Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Nineteen
SB5.19.21
TEXT 21
etad eva hi devā gāyanti——
aho amīṣāṁ kim akāri śobhanaṁ
prasanna eṣāṁ svid uta svayaṁ hariḥ
yair janma labdhaṁ nṛṣu bhāratājire
mukunda-sevaupayikaṁ spṛhā hi naḥ
SYNONYMS
etat—this; eva—indeed; hi—certainly; devāḥ—all the demigods; gāyanti—chant; aho—oh; amīṣām—of these inhabitants of Bhāratavarṣa; kim—what; akāri—was done; śobhanam—pious, beautiful activities; prasannaḥ—pleased; eṣām—upon them; svit—or; uta—it is said; svayam—personally; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yaiḥ—by whom; janma—birth; labdham—obtained; nṛṣu—in human society; bhārata-ajire—in the courtyard of Bhārata-varṣa; mukunda—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can offer liberation; sevā-aupayikam—which is the means of serving; spṛhā—desire; hi—indeed; naḥ—our.
TRANSLATION
Since the human form of life is the sublime position for spiritual realization, all the demigods in heaven speak in this way: How wonderful it is for these human beings to have been born in the land of Bhārata-varṣa. They must have executed pious acts of austerity in the past, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself must have been pleased with them. Otherwise, how could they engage in devotional service in so many ways? We demigods can only aspire to achieve human births in Bhārata-varṣa to execute devotional service, but these human beings are already engaged there.
PURPORT
These facts are further explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 9.41):
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
“One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.”
There are many facilities in India, Bhārata-varṣa, for executing devotional service. In Bhārata-varṣa, all the ācāryas contributed their experience, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally appeared to teach the people of Bhārata-varṣa how to progress in spiritual life and be fixed in devotional service to the Lord. From all points of view, Bhārata-varṣa is the special land where one can very easily understand the process of devotional service and adopt it to make his life successful. If one makes his life successful in devotional service and then preaches devotional service in other parts of the world, people throughout the world will actually benefit.
SB5.19.22 TEXT 22 kiṁ duṣkarair naḥ kratubhis tapo-vratair dānādibhir vā dyujayena phalgunā na yatra nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja- smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt SYNONYMS kim—what is the value; duṣkaraiḥ—very difficult to perform; naḥ—our; kratubhiḥ—with performances of sacrifice; tapaḥ—with austerities; vrataiḥ—vows; dāna-ādibhiḥ—with executing charitable activities and so on; vā—or; dyujayena—with achieving the heavenly kingdom; phalgunā—which is insignificant; na—no; yatra—where; nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja—of the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa; smṛtiḥ—the remembrance; pramuṣṭa—lost; atiśaya—excessive; indriya-utsavāt—due to material sense gratification.
TRANSLATION The demigods continue: After performing the very difficult tasks of executing Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, undergoing austerities, observing vows and giving charity, we have achieved this position as inhabitants of the heavenly planets. But what is the value of this achievement? Here we are certainly very engaged in material sense gratification, and therefore we can hardly remember the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa. Indeed, because of our excessive sense gratification, we have almost forgotten His lotus feet. PURPORT The land of Bhārata-varṣa is so exalted that by taking birth there one can not only attain the heavenly planets but also go directly back home, back to Godhead. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25):
yānti deva-vratā devān “Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.” people in the land of Bhārata-varṣa generally follow the Vedic principles and consequently perform great sacrifices by which they can be elevated to the heavenly planets. However, what is the use of such great attainments? As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21), kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti: after the results of one’s sacrifices, charity and other pious activities expire, one must return to the lower planetary systems and again feel the pangs of birth and death. However, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious can go back to Kṛṣṇa (yānti-mad-yājino ’pi mām). Therefore the demigods even regret having been elevated to the higher planetary systems. The denizens of the heavenly planets regret that they could not take full advantage of being born in the land of Bhārata-varṣa. Instead, they became captivated by a higher standard of sense gratification, and therefore they forgot the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa at the time of death. The conclusion is that one who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa must follow the instructions given personally by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg. 15.6]. One should try to return home, back to Godhead, to the Vaikuṇṭha planets—or to the topmost Vaikuṇṭha planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana—to live eternally in full, blissful knowledge in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB5.19.23 TEXT 23 kalpāyuṣāṁ sthānajayāt punar-bhavāt kṣaṇāyuṣāṁ bhārata-bhūjayo varam kṣaṇena martyena kṛtaṁ manasvinaḥ sannyasya saṁyānty abhayaṁ padaṁ hareḥ SYNONYMS kalpa-āyuṣām—of those who have a life duration of many millions of years, like Lord Brahmā; sthāna-jayāt—than achievement of the place or planetary systems; punaḥ-bhavāt—which is liable to birth, death and old age; kṣaṇa-āyuṣām—of persons who have only one hundred years of life; bhārata-bhū-jayaḥ—a birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa; varam—more valuable; kṣaṇena—for such a short life; martyena—by the body; kṛtam—the work executed; manasvinaḥ—those actually understanding the value of life; sannyasya—surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; saṁyānti—they achieve; abhayam—where there is no anxiety; padam—the abode; hareḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION A short life in the land of Bharata-varṣa is preferable to a life achieved in Brahmaloka for millions and billions of years because even if one is elevated to Brahmaloka, he must return to repeated birth and death. Although life in Bhārata-varṣa, in a lower planetary system, is very short, one who lives there can elevate himself to full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and achieve the highest perfection, even in this short life, by fully surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus one attains Vaikuṇṭhaloka, where there is neither anxiety nor repeated birth in a material body. PURPORT This is further confirmation of the statement given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu:
