Jaya and Vijaya

Jaya and Vijaya (pronounced: "JAY-uh" and "vee-JAY-uh") were the two gatekeepers of the abode of Vishnu

History
One time, Jaya and Vijaya refused to let the four Kumaras, a group of powerful sages, in to see Vishnu because they though they looked like children. The sages cursed the two to lose their divinity and be born as mortals on Earth. Vishnu gave them a choice, either they take seven births on Earth as pious devotees of Vishnu, or three births as his sworn enemies, they chose the shorter option.

In their first life, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha and killed by Varaha, an incarnation of Vishnu.

In their second life, they were born as Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna. Ravana was the ten-headed demon king whom kidnapped the wife and brother Rama, another incarnation of Vishnu, both were killed by him.

In their third life, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Shishupala and Dantavakra who were killed by Krishna, yet another incarnation of Vishnu.

Trivia

 * When Agni tells the tale of Jaya and Vijaya, he mistakenly said they had to take four births as Vishnu's sworn enemies instead of three.