Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Srimad Bhagawatam, First Canto, Volume Three
the context of other great authorities like Asita, Devala, Narada, Vyasa etc. As
such Maharaj Yudhisthir while leaving home for the northern side, he
constantly remembered Lord Sri Krishna within himself following the foot
prints of his forefather as well as great devotees of all times.
Sarvetam anunirjamur bhratarah kritanischayah
Kalina adharam mitrena dristwa pristwah praja bhuvi
Sarve—all his younger brothers, Tam—him, Anunirjamur—get out from
home by following the elder, Bhratarah—brothers, Kritanischavah—
decidedly, Kalina—by the age of Kali, Adharma—principle of irreligiosity,
Mitrena—by the friend, Dristwa—observing, Spristua—having overtaken,
Praja—all citizens, Bhuvi—on the earth.
The younger brothers of Maharaj Yudhisthir observed it also that the
age of Kali had already ushered in all the world over and the citizens of
the kingdom were already affected by the influence of irreligiosity. They,
therefore, decidedly followed the foot prints of their elder brother.
The younger brothers of Maharaj Yudhisthir were already most obedient
followers of the great emperor and they had sufficiently training about the
ultimate goal of life. They therefore decidedly followed their eldest brother in
the matter of rendering devotional service to Lord Sri Krisnna more than
fruitive activities, philosophical speculations or mystic powers. According to
the principles of Sanatan Dharma one must retire from family life after half
the duration of life is finished and must engage himself in the matter of self
realisation. But the question of engaging oneself is not always decided. Some
times such retired men are bewildered how to engage oneself for the last days
of life. Here is a decision by the authorities like the Pandavas that all of them
engaged themselves in the matter of culturing favourably the devotional
service of the Lord Sri Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to Swami Sridhar, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha or fruitive
activities, philosephical speculations or salvation as they are conceived by
several persons, are not the ultimate goal of life. They are more or less
practised by persons who have no decision for the ultimate goal of life. The
ultimate goal of life is already indicated by the Lord Himself in the Bhagwat
Geeta (Bg. 18.64) and the Pandavas were intelligent although to follow it
without any hesitation.
Te sadhukrita sarbartha jnatwa atyantika atmanah
Manasa dharayamasur vaikuntha charanambujam.
Te—all of them, Sadhukrita—having performed everything worth for a saint,
Sarbartha—that which includes everything worthy, Jnatwa—knowing it well,
Atyantika—the ultimate, Atmanah—of the living being, Manasa—within the
mind, Dharayamasur—sustained, Vaikuntha—the Lord of the spiritual sky,
Charanambujam—Lotus feet.
They had all performed all the priciples of religiosities and as a result of
this, rightly they decided that the lotus feeet of Lord Sri Krishna is the
Supreme goal of everytime and therefore they sustained within their
mind uniteruptedly.
In the Bhagwat Geeta the Lord says (Bg. 7.28) that only those who have had
done pious deeds in previous life and thus have become freed from the results
of all impious acts can only concentrate upon the Lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord Sri Krishna. The Pandavas not only in this life but also in their previous
life, they had always performed the supreme pious work and as such they are
ever-free from all the reactions of impious work. It is quite reasonable,
therefore, that they concentrated their mind unto the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord Sri Krishna According to Sri Viswanath Chaktavarty Dharma, Artha,
Kama and Moksha principles are accepted by persons who are not free from
the results of impious action. Such persons affected with the contaminations
of the above four principles cannot at once accept the lotus feet of the Lord of
the spiritual sky. Vaikuntha world is situated far beyond the material sky. The
material sky is under the management of Durga Devo or material energy of
the Lord but the Vaikuntha world is managed by the Personal energy of the
Lord. The cover-jacket of this book is an explanation of the Vaikuntha world
and the material world.
Tad dhyanot riktaya bhaktya visuddha dhisana pare
Tasmin narayana pade ekanta mataye gatim.
Avapur durvapam te asadbhir visayatmabhih
Vidhuta kalmasa sthanamvirajena atmanaiva hi.
Ted—That, Dhyanot—posidve meditation, Riktaya—being freed from,
Bhaktya—by devotional attitude, Visuddha—purified, Dhisaana—by
intelligence, Pare—unto the transcendence, Tasmin—in that, Narayana—the
Perscnality of Godead Sri Krishna, Pade—unto the lotus feet,
Ekantamataye—of those who are fixeed up in the Supreme Who is one,
Gatim—destination, Avapur—attained, Durvaam—very diffiult to obtain,
Te—by them, Asadbbir—by the materialists, Visayatmabhir—absorbed in the
matter of material needs, Vidhuta—washed off, Kalmasa—material
contaminations, Sthanam—abode, Virajena—withcut any material passion,
Atmanaiva—by the self same body, Hi—certainly.