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra One who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa has a full opportunity to study the direct instructions given by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā and thus finally decide what to do in his human form of life. One should certainly give up all other propositions and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will then immediately take charge and relieve one of the results of past sinful life (ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ). Therefore one should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa Himself recommends. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] “Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer Me obeisances.” This is very easy, even for a child. Why not take this path? One should try to follow the instructions of Kṛṣṇa exactly and thus become fully eligible to be promoted to the kingdom of God (tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). One should go directly to Kṛṣṇa and engage in His service. This is the best opportunity offered to the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa. One who is fit to return home, back to Godhead, is no longer liable to the results of karma, good or bad.
SB5.19.24 TEXT 24 na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ sureśa-loko ’pi na vai sa sevyatām SYNONYMS na—not; yatra—where; vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhā-āpagāḥ—the nectarean rivers of discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called Vaikuṇṭha, or one who drives away all anxiety; na—nor; sādhavaḥ—devotees; bhāgavatāḥ—always engaged in the service of the Lord; tat-āśrayāḥ—who are sheltered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na—nor; yatra—where; yajña-īśa-makhāḥ—the performance of devotional service to the Lord of sacrifices; mahā-utsavāḥ—which are actual festivals; sureśa-lokaḥ—a place inhabited by the denizens of heaven; api—although; na—not; vai—certainly; saḥ—that; sevyatām—be frequented.
TRANSLATION An intelligent person does not take interest in a place, even in the topmost planetary system, if the pure Ganges of topics concerning the Supreme Lord’s activities does not flow there, if there are not devotees engaged in service on the banks of such a river of piety, or if there are no festivals of saṅkīrtana-yajña to satisfy the Lord [especially since saṅkīrtana-yajña is recommended in this age]. PURPORT Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best; in the land of Bhāratavarṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The śāstras recommend:
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ [SB 11.5.32] Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always accompanied by His very confidential associates such as Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Gadādhara and Śrī Advaita and by many devotees like Śrīvāsa. They are always engaged in chanting the name of the Lord and are always describing Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this is the best among all the places in the universe. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has established its center in Māyāpur, the birthsite of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to give men the great opportunity to go there and perform a constant festival of saṅkīrtana-yajña, as recommended herein (yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ) and to distribute prasāda to millions of hungry people hankering for spiritual emancipation. This is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Caitanya-bhāgavata confirms this as follows: “One should not desire to be elevated even to a place in the heavenly planetary systems if it has no propaganda to expand the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no trace of Vaiṣṇavas, pure devotees of the Lord, and no festivals for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It would be better to live perpetually cramped within the airtight bag of a mother’s womb, where one can at least remember the lotus feet of the Lord, than to live in a place where there is no opportunity to remember His lotus feet. I pray not to be allowed to take birth in such a condemned place.” Similarly, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the inaugurator of the saṅkīrtana movement, anyone who performs saṅkīrtana to please the Lord is very, very glorious. Such a person has perfect intelligence, whereas others are in the ignorance of material existence. Of all the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedic literatures, the performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña is the best. Even the performance of one hundred aśvamedha sacrifices cannot compare to the sacrifice of saṅkīrtana. According to the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, if one compares saṅkīrtana-yajña to other yajñas, he is a pāṣaṇḍī, an infidel, and is liable to be punished by Yamarāja. There are many Māyāvādīs who think that the performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña is a pious activity similar to the performance of the aśvamedha-yajña and other such pious functions, but this is a nāma-aparādha. Chanting of the holy name of Nārāyaṇa and chanting of other names are never equal, despite what Māyāvādīs think.
