Sri Priti-Sandarbha
BY: SUN STAFF
Srila Jiva Goswami
Jun 13, CANADA (SUN) —
Sri Priti-sandarbha
Volume One
by Srila Jiva Goswami
Anuccheda 13
The bodies of the liberated souls are also described in these words of Chandogya Upanishad (8.13.1):
ashva iva romani vidhuya. . .dhutva shariram akritam kritatma brahmalokam abhisambhavani
"As a horse sheds its hairs, . . .so will I shed this external material body and go to the spiritual abode of the Supreme Lord."
Thus, by the intervention of the Supreme Lord's inconceivable potency, the devotee leaves behind his material body and attains a spiritual body like that of the Lord. This is described in the following narration of Dhruva Maharaja's activities (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.12.29):
bibhrad rupam hiranmayam
"Before getting aboard, Dhruva Maharaja worshiped the airplane, circumambulated it, and also offered obeisances to the associates of Vishnu. In the meantime he became as brilliant and illuminating as molten gold. He was thus completely prepared to board the transcendental plane."*
Srila Sridhara Svami comments:
"This means he attained a form brilliant and illuminating as molten gold."
Sarshti liberation is described in these words of the Supreme Lord (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.29.34), which I have already discussed in Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 309):
martyo yada tyakta-samasta-karma. . .
. . .mayatma-bhuyaya ca kalpate vai
"A human being who renounces all fruitive activities, offers himself to Me, and yearns to serve Me, becomes immortal. He becomes glorious like Me."
Sarshti liberation is also described in these words of Chandogya Upanishad (8.12.3):
sa tatra paryeti jakshan kridan ramamanah
"In the spiritual world the liberated soul walks, plays, and enjoys life."
Sarshti liberation is also described in these words of Taittiriya Upanishad (1.6.2):
apnoti svarajyam
"The liberated soul attains a kingdom in the spiritual world."
In the Taittiriya Upanishad (1.5.3) it is said:
sarve 'smai deva balim aharanti
"All the demigods place offerings before the liberated soul."
In Chandogya Upanishad (7.25.2) it is said:
tasya sarveshu lokeshu kama-caro bhavati
"The liberated soul can travel to whatever world he wishes, simply by wishing to be there."
In Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad (4.4.22) it is said:
sarveshvarah. . .
"The liberated soul becomes glorious like the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
Still, the liberated soul does not have all the powers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, the liberated soul has no power to create universes. How, then, can the liberated souls become the rulers of the spiritual world of Vaikuntha? This is described in the following words of Vedanta-sutra (4.4.22):
jagad-vyapara-varjam
"Although he has powers and glories like those of the Supreme Lord, the liberated soul has no power to create universes."
Lord Krishna tells Devaki (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.41):
adrishtvanyatamam loke. . .
"Since I found no one else as highly elevated as you in simplicity and other qualities of good character, I appeared in this world as Prishnigarbha, or one who is celebrated as having taken birth from Prishni."*
In this way, in having saintly qualities, the devotee is in some ways equal to the Lord. Whatever the yogis attain by their eight mystic powers, powers that begin with anima siddhi, is only a small fraction of the glories and powers attained by the liberated devotee.
The great treasure that the devotee attains by the Supreme Lord's mercy is eternal and imperishable. Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.23.7-8) explains:
ye me svadharma-niratasya tapah-samadhi-
vidyatma-yoga-vijita bhagavat-prasadah
tan eva te mad-anusevanayavaruddhan
drishtim prapashya vitaramy abhayan ashokan
"Kardama Muni continued: I have achieved the blessings of the Lord in discharging my own religious life of austerity, meditation, and Krishna consciousness. Although you have not yet experienced these achievements, which are free from fear and lamentation, I shall offer them all to you because you are engaged in my service. Now just look at them. I am giving you the transcendental vision to see how nice they are.*
anye punar bhagavato bhruva udvijrimbha-
vibhramshitartha-racanah kim urukramasya
siddhasi bhunkshva vibhavan nija-dharma-dohan
divyan narair duradhigan nripa-vikriyabhih
"Kardama Muni continued: What is the use of enjoyments other than the Lord's grace? All material achievements are subject to be annihilated simply by a movement of the eyebrows of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By your principles of devotion to your husband, you have achieved and can enjoy transcendental gifts very rarely attained by persons proud of aristocracy and material possessions."*
Here the words "tapah-samadhi-vidya" refer to the activities of devotional service. "Atma-yoga" means “concentration of the mind". The rhetorical question, “What is the use of enjoyments other than the Lord's grace?" is answered with the words, "They are of no use." Then it is said, "All material achievements are subject to be annihilated simply by a movement of the eyebrows of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This verse was spoken by Kardama Muni to Devahuti.
Return to Anuccheda 11 - 12