32
They attained the spiritual sky which is dominated by the Supreme
Narayana Lord Krishna by pure consciousness due to constant
remembrance in devotion. This is attained by them only who are fixed up
in one supreme Lord without deviation. Such abode of the Lord Sri
Krishna, known as Goloka Vrindaban, is not attainable by persons who
are absorbed in material conception of life but the Pandavas being
completely washed off from all material contamination attained the place
in the very self-same body.
According to Srila Jiva Goswami a person freed from the three modes of
material qualities namely goodness, passion and ignorance and situated in
transcendence can reach the highest perfection of life without any change of
the body. Srila Sanatan Coswami also in his Hari-bhakti-vilas says that person
whatever he may be, can attain the perfection of a twice-born Brahmin by
undergoing the spiritual desciplinary actions under the guidance of a bonafide
spiritual master exactly like a chemist who can turn gunmetal into gold by
chemical manupulation. It is therefore, the actual guidance that matters in the
proceass of becoming a Brahmin even without any change of body or to go
back to home Godnead without any change of body. Srila Jiva Goswami
remarks that the word 'His' used in this connection positively affirms this truth
and there is no doubt about this factual position. The Bhagwat GeetEssaysa
also affirms this statement of SrilaJiva Goswami when the Lord says (Bg.
14.26) that any one, who executes the devotional service systematically
without any deviation can attain the perfection of Brahman by surpassing the
contamination of the three modes of meterial nature and when the Brahmanperfection
is still more advanced by the self-same execution of dovotional
service, there is no doubt at all that one can attain the Supreme spiritual planet
Goloka Vrindaban without any change of body as we have already discussed
in the matter of the Lord, returning in His abode without any change of body
(page 931)
Vidura api paritajya prabhase dehamatmanah
Krishna avesena tat chittah pitribhih sakshayam yayou.
Vidura—uncle of Maharaj Yudhisthira, Api—also, Paritajya—after quitting
the body, Prabhase—in the pilgrimage of Prabhasa, Dehamatmanah—his
body, Krishna—the Personality of Godhead, Avesena—being absorbed in that
thought, Tat—his, Chittah—thoughts and actions. Pitribhih—alongwith the
residents of Pitriloka, Sakshayan—his own abode, Yayou—departed.
Vidura, also while he was on pilgrimage, left his body at Pravash; and
because he was full in thought of Lord Krishna he was received by the
denizens of Pitriloka planet where he returned back in his original post.
The difference between the Pandavas and Vidura is that the formers are
eternal associates of the Lord Personality of Godhead, whereas Vidura is one
of the administrative demigods in charge of the Pitriloka planet as Yamaraja.
Every one is afraid of Yamaraja because it is he only who awards
punishments to the miscreants of the material world but those who are
devotees of the Lord have nothing to fear from him. To the devotees he is a
cordial friend but to the non-devotees he is the fear personified. As we have
already discussed about Vidura, it is understood that Yam Raja was cursed by
Manduk Muni to be degraded as Sudra and therefore Vidura was incarnation
of Yamaraj. As eternal servitor of the Lord he displayed his devotinal
activities very ardently and lived a life of a high class pious man so much so
that a materialistic man like Dhritarastra also got salvation by his instruction.
So by his pious activities in devotional service of the Lord he was able to
remember always about the lotus feet of the Lord by which he became washed
off from all contamination of a Sudra born-life and at the end he was again
received by the denizens of pitriloka and posted on his original place. The
demigods are also associates of the Lord withouut any personal touch while
the direct associates of the Lord are in constant personal touch with Him. The
Lord and the personal associates do incarnate in many universes without any
stoppage. The Lord remembers them all while the associates forget due to
their being very minute parts and parcel of the Lord; they are apt to forget
such incidences on account of being infinitesimal. This is corroborated in the
Bhagwat Geeta ( Bg. 4.5 )
Droupadi tada ajnaya patinam anapekshatam
Vasudeve bhagawati hi ekanta matir apa tam.
Droupadi—the wife of the Pandavas, Tada—at that time, Ajnaya—knowing
Lord Krishna fully well, Patinam—of the husbands, Anapekshatam—who did
not care for her, Vasudeva—unto Lord Vasudeva Krishna, Bhagawati—the
Personality of Godhead, Hi—exactly, Ekanta—absolutely, Moti—
concentration, Apa—got, Tam—Him the Lord.
Droupadi also saw it that her husbands without caring for her were
leaving home and she knew well about Lord Vasudeva Krishna the
Personality of Godhead; she and Subhadra also became absorbed in
thoughts of Krishna and got the same result like their husbands.
One has to fly areoplane in the outer space and no body can take care of other
planes. Every one has to take care of his own plane and if there is any danger
no other plane can help in that condition. Similarly at the end of life when one