SB5.19.25 TEXT 25 prāptā nṛ-jātiṁ tv iha ye ca jantavo jñāna-kriyā-dravya-kalāpa-sambhṛtām na vai yaterann apunar-bhavāya te bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam SYNONYMS prāptāḥ—who have obtained; nṛ-jātim—a birth in human society; tu—certainly; iha—in this land of Bhārata-varṣa; ye—those who; ca—also; jantavaḥ—the living beings; jñāna—with knowledge; kriyā—with activities; dravya—of ingredients; kalāpa—with a collection; sambhṛtām—full; na—not; vai—certainly; yateran—endeavor; apunaḥ-bhavāya—for the position of immortality; te—such persons; bhūyaḥ—again; vanaukāḥ—birds; iva—like; yānti—go; bandhanam—to bondage.
TRANSLATION Bhārata-varṣa offers the proper land and circumstances in which to execute devotional service, which can free one from the results of jñāna and karma. If one obtains a human body in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, with clear sensory organs with which to execute the saṅkīrtana-yajña, but in spite of this opportunity he does not take to devotional service, he is certainly like liberated forest animals and birds that are careless and are therefore again bound by a hunter. PURPORT In the land of Bhārata-varṣa one can very easily perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña, which consists of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], or one can perform other methods of devotional service, such as smaraṇaṁ vandanam arcanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam and ātma-nivedanam. In Bhārata-varṣa one has the opportunity to visit many holy places, especially Lord Caitanya’s birthsite and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthsite—Navadvīpa and Vṛndāvana—where there are many pure devotees who have no desire other than to execute devotional service (anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Madhya 19.167]), and one may thus become free from the bondage of material conditions. Other paths, such as the path of jñāna and the path of karma, are not very profitable. Pious activities can elevate one to the higher planetary systems, and by speculative knowledge one can merge into the Brahman existence, but that is not real profit, for one has to come down again even from the liberated condition of being merged in Brahman, and certainly one must come down from the heavenly kingdom. One should endeavor to go back home, back to Godhead (yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām). Otherwise there is no difference between human life and the lives of jungle animals and birds. Animals and birds also have freedom, but because of their lower birth, they cannot use it. Taking advantage of all the facilities offered him, a human being who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa should become a fully enlightened devotee and go back home, back to Godhead. This is the subject matter of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The inhabitants of places other than Bhārata-varṣa have facilities for material enjoyment, but they do not have the same facility to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised that one who has taken birth as a human being in Bhārata-varṣa must first realize himself as a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and after taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he must distribute this knowledge all over the world.
SB5.19.26 TEXT 26 yaiḥ śraddhayā barhiṣi bhāgaśo havir niruptam iṣṭaṁ vidhi-mantra-vastutaḥ ekaḥ pṛthaṅ-nāmabhir āhuto mudā gṛhṇāti pūrṇaḥ svayam āśiṣāṁ prabhuḥ SYNONYMS yaiḥ—by whom (the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa); śraddhayā—faith and confidence; barhiṣi—in the performance of Vedic ritualistic sacrifices; bhāgaśaḥ—by division; haviḥ—oblations; niruptam—offered; iṣṭam—to the desired deity; vidhi—by the proper method; mantra—by reciting mantras; vastutaḥ—with the proper ingredients; ekaḥ—that one Supreme Personality of Godhead; pṛthak—separate; nāmabhiḥ—by names; āhutaḥ—called; mudā—with great happiness; gṛhṇāti—He accepts; pūrṇaḥ—the Supreme Lord. who is full in Himself; svayam—personally; āśiṣām—of all benedictions; prabhuḥ—the bestower.
