Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 2: “The Cosmic Manifestation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Eight
Questions by King Parīkṣit
SB2.8.1
TEXT 1
rājovāca
brahmaṇā codito brahman
guṇākhyāne ’guṇasya ca
yasmai yasmai yathā prāha
nārado deva-darśanaḥ
SYNONYMS
rājā—the King; uvāca—inquired; brahmaṇā—by Lord Brahmā; coditaḥ—being instructed; brahman—O learned brāhmaṇa (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); guṇa-ākhyāne—in narrating the transcendental qualities; aguṇasya—of the Lord, who is without material qualities; ca—and; yasmai yasmai—and whom; yathā—as much as; prāha—explained; nāradaḥ—Nārada Muni; deva-darśanaḥ—one whose audience is as good as that of any demigod.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: How did Nārada Muni, whose hearers are as fortunate as those instructed by Lord Brahmā, explain the transcendental qualities of the Lord, who is without material qualities, and before whom did he speak?
PURPORT
Devarṣi Nārada was directly instructed by Brahmājī, who was also directly instructed by the Supreme Lord; therefore the instructions imparted by Nārada to his various disciples are as good as those of the Supreme Lord. That is the way of understanding Vedic knowledge. It comes down from the Lord by disciplic succession, and this transcendental knowledge is distributed to the world by this descending process. There is no chance, however, to receive the Vedic knowledge from mental speculators. Therefore, wherever Nārada Muni goes, he represents himself as authorized by the Lord, and his appearance is as good as that of the Supreme Lord. Similarly, the disciplic succession which strictly follows the transcendental instruction is the bona fide chain of disciplic succession, and the test for such bona fide spiritual masters is that there should be no difference between the instruction of the Lord originally imparted to His devotee and that which is imparted by the authority in the line of disciplic succession. How Nārada Muni distributed the transcendental knowledge of the Lord will be explained in later cantos.
It will appear also that the Lord existed prior to the material creation, and therefore His transcendental name, quality, etc., do not represent any material quality. Whenever, therefore, the Lord is described as aguṇa, or without any quality, it does not mean that He has no quality, but that He has no material quality, such as the modes of goodness, passion or ignorance, as the conditioned souls have. He is transcendental to all material conceptions, and thus He is described as aguṇa.
SB2.8.2 TEXT 2 etad veditum icchāmi tattvaṁ tattva-vidāṁ vara harer adbhuta-vīryasya kathā loka-sumaṅgalāḥ SYNONYMS etat—this; veditum—to understand; icchāmi—I wish; tattvam—truth; tattva-vidām—of those who are well versed in the Absolute Truth; vara—O best; hareḥ—of the Lord; adbhuta-vīryasya—of the one who possesses wonderful potencies; kathāḥ—narrations; loka—for all planets; su-maṅgalāḥ—auspicious.
TRANSLATION The King said: I wish to know. Narrations concerning the Lord, who possesses wonderful potencies, are certainly auspicious for living beings in all planets. PURPORT Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is full of narrations of the activities of the Supreme Lord, is auspicious for all living beings residing in every planet. One who takes it as belonging to a particular sect is certainly mistaken. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is certainly a very dear scripture for all the devotees of the Lord, but it is auspicious even for the nondevotees also because it explains that even the nondevotees hovering under the spell of material energy can be delivered from such clutches if they hear the narration of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with devotion and attention from the right source representing the Lord by disciplic succession.
SB2.8.3 TEXT 3 kathayasva mahābhāga yathāham akhilātmani kṛṣṇe niveśya niḥsaṅgaṁ manas tyakṣye kalevaram SYNONYMS kathayasva—please continue speaking; mahābhāga—O greatly fortunate one; yathā—as much as; aham—I; akhila-ātmani—unto the Supreme Soul; kṛṣṇe—unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; niveśya—having placed; niḥsaṅgam—being freed from material qualities; manaḥ—mind; tyakṣye—may relinquish; kalevaram—body.
