BY: SUN STAFF
Apr 11, CANADA (SUN) —
Bhagavat Sandarbha
by Srila Jiva Goswami
SECTION SIXTY-FOUR
No One Falls From Vaikuntha, Which is Beyond Matter.
Sri Suta Gosvami simultaneously describes two qualities of Vaikuntha--it is beyond the material world and it is a place from where no one falls down (S.B.12.11.19)
"O brahmanas, the Lord's umbrella is His spiritual abode, Vaikuntha, where there is no fear.
From the context of 11th chapter of 12th canto it is understood that these items (such as umbrella) are belonging to His form seen in the material world. Dvija, twice born, is an address.
COMMENTARY
Srila Jiva Gosvami again discusses the characteristics of Vaikuntha mentioned in the previous two anucchedas. Akutobhayam is a characteristic of Vaikuntha and means freedom from fear. Time is feared most, as it devours everything. In the material world there is fear of death and of falling from one's position. As there is no such fear in Vaikuntha, it is qualified by the world akutobhayam. Therefore the word akutobhayam hints at two qualities of Vaikuntha--it is beyond material world and no one falls from Vaikuntha. Again it should be noted here that this second quality of Vaikuntha is not restricted only to those devotees who go to Vaikuntha from the material world. Neither Suta Gosvami nor Srila Jiva Gosvami make such a distinction. Lord's umbrella is described as the Vaikuntha planet which protects the living entities from all kinds of suffering. Srila Visvanatha Carkravarti Thakura comments that when one experiences fearlessness in the material world, it is an effect of this umbrella of the Lord.
The Vaikuntha described in this verse is the one within the material world. This is understood from Saunaka's questions to Suta Goswami (S.B.12.11.2,3):
"All good fortune to you. Please explain to us, who are very eager to learn, the process of kriya-yoga practiced through regulated worship of the transcendental Lord, the husband of the goddess of fortune. Please also explain how the Lord's devotees conceive of His limbs. associates, weapons and ornaments in terms of particular material representations. By expertly worshiping the Supreme Lord, a mortal can attain immortality." Kriya-yoga here means deity worship. Saunaka Rishi wants to know how devotees meditate on the limbs, ornaments, dress and so on of the Deity in relation to the material elements. The umbrella mentioned in the verse under discussion is that which is used for the deity of Lord Vishnu.
In Krama Sandarbha Srila Jiva Gosvami writes that the Vaikuntha referred to here is situated above Brahmaloka and was manifested by the son of Vaikuntha. It is considered the umbrella of Lord Narayana. This was manifest during the reign of Raivata Manu as Srila Suka describes (S.B.8.5.4,5):
"From the combination of Subhra and his wife, Vaikuntha, there appeared the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaikuntha, along with demigods who were His plenary expansions."
"Just to please the goddess of fortune, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaikuntha, at her request, created another Vaikuntha planet, which is worshiped by everyone."
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