Sri Priti-Sandarbha
BY: SUN STAFF
Srila Jiva Goswami
Jun 22, CANADA (SUN) —
Sri Priti-sandarbha
Volume One
by Srila Jiva Goswami
Anuccheda 27
Liberation is also eclipsed by hearing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.20.23-24):
varan vibho tvad varadeshvarad budhah
katham vrinite guna-vikriyatmanam
ye narakanam api santi dehinam
tan isha kaivalya-pate vrine na ca
"My dear Lord, You are the best of the demigods who can offer benedictions. Why, therefore, should any learned person ask You for benedictions meant for living entities bewildered by the modes of material nature? Such benedictions are available automatically, even in the lives of the living entities suffering in hellish conditions. My dear Lord, You can certainly bestow merging into Your existence, but I do not wish to have such a benediction.*
na kamaye natha tad apy aham kvacin
na yatra yushmac-caranambujasavah
mahattamantar-hridayan mukha-cyuto
vidhatsva karnayutam esha me varah
"My dear Lord, I therefore do not wish to have the benediction of merging into Your existence, a benediction where there is no existence of the nectarean beverage of Your lotus feet. I want the benediction of at least one million ears, for thus I may be able to hear about the glories of Your lotus feet from the mouths of Your pure devotees."*
In this verse the words "tad api" mean "even liberation". These verses were spoken by King Prithu to Lord Vishnu.
Anuccheda 28
Liberation is also eclipsed by the desire to become a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.14.44):
yo dustyajan kshiti-suta-svajanartha-daran
prarthyam shriyam sura-varaih sadayavalokam
naicchan nripas tad-ucitam mahatam madhudvit-
sevanurakta-manasam abhavo 'pi phalguh
"My dear king, the activities of Bharata Maharaja are wonderful. He gave up everything difficult for others to give up. He gave up his kingdom, his wife, and his family. His opulence was so great that even the demigods envied it, yet he gave it up. It was quite befitting a great personality like him to be a great devotee. He could renounce everything because he was so attracted to the beauty, opulence, reputation, knowledge, strength, and renunciation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Krishna is so attractive that one can give up all desirable things for His sake. Indeed, even liberation is considered insignificant for those whose minds are attracted to the loving service of the Lord."*
In this verse the word "yah" (who) refers to Rishabhadeva's son Bharata. This verse was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Anuccheda 29
Liberation is also eclipsed by the desire to serve the Lord by becoming a demigod and ruling a planet on the Lord's behalf. This is described in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.8.42):
pratyanitah parama bhavata trayata nah sva-bhaga
daityakrantam hridaya-kamalam tad-griham pratyabodhi
kala-grastam kiyad idam aho natha shushrushatam te
muktis tesham na hi bahumata narasimhaparaih kim
"O Supreme Lord, You are our deliverer and protector. Our shares of sacrifice, which are actually Yours, have been recovered from the demon by You. Because the demoniac king Hiranyakashipu was most fearsome, our hearts, which are Your permanent abode, were all overtaken by him. Now, by Your presence, the gloom and darkness in our hearts have been dissipated. O Lord, for those who always engage in Your service, which is more exalted than liberation, all material opulence is insignificant. They do not even care for liberation, not to speak of the benefits of kama, artha, and dharma."*
The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by the demigod Indra to Lord Nrisimha.
Return to Anuccheda 24 - 26