TRANSLATION In India [Bhārata-varṣa], there are many worshipers of the demigods, the various officials appointed by the Supreme Lord, such as Indra, Candra and Sūrya, all of whom are worshiped differently. The worshipers offer the demigods their oblations, considering the demigods part and parcel of the whole, the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts these offerings and gradually raises the worshipers to the real standard of devotional service by fulfilling their desires and aspirations. Because the Lord is complete, He offers the worshipers the benedictions they desire even if they worship only part of His transcendental body. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (9.13) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha “O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.” Mahātmā, advanced devotees, worship only the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others, however, who are also sometimes called mahātmās, worship the Lord as ekatvena pṛthaktvena. In other words, they accept the demigods as different parts of Kṛṣṇa and worship them for various benedictions. Although the devotees of the demigods thus achieve the desired results offered by Kṛṣṇa, they have been described in Bhagavad-gītā as hṛta jñāna, not very intelligent. Kṛṣṇa does not desire to be worshiped indirectly through the different parts of His body; Kṛṣṇa wants direct devotional worship. Therefore a devotee who directly worships Lord Kṛṣṇa through staunch devotional service, as recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, (tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param [Bhāg. 2.3.10]), is very quickly elevated to the transcendental position. Nevertheless, devotees who worship the demigods, the different parts of the Lord, receive the benedictions they desire because the Lord is the original master of all benedictions. If anyone wants a particular benediction, for the Lord to award it is not at all difficult.
SB5.19.27 TEXT 27 satyaṁ diśaty arthitam arthito nṛṇāṁ naivārthado yat punar arthitā yataḥ svayaṁ vidhatte bhajatām anicchatām icchāpidhānaṁ nija-pāda-pallavam SYNONYMS satyam—certainly; diśati—He offers; arthitam—the object prayed for; arthitaḥ—being prayed to; nṛṇām—by the human beings; na—not; eva—indeed; artha-daḥ—the bestower of benedictions; yat—which; punaḥ—again; arthitā—a demand for a benediction; yataḥ—from which; svayam—personally; vidhatte—He gives; bhajatām—unto those engaged in His service; anicchatām—although not desiring it; icchā-pidhānam—which covers all desirable things; nija-pāda-pallavam—His own lotus feet.
TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead fulfills the material desires of a devotee who approaches Him with such motives, but He does not bestow benedictions upon the devotee that will cause him to demand more benedictions again. However, the Lord willingly gives the devotee shelter at His own lotus feet, even though such a person does not aspire for it, and that shelter satisfies all his desires. That is the Supreme Personality’s special mercy. PURPORT The devotees mentioned in the previous verse approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead with material motives, but this verse explains how such devotees are saved from those desires. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10) advises:
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā “Whether one is freed from all material desires, is full of material desires, or desires to become one with the Supreme, he should engage in devotional service.” In this way, not only will the devotee’s desires be fulfilled, but the day will come when he will have no other desire than to serve the lotus feet of the Lord. One who engages in the service of the Lord with some motive is called a sakāma-bhakta, and one who serves the Lord without any motives is called an akāma-bhakta. Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that He turns a sakāma-bhakta into an akāma-bhakta. A pure devotee, an akāma-bhakta, who has no material motives, is satisfied simply to serve the lotus feet of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (6.22). Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ: if one engages in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, he does not want anything more. This is the highest stage of devotional service. The Lord is so kind even to a sakāma-bhakta, a motivated devotee, that He satisfies his desires in such a way that one day he becomes an akāma-bhakta. Dhruva Mahārāja, for example, became a bhakta with the motive of getting a better kingdom than that of his father, but finally he became an akāma-bhakta and said to the Lord, svāmin kṛtārtho’smi varaṁ na yāce: “My dear Lord, I am very satisfied simply to serve Your lotus feet. I do not want any material benefits.” Sometimes it is found that a small child eats dirty things, but his parents take away the dirty things and offer him a sandeśa or some other sweetmeat. Devotees who aspire for material benedictions are compared to such children. The Lord is so kind that He takes away their material desires and gives them the highest benediction. Therefore, even for material motives, one should not worship anyone other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead; one must fully engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord so that all his desires will be fulfilled and at the end he can go back home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.37–39, 41) as follows.
