2 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 14
$ri-pariksid uvaca
rajas-tamah-svabhavasya
brahman vrtrasya papmanah
narayane bhagavati
katham dsid drdha matih
Sri-pariksit uvaca—King Pariksit inquired; rajah—of the mode of
passion; tamah—and of the mode of ignorance; sva-bhdvasya—having a
nature; brahman—O learned brahmana; vrtrasya—of Vrtrasura; pap-
manah—who was supposedly sinful; naraéyane—in Lord Narayana;
bhagavati—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; katham—how; dsit—
was there; drdhad—very strong; matih—consciousness.
TRANSLATION
King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: O learned
brahmana, demons are generally sinful, being obsessed with the
modes of passion and ignorance. How, then, could Vrtrasura have
attained such exalted love for the Supreme Personality of God-
head, Narayana?
PURPORT
In this material world, everyone is obsessed with the modes of passion
and ignorance. However, unless one conquers these modes and comes to
the platform of goodness, there is no chance of one’s becoming a pure
devotee. This is confirmed by Lord Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita
(7.28):
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmandm
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose
sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the
duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determina-
tion.” Since Vrtrasura was among the demons, Maharaja Pariksit won-