TRANSLATION O greatly fortunate Śukadeva Gosvāmī, please continue narrating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so that I can place my mind upon the Supreme Soul, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and, being completely freed from material qualities, thus relinquish this body. PURPORT To be fully engaged in hearing the transcendental narration described in the text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means to constantly associate with the Supreme Soul, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And to constantly associate with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa means to be liberated from the qualities of matter. Lord Kṛṣṇa is like the sun, and material contamination is like darkness. As the presence of the sun dissipates darkness, constant engagement in the association of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa frees one from the contamination of the material qualities. Contamination by the material qualities is the cause of repeated birth and death, and liberation from material qualities is transcendence. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was now a realized soul by this secret of liberation, through the grace of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, for the latter had informed the King that the highest perfection of life is to be in remembrance of Nārāyaṇa at the end of life. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was destined to give up his body at the end of seven days, and thus he decided to continue remembering the Lord by His association with the topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and thus to quit his body in full consciousness of the presence of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul.
The hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam performed by professional men is different from the transcendental hearing of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a soul realized in the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The fruitive materialist is not a realized soul; he wants to derive some material benefit from his so-called hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Undoubtedly such an audience, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the professional men, can derive some material benefit as they desire, but that does not mean that such a pretense of hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for a week is as good as the hearing of Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
It is the duty of the sane to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a self-realized soul and not be duped by professional men. One should continue such hearing till the end of one’s life so that one can actually have the transcendental association of the Lord and thus be liberated simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit had already given up all his connections with his kingdom and family, the most attractive features of materialism, but still he was conscious of his material body. He wanted to be free of such bondage also by the constant association of the Lord.
SB2.8.4 TEXT 4 śṛṇvataḥ śraddhayā nityaṁ gṛṇataś ca sva-ceṣṭitam kālena nātidīrgheṇa bhagavān viśate hṛdi SYNONYMS śṛṇvataḥ—of those who hear; śraddhayā—in earnestness; nityam—regularly, always; gṛṇataḥ—taking the matter; ca—also; sva-ceṣṭitam—seriously by one’s own endeavor; kālena—duration; na—not; ati-dīrgheṇa—very prolonged time; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa; viśate—becomes manifest; hṛdi—within one’s heart.
TRANSLATION Persons who hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested in their hearts within a short time. PURPORT Cheap devotees or materialistic devotees of the Lord are very much desirous to see the Lord personally without meeting the requisite qualifications. Such third-grade devotees should know well that material attachment and seeing the Lord face to face cannot go together. It is not such a mechanical process that the professional Bhāgavatam reciters can do the job on behalf of the third-grade materialistic pseudo-devotee. The professional men are useless in this connection because they are neither self-realized nor interested in the liberation of the audience. They are simply interested in maintaining the material establishment of family attachment and earning some material benefits out of the profession. Mahārāja Parīkṣit had no more than seven days to live, but for others Mahārāja Parīkṣit personally recommends that one hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly, nityam, always by one’s own effort and with serious devotion also. That will help one to see the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested in one’s heart within no time.
The pseudo-devotee, however, is very anxious to see the Lord according to his whims, not making any serious effort to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly and without detachment from material benefit. That is not the way recommended by an authority like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who heard and benefited by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
SB2.8.5 TEXT 5 praviṣṭaḥ karṇa-randhreṇa svānāṁ bhāva-saroruham dhunoti śamalaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ salilasya yathā śarat SYNONYMS praviṣṭaḥ—thus being entered; karṇa-randhreṇa—through the holes of the ears; svānām—according to one’s liberated position; bhāva—constitutional relationship; saraḥ-ruham—the lotus flower; dhunoti—cleanses; śamalam—material qualities like lust, anger, avarice and hankering; kṛṣṇaḥ—Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; salilasya—of the reservoir of waters; yathā—as it were; śarat—the autumn season.
