BY: SUN STAFF
Apr 9, CANADA (SUN) —
Bhagavat Sandarbha
by Srila Jiva Goswami
SECTION SIXTY-TWO
Vaikuntha is Beyond the Material World.
Vaikuntha is transcendental to the material world. Rudra states to the Pracetas (SB. 4.24.29):
"A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahma, and if he becomes more qualified, he can approach me (Lord Siva). A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Krsna, or Visnu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets vaishnava padam, which is free from all modifications. Lord Siva and other demigods attain these planets after the destruction of this material world."
If one is more pious than the piety needed to attain the post of Brahma then he attains My planet. But a devotee, after giving up his body, attains the abode of Lord Vishnu, Vaikuntha, which is beyond material world and free from all modification which are described in the Sruti "the changes of name and form". (Chandogya Upanishad 6.3.2)
Just as I being Rudra exist as the office bearer so do other demigods. At the end of our appointed duration when the subtle body is destroyed, we reach that place. This is according to the principle of the Brahma Sutra (3.3.33), "The office holders remain in this world until their tenure is completed."
COMMENTARY
Srila Jiva Gosvami now explains that Vaikuntha is beyond the material world. It is beyond Lord Brahma's planet, Satyaloka, which is considered as the topmost planet in the universe, prapanca. From this verse it appears that planet of Lord Rudra is even superior to that of Brahma because one has to perform more piety to reach it.
By piety or following religious principles one can achieve the place of Brahma. If one is more pious, he can attain even the place of Rudra. In last Text Krishna explained to Uddhava the various destinations attained by various followers of Varnasrama belonging to different Asramas. To reach Vaikuntha, however, one has to be free from the gross and subtle body, which means Vaikuntha is beyond the gross and subtle planets.
To prove this Srila Jiva Gosvami cites a verse by Lord Rudra to the Pracetas in which he uses the word avyakritam, transcendental. Chandogya mantra (6.3.2) uses vyakritam to mean "manifest"--nama-rupe vyakaravani--"I shall manifest name and form." The next mantra describes material objects from the three modes of nature, which have names and forms. Vaikuntha is not a manifestation of the three modes and is thus called avyakritam, unmanifest and beyond the material world. Prapancatitam-vaishnavam padam means the place of Lord Vishnu, Vaikuntha. The presiding deities of material affairs attain that abode after they complete their tenure and are free from the subtle body, kalatyaye. Kala means the subtle body.
In his commentary on Vedanta Sutra 3.3.33, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana writes that demigods like Brahma have burned their accumulated karma in the fire of transcendental knowledge, but some prarabdha karma remains owing to their desire to assist the Lord in managing material affairs. Brahma gets liberated at the end of his tenure. Other demigods who are free from karma proceed to Brahma's planet and remain there until the end of Brahma's life, at which time they are released with him. The Kurma Purana confirms this (12.273):
"When Brahma's tenure is over and the great dissolution occurs, all perfected beings enter the abode of the Lord along with Brahma."
This proves that Vaikuntha is beyond Satyaloka and thus beyond material world. Incidentally it should be noted that unlike demigods or other pious beings, who attain Brahma's post, a devotee does not have to wait until the end of Brahma's life span to enter into Vaikuntha. After giving up the present body he is immediately transferred to Vaikuntha.
In the next Srila Jiva Gosvami shows that no one falls from Vaikuntha.
Go to Section Sixty-three
Return to Section Sixty-one