Anyakāmī—a devotee may desire something other than service to the lotus feet of the Lord; yadi kare kṛṣṇera bhajana—but if he engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service; nā māgiteha kṛṣṇa tāre dena sva-caraṇa—Kṛṣṇa gives him shelter at His lotus feet, even though he does not aspire for it. Kṛṣṇa kahe—the Lord says; āmā bhaje—“He is engaged in My service”; māge viṣaya-sukha—“but he wants the benefits of material sense gratification.” Amṛta chāḍi’ viṣa māge:—“such a devotee is like a person who asks for poison instead of nectar.” Ei baḍa mūrkha: “That is his foolishness.” Ami-vijña: “But I am experienced.” Ei mūrkhe ‘viṣaya’ kene diba: “Why should I give such a foolish person the dirty things of material enjoyment?” Sva-caraṇa-mṛta: “It would be better for Me to give him shelter at My lotus feet.” ‘Viṣaya’ bhulāiba: “I shall cause him to forget all material desires.” Kāma lāgi’ kṛṣṇa bhaje—if one engages in the service of the Lord for sense gratification; paya kṛṣṇa-rase—the result is that he ultimately gets a taste for serving the lotus feet of the Lord. Kāma chāḍi’ ‘da’ haite haya abhilāṣe: He then gives up all material desires and wants to become an eternal servant of the Lord.
SB5.19.28 TEXT 28 yady atra naḥ svarga-sukhāvaśeṣitaṁ sviṣṭasya sūktasya kṛtasya śobhanam tenājanābhe smṛtimaj janma naḥ syād varṣe harir yad-bhajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti SYNONYMS yadi—if; atra—in this heavenly planet; naḥ—of us; svarga-sukha-avaśeṣitam—whatever remains after the enjoyment of heavenly happiness; su-iṣṭasya—of a perfect sacrifice; su-uktasya—of diligently studying the Vedic literature; kṛtasya—of having performed a kind act; śobhanam—the resultant actions; tena—by such a resultant action; ajanābhe—in the land of Bhārata-varṣa; smṛti-mat janma—a birth enabling one to remember the lotus feet of the Lord; naḥ—of us; syāt—let there be; varṣe—in the land; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yat—wherein; bhajatām—of the devotees; śam tanoti—expands the auspiciousness.
TRANSLATION We are now living in the heavenly planets, undoubtedly as a result of our having performed ritualistic ceremonies, pious activities and yajñas and having studied the Vedas. However, our lives here will one day be finished. We pray that at that time, if any merit remains from our pious activities, we may again take birth in Bhārata-varṣa as human beings able to remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord is so kind that He personally comes to the land of Bhārata-varṣa and expands the good fortune of its people. PURPORT It is certainly as a result of pious activities that one takes birth in the heavenly planets, but from those planets one must nevertheless come down again to earth, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti [Bg. 9.21]). Even the demigods must return to earth to work like ordinary men when the results of their pious activities expire. Nevertheless, the demigods desire to come to the land of Bhārata-varṣa if even a small portion of the merits of their pious activities remains. In other words, to take birth in Bhārata-varṣa, one must perform more pious activities than the demigods. In Bhārata-varṣa one is naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if one further cultivates his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa he certainly expands his good fortune by becoming perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and very easily going back home, back to Godhead. In many other places in the Vedic literature it is found that even the demigods want to come to this land of Bhārata-varṣa. A foolish person may desire to be promoted to the heavenly planets as a result of his pious activities, but even the demigods from the heavenly planets want to come to Bhārata-varṣa and achieve bodies that may be very easily used to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu repeatedly says:
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra A human being born in the land of Bhārata-varṣa has the special prerogative to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore those already born in Bhārata-varṣa should take lessons from the śāstras and guru and should fully take advantage of the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in order to be fully equipped with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By taking full advantage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one goes back home, back to Godhead (yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore spreading this facility to human society by opening many, many centers all over the world so that people may associate with the pure devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ultimately go back home, back to Godhead.
SB5.19.29-30 TEXTS 29–30 śrī-śuka uvāca jambūdvīpasya ca rājann upadvīpān aṣṭau haika upadiśanti sagarātmajair aśvānveṣaṇa imāṁ mahīṁ parito nikhanadbhir upakalpitān; tad yathā svarṇaprasthaś candraśukla āvartano ramaṇako mandarahariṇaḥ pāñcajanyaḥ siṁhalo laṅketi. SYNONYMS śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak; jambūdvīpasya—of the island known as Jambūdvīpa; ca—also; rājan—O King; upadvīpