898 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 22
immediately makes that place a tirtha, a place of pilgrimage. The Vaisnava
sannyasis travel all over the world to make every place a place of pilgrimage
by the touch of their lotus feet. It is mentioned there that any house
which does not receive a Vaisnava in the manner already explained in the
previous verse is to be considered the residential quarters of venomous
serpents. [t is said that about the sandalwood tree, which is a very valuable
tree, there is a venomous serpent. Sandalwood is very cold, and venomous
serpents, because of their poisonous teeth, are always very warm, and they
take shelter of the sandalwood trees to become cooler. Similarly, there
are many rich men who keep watchdogs or doormen and put up signs that
say do not enter, trespassers not allowed, beware of the dog, etc. Some-
times in western countries a trespasser is shot, and there is no crime in
such shooting. This is the position of demoniac householders, and such
houses are considered to be the residential quarters of venomous snakes.
The members of such families are no better than snakes because snakes
are very much envious, and when that envy is directed to the saintly per-
sons, their position becomes more dangerous. It is said by Canakya Pandita
that there are two envious living entities, the snake and the envious man.
The envious man is more dangerous than a snake because a snake can be
subdued by charming mantras or by some herbs, but an envious person
cannot be pacified by any means.
TEXT 12
arr 7 fisrter apafa gaUT: |
ete aT HAT THR CT TeheT TAM
svagatam vo dvija-srestha
yad-vratani mumuksavah
caranti sraddhaya dhira
bala eva brhanti ca

svagatam—welcome; vah—unto you; dvija-sresthah—the best of the
brahmanas; yat—whose; vratani—vows; mumuksavah—of persons desiring
liberation; caranti— behave ; sraddhaya—with great faith; dhirah—controlled;
balah— boys; eva—like; brhanti—observe; ca—also.

TRANSLATION

Maharaja Prthu offered his welcome to the four Kumaras, addressing
them as the best of the brahmanas. He welcomed them, saying: From the
beginning of your birth you were strictly observing the vows of celibacy,