TRANSLATION The sound incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul [i.e. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam], enters into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of his loving relationship, and thus cleanses the dust of material association, such as lust, anger and hankering. Thus it acts like autumnal rains upon pools of muddy water. PURPORT It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world. Thus one who is actually in the confidence of a pure devotee like Nārada or Śukadeva Gosvāmī and thus is empowered by one’s spiritual master, as Nārada was by Brahmājī, can not only deliver himself from the clutches of māyā, or illusion, but can deliver the whole world by his pure and empowered devotional strength. The comparison to the autumnal rain that falls on muddy reservoirs of water is very appropriate. During the rainy season, all the waters of the rivers become muddy, but in the month of July-August, the autumn season, when there is a slight rainfall, the muddy waters of the rivers all over the world become at once clear. By addition of some chemical, a small reservoir of water like that of a metropolitan waterworks tank can be cleared, but by such a tiny effort it is not possible to clear up all the reservoirs of water like the rivers. A powerful pure devotee of the Lord, however, can deliver not only his personal self but also many others in his association.
In other words, the cleansing of the polluted heart by other methods (like the culture of empiric knowledge or mystic gymnastics) can simply cleanse one’s own heart, but devotional service to the Lord is so powerful that it can cleanse the hearts of the people in general, by the devotional service of the pure, empowered devotee. A true representative of the Lord like Nārada, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvāmīs and later Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, etc., can deliver all people by their empowered devotional service.
By sincere efforts to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one realizes his constitutional relationship with the Lord in the transcendental humor of servitude, friendship, paternal affection or conjugal love, and by such self-realization one becomes situated at once in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Not only were all the pure devotees like Nārada self-realized souls, but they were engaged in preaching work automatically by spiritual impetus, and thus they delivered many poor souls entangled in the material modes. They became so powerful because they sincerely followed the Bhāgavatam principles by regular hearing and worshiping. By such actions the accumulated material lusts, etc., become cleansed by the personal endeavor of the Lord within the heart. The Lord is always within the heart of the living being, but He becomes manifested by one’s devotional service.
Purification of the heart by culture of knowledge or mystic yoga may be all right for the time being for an individual person, but it is like the cleansing of a small quantity of stagnant water by chemical processes. Such clarification of water may stand for the time being and the sediments settle down, but by a slight agitation everything becomes muddy. The idea is that devotional service to the Lord is the only method of cleansing the heart for good. Whereas other methods may be superficially good for the time being, there is a risk of becoming muddy again due to agitation of the mind. Devotional service to the Lord, with specific attention for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly and always, is the best recommended method for liberation from the clutches of illusion.
SB2.8.6 TEXT 6 dhautātmā puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇa- pāda-mūlaṁ na muñcati mukta-sarva-parikleśaḥ pānthaḥ sva-śaraṇaṁ yathā SYNONYMS dhauta-ātmā—whose heart has been cleansed; puruṣaḥ—the living being; kṛṣṇa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pāda-mūlam—the shelter of the lotus feet; na—never; muñcati—gives up; mukta—liberated; sarva—all; parikleśaḥ—of all miseries of life; pānthaḥ—the traveler; sva-śaraṇam—in his own abode; yathā—as it were.
TRANSLATION A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been cleansed by the process of devotional service never relinquishes the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, for they fully satisfy him, as a traveler is satisfied at home after a troubled journey. PURPORT One who is not a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa is not completely cleansed in the heart. But a perfectly cleansed person never quits the devotional service of the Lord. In discharging such devotional service, as ordered by Brahmājī to Nārada in the preaching of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityānanda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagāi and Mādhāi, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. Prahlāda Mahārāja suffered greatly, but still he never forgot the lotus feet of the Lord. This is because a pure devotee of the Lord is so purified in his heart that he cannot leave the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa in any circumstances. There is no self-interest in such service. The progress of culturing knowledge by the jñānīs or the bodily gymnastics by the yogīs are ultimately given up by the respective performers, but a devotee of the Lord cannot give up the service of the Lord, for he is ordered by his spiritual master. Pure devotees like Nārada and Nityānanda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life. They do not mind what becomes of the future of their lives. They take the matter very seriously as the order comes from the higher authority, from the representative of the Lord, or from the Lord Himself.
