# The four Kumāras > [!summary] > *The four Kumāras — Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana, and Sanat-kumāra — are among the oldest beings in the universe, born directly from Lord Brahmā at the beginning of creation. Though Brahmā wanted them to procreate and populate the universe, they refused, preferring to remain celibate brahmacārīs devoted to spiritual realization. Initially impersonalists, they were converted to personalism when they smelled the fragrance of tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. They are counted among the twelve mahājanas and their disciplic succession (Kumāra-sampradāya) is one of the four authorized chains of spiritual masters.* ![[images/all-catalogs/0161_UP-41.jpg]] ## Mahajanas and Great Authorities ![[sb/4/21/28-29]] ![[sb/3/15/12]] ## Remain Celibate from Birth ![[sb/4/8/1]] ![[sb/4/22/12]] ## Converted to Personalism ![[sb/3/15/43]] ![[sb/3/15/46]] ## Visit Vaikuntha ![[sb/3/15/26]] ![[sb/3/15/38]] ## In the Disciplic Succession ![[sb/4/22/4]] ![[sb/4/17/5]] ## Pure Devotees ![[sb/5/25/9]] ![[sb/3/16/2]] ## From the Scriptures **Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam**: - [[sb/3/15|SB 3.15: Description of the Kingdom of God]] — Their visit to Vaikuntha - [[sb/3/16|SB 3.16: The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuṇṭha Cursed]] — Cursing Jaya and Vijaya - [[sb/4/22|SB 4.22: Pṛthu Mahārāja's Meeting with the Four Kumāras]] — Teaching King Prithu - [[sb/3/12|SB 3.12: Creation of the Kumāras and Others]] — Their birth from Brahma ## Related Articles - [[wiki/articles/lord-brahma|Lord Brahmā]] — Their father - [[wiki/articles/narada-muni|Nārada Muni]] — Fellow preacher and brother - [[wiki/articles/the-twelve-mahajanas|The twelve Mahājanas]] — The Kumāras among the twelve authorities - [[wiki/articles/the-wandering-preachers|The wandering preachers]] — The Kumāras as traveling sages ## From the Index - [[index/entries/kumaras-four|The Four Kumāras]] — First-born sons of Brahma - [[index/entries/mahajanas|Mahajanas]] — Kumaras as authorities - [[index/entries/disciplic-succession|Disciplic Succession]] — Kumara-sampradāya