
while seeing
apṛṣṭvā
without asking
pūrvā yathā puraṭa-vajra-kapāṭikā yāḥ
pūrvāḥ
as before
yathā
as
puraṭa
made of gold
vajra
and diamond
kapāṭikāḥ
the doors
yāḥ
which
sarvatra te ’viṣamayā munayaḥ sva-dṛṣṭyā
sarvatra
everywhere
te
they
ye sañcaranty avihatā vigatābhiśaṅkāḥ
aviṣa-mayā
without any sense of discrimination
munayaḥ
the great sages
sva-dṛṣṭyā
out of their own will
ye
who
sañcaranti
move
avihatāḥ
without being checked
vigata
without
abhiśaṅkāḥ
doubt.
The great sages, headed by Sanaka, had opened doors everywhere. They had no idea of “ours” and “theirs.” With open minds, they entered the seventh door out of their own will, just as they had passed through the six other doors, which were made of gold and diamonds.

The great sages — namely Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra — although very old in years, maintained themselves eternally as small children. They were not at all duplicitous, and they entered the doors exactly as little children enter places without any idea of what it is to trespass. That is a child’s nature. A child can enter any place, and no one checks him. Indeed, a child is generally welcome in his attempts to go places, but if it so happens that a child is checked from entering a door, he naturally becomes very sorry and angry. That is the nature of a child. In this case, the same thing happened. The childlike saintly personalities entered all the six doors of the palace, and no one checked them; therefore when they attempted to enter the seventh door and were forbidden by the doormen, who checked them with their sticks, they naturally became very angry and sorrowful. An ordinary child would cry, but because these were not ordinary children, they immediately made preparations to punish the doormen, for the doormen had committed a great offense. Even to this day a saintly person is never checked from entering anyone’s door in India.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The sages, who, without fear, unobstructed by anyone, would wander everywhere with undisturbed intelligence, entered the seventh door, made of gold and diamonds like the previous doors, without asking the door keepers. This verse explains the reason for their anger. Without asking the two gate keepers who were watching (misatoḥ), disrespecting them, they entered the seventh door whose bolts were made of diamonds, and whose panels were made of gold, as were the previous doors. They did not ask because of their nature. Without anyone able to stop them going anywhere (avihatāḥ), they used to wander everywhere.
Inquiry here is not casual curiosity — it is a serious approach made by someone ready to be changed. The verse asks the reader to examine the quality of their own inquiries.
Reflection Questions
  • What question would you bring to a realized teacher if one sat across from you this evening?
  • What would honour of your teacher look like in a single behaviour this week?
📝 My note

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