The example set herein is very appropriate. A traveler leaves home to search for wealth in far distant places, sometimes in the forest and sometimes on the ocean and sometimes on hilltops. Certainly there are many troubles for the traveler when he is in such unknown places. But all such troubles are at once mitigated as soon as the sense of his family affection is remembered, and as soon as he returns home he forgets all such troubles on the way.
A pure devotee of the Lord is exactly in a family tie with the Lord, and therefore he is undeterred in discharging his duty in a full affectionate tie with the Lord.
SB2.8.7 TEXT 7 yad adhātu-mato brahman dehārambho ’sya dhātubhiḥ yadṛcchayā hetunā vā bhavanto jānate yathā SYNONYMS yat—as it is; adhātu-mataḥ—without being materially constituted; brahman—O learned brāhmaṇa; deha—the material body; ārambhaḥ—the beginning of; asya—of the living being; dhātubhiḥ—by matter; yadṛcchayā—without cause, accidental; hetunā—due to some cause; vā—either; bhavantaḥ—your good self; jānate—as you may know it; yathā—so you inform me.
TRANSLATION O learned brāhmaṇa, the transcendental spirit soul is different from the material body. Does he acquire the body accidentally or by some cause? Will you kindly explain this, for it is known to you. PURPORT Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being a typical devotee, is not only satisfied by confirming the importance of hearing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the representative of Brahmājī by disciplic succession, but he is still more anxious to establish the philosophical basis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such all questions that may arise in the mind of a serious student must be cleared by the statements of the authority. A person on the path of devotional service may inquire from his spiritual master all about the spiritual position of God and the living beings. From the Bhagavad-gītā, as well as from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is known that qualitatively the Lord and the living beings are one. The living being in the conditioned state of material existence is subjected to many transmigrations by continuous changing of the material body. But what are the causes of the material embodiment of the part and parcel of the Lord? Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquires about this very important matter for the benefit of all classes of candidates on the path of self-realization and devotional service to the Lord.
Indirectly it is confirmed that the Supreme Being, the Lord, makes no such material changes of body. He is spiritually whole, with no difference between His body and His soul, unlike the conditioned soul. The liberated living beings, who associate with the Lord in person, are also exactly like the Lord. Only the conditioned souls awaiting liberation are subjected to change of bodies. How was the process first begun?
In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple.
SB2.8.8 TEXT 8 āsīd yad-udarāt padmaṁ loka-saṁsthāna-lakṣaṇam yāvān ayaṁ vai puruṣa iyattāvayavaiḥ pṛthak tāvān asāv iti proktaḥ saṁsthāvayavavān iva SYNONYMS āsīt—as it grew; yat-udarāt—from whose abdomen; padmam—lotus flower; loka—world; saṁsthāna—situation; lakṣaṇam—possessed of; yāvān—as it were; ayam—this; vai—certainly; puruṣaḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iyattā—measurement; avayavaiḥ—by embodiments; pṛthak—different; tāvān—so; asau—that; iti proktaḥ—it is so said; saṁsthā—situation; avayavavān—embodiment; iva—like.
TRANSLATION If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose abdomen the lotus stem sprouted, is possessed of a gigantic body according to His own caliber and measurement, then what is the specific difference between the body of the Lord and those of common living entities? PURPORT One should note how Mahārāja Parīkṣit intelligently put questions before his spiritual master for scientific understanding of the transcendental body of the Lord. It has been described in many places before this that the Lord assumed a gigantic body, like that of Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, from whose hair pores innumerable universes have generated. The body of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is described as sprouting the lotus stem within which all the planets of the universe remain, and at the top of the stem is the lotus flower on which Lord Brahmā is born. In the creation of the material world the Supreme Lord undoubtedly assumes a gigantic body, and living entities also get bodies, big or small, according to necessity. For example, an elephant gets a gigantic body according to its needs, and so also an ant gets its body according to its needs. Similarly, if the Personality of Godhead assumes a gigantic body to accommodate the universes or the planets of a particular universe, there is no difference in the principle of assuming or accepting a particular type of body in terms of necessity. A living being and the Lord cannot be distinguished simply by the difference in the magnitude of the body. So the answer depends on the specific significance of the body of the Lord, as distinguished from the body of the common living being.
SB2.8.9 TEXT 9 ajaḥ sṛjati bhūtāni bhūtātmā yad-anugrahāt dadṛśe yena tad-rūpaṁ nābhi-padma-samudbhavaḥ SYNONYMS ajaḥ—one who is born without a material source; sṛjati—creates; bhūtāni—all those materially born; bhūta-ātmā—having a body of matter; yat—whose; anugrahāt—by the mercy of; dadṛśe—could see; yena—by whom; tat-rūpam—His form of body; nābhi—navel; padma—lotus flower; samudbhavaḥ—being born of.
TRANSLATION Brahmā, who was not born of a material source but of the lotus flower coming out of the navel abdomen of the Lord, is the creator of all those who are materially born. Of course, by the grace of the Lord, Brahmā was able to see the form of the Lord. PURPORT The first living creature, Brahmā, is called ajaḥ because he did not take his birth from the womb of a mother materially born. He was directly born from the bodily expansion of the lotus flower of the Lord. Thus it is not readily understandable whether the body of the Lord and that of Brahmā are of the same quality or different. This must also be clearly understood. One thing is, however, certain: Brahmā was completely dependent on the mercy of the Lord because after his birth he could create living beings by the Lord’s grace only, and he could see the form of the Lord. Whether the form seen by Brahmā is of the same quality as that of Brahmā is a bewildering question, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to get clear answers from Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
SB2.8.10 TEXT 10 sa cāpi yatra puruṣo viśva-sthity-udbhavāpyayaḥ muktvātma-māyāṁ māyeśaḥ śete sarva-guhāśayaḥ SYNONYMS saḥ—He; ca—also; api—as He is; yatra—where; puruṣaḥ—the Personality of Godhead; viśva—the material worlds; sthiti—maintenance; udbhava—creation; apyayaḥ—annihilation; muktvā—without being touched; ātma-māyām—own energy; māyā-īśaḥ—the Lord of all energies; śete—does lie on; sarva-guhā-śayaḥ—one who lies in everyone s heart.
TRANSLATION Please also explain the Personality of Godhead, who lies in every heart as the Supersoul, and as the Lord of all energies, but is untouched by His external energy. PURPORT Undoubtedly the form of the Lord who was seen by Brahmā must be transcendental, otherwise how could He simply look upon the creative energy without being touched? It is understood also that the same puruṣa lies in the heart of every living entity. This also requires proper explanation.
SB2.8.11 TEXT 11 puruṣāvayavair lokāḥ sapālāḥ pūrva-kalpitāḥ lokair amuṣyāvayavāḥ sa-pālair iti śuśruma SYNONYMS puruṣa—the universal form of the Lord (virāṭ-puruṣaḥ); avayavaiḥ—by different parts of the body; lokāḥ—the planetary system; sa-pālāḥ—with respective governors; pūrva—formerly; kalpitāḥ—discussed; lokaiḥ—by the different planetary systems; amuṣya—His; avayavāḥ—different parts of the body; sa-pālaiḥ—with the governors; iti—thus; śuśruma—I heard.
TRANSLATION O learned brāhmaṇa, it was formerly explained that all the planets of the universe with their respective governors are situated in the different parts of the gigantic body of the virāṭ-puruṣa. I have also heard that the different planetary systems are supposed to be in the gigantic body of the virāṭ-puruṣa. But what is their actual position ? Will you please explain that? SB2.8.12 TEXT 12 yāvān kalpo vikalpo vā yathā kālo ’numīyate bhūta-bhavya-bhavac-chabda āyur-mānaṁ ca yat sataḥ SYNONYMS yāvān—as it is; kalpaḥ—the duration of time between creation and annihilation; vikalpaḥ—subsidiary creation and annihilation; vā—either; yathā—as also; kālaḥ—the time; anumīyate—is measured; bhūta—past; bhavya—future; bhavat—present; śabdaḥ—sound; āyuḥ—duration of life; mānam—measurement; ca—also; yat—which; sataḥ—of all living beings in all planets.
