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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.16.12

तन्मे स्वभर्तुरवसायमलक्षमाणौ युष्मद्वय‍‌तिक्रमगतिं प्रतिपद्य सद्य: । भूयो ममान्तिकमितां तदनुग्रहो मे यत्कल्पतामचिरतो भृतयोर्विवास: ॥ १२ ॥
tan me sva-bhartur avasāyam alakṣamāṇau
[tan me sva-bhartur avasaayam alakshamaanau]
yuṣmad-vyatikrama-gatiṁ pratipadya sadyaḥ
[yushmad-vyatikrama-gatim pratipadya sadyah]
bhūyo mamāntikam itāṁ tad anugraho me
[bhooyo mamaantikam itaam tad anugraho me]
yat kalpatām acirato bhṛtayor vivāsaḥ
[yat kalpataam achirato bhritayor vivaasah]
tat — therefore me — My sva-bhartuḥ — of their master avasāyam — the intention alakṣamāṇau — not knowing yuṣmat — against you vyatikrama — offense gatim — result pratipadya — reaping sadyaḥ — immediately bhūyaḥ — again mama antikam — near Me itām — obtain tat — that anugrahaḥ — a favor me — to Me yat — which kalpatām — let it be arranged acirataḥ — not long bhṛtayoḥ — of these two servants vivāsaḥ — exile.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tan me sva-bhartur avasāyam alakṣamāṇau
tat
therefore
me
My
sva-bhartuḥ
of their master
avasāyam
the intention
alakṣamāṇau
not knowing
yuṣmad-vyatikrama-gatiṁ pratipadya sadyaḥ
yuṣmat
against you
vyatikrama
offense
gatim
result
pratipadya
reaping
sadyaḥ
immediately
bhūyo mamāntikam itāṁ tad anugraho me
bhūyaḥ
again
mama antikam
near Me
itām
obtain
tat
that
anugrahaḥ
a favor
me
to Me
yat kalpatām acirato bhṛtayor vivāsaḥ
yat
which
kalpatām
let it be arranged
acirataḥ
not long
bhṛtayoḥ
of these two servants
vivāsaḥ
exile.
These servants of Mine have transgressed against you, not knowing the mind of their master. I shall therefore deem it a favor done to Me if you order that, although reaping the fruit of their transgression, they may return to My presence soon and the time of their exile from My abode may expire before long.

From this statement we can understand how anxious the Lord is to get his servitor back into Vaikuṇṭha. Therefore this incident proves that those who have once entered a Vaikuṇṭha planet can never fall down. The case of Jaya and Vijaya is not a falldown; it is just an accident. The Lord is always anxious to get such devotees back again to the Vaikuṇṭha planets as soon as possible. It is to be assumed that there is no possibility of a misunderstanding between the Lord and the devotees, but when there are discrepancies or disruptions between one devotee and another, one has to suffer the consequences, although that suffering is temporary. The Lord is so kind to His devotees that He took all the responsibility for the doormen’s offense and requested the sages to give them facilities to return to Vaikuṇṭha as soon as possible.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Therefore my servants who did not see the intention of their master, should go to a place suitable for their offense to you, and quickly again attain a place near me. Since this punishment is my mercy, let my servants quickly come to me. Therefore (tat) not seeing the intention of their master by the will of providence, these two should quickly go to a place suitable for the offense they committed to you and then return to me (itām). This is my request. “O master! You say that those who commit offense to the brāhmaṇas commit offense to you. Why do you again show affection for those two?” I cannot control myself. It is not possible to give up my natural qualities. Since this punishment is also my mercy to them, not punishment, may the two servants quickly live (viḥasaḥ) with me again.
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it.
Reflection Questions
  • What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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