TRANSLATION Also please explain the duration of time between creation and annihilation, and that of other subsidiary creations, as well as the nature of time, indicated by the sound of past, present and future. Also, please explain the duration and measurement of life of the different living beings known as the demigods, the human beings, etc., in different planets of the universe. PURPORT Past, present and future are different features of time to indicate the duration of life for the universe and all its paraphernalia, including the different living beings in different planets.
SB2.8.13 TEXT 13 kālasyānugatir yā tu lakṣyate ’ṇvī bṛhaty api yāvatyaḥ karma-gatayo yādṛśīr dvija-sattama SYNONYMS kālasya—of eternal time; anugatiḥ—beginning; yā tu—as they are; lakṣyate—experienced; aṇvī—small; bṛhatī—great; api—even; yāvatyaḥ—as long as; karma-gatayaḥ—in terms of the work performed; yādṛśīḥ—as it may; dvija-sattama—O purest of all brāhmaṇas.
TRANSLATION O purest of the brāhmaṇas, please also explain the cause of the different durations of time, both short and long, as well as the beginning of time, following the course of action. SB2.8.14 TEXT 14 yasmin karma-samāvāyo yathā yenopagṛhyate guṇānāṁ guṇināṁ caiva pariṇāmam abhīpsatām SYNONYMS yasmin—in which; karma—actions; samāvāyaḥ—accumulation; yathā—as far as; yena—by which; upagṛhyate—takes over; guṇānām—of the different modes of material nature; guṇinām—of the living beings; ca—also; eva—certainly; pariṇāmam—resultant; abhīpsatām—of the desires.
TRANSLATION Then again, kindly describe how the proportionate accumulation of the reactions resulting from the different modes of material nature act upon the desiring living being, promoting or degrading him among the different species of life, beginning from the demigods down to the most insignificant creatures. PURPORT The actions and reactions of all works in the material modes of nature, either in the minute form or in the gigantic form, are accumulated, and thus the result of such accumulated actions and reactions of karma, or work, become manifested in the same proportion. How such actions and reactions take place, what the different procedures are, and in what proportion they act are all subject matters of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries from the great brāhmaṇa Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
Life in the higher planets, known as the abodes of the denizens of heaven, is obtained not by the strength of spacecraft (as is now being contemplated by the inexperienced scientists), but by works done in the mode of goodness.
Even on the very planet where we are now living, there are restrictions upon the entrance of foreigners into a country where the citizens are more prosperous. For example, the American government has many restrictions for the entrance of foreigners from less prosperous countries. The reason is that the Americans do not wish to share their prosperity with any foreigner who has not qualified himself as a citizen of America. Similarly, the same mentality is prevailing in every other planet where there are more intelligent living beings residing. The higher planetary living conditions are all in the mode of goodness, and anyone desiring to enter the higher planets like the moon, sun and Venus must qualify thoroughly by activity in complete goodness.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries are on the basis of proportionate actions of goodness which qualify one in this planet to be promoted to the highest regions of the universe.
Even on this planet of our present residence, one cannot achieve a good position within the social order without being qualified with proportionate good work. One cannot forcibly sit on the chair of a high-court judge without being qualified for the post. Similarly, one cannot enter into the higher planetary systems without being qualified by good works in this life. Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planetary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.
According to the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), persons trying to qualify themselves for promotion to the higher, heavenly planets can go there; similarly, persons trying for the Pitṛlokas can go there; similarly, persons trying to improve the conditions on this earth can also do that, and persons who are engaged in going back home, back to Godhead, can achieve that result. The various actions and reactions of work in the mode of goodness are generally known as pious work with devotional service, culture of knowledge with devotional service, mystic powers with devotional service and (at last) devotional service unmixed with any other varieties of goodness. This unmixed devotional service is transcendental and is called parā bhakti. It alone can promote a person to the transcendental kingdom of God. Such a transcendental kingdom is not a myth, but is as factual as the moon. One must have transcendental qualities to understand the kingdom of God and God Himself.
THIS WEB PAGE URL: http://causelessmercy.com/SB2.8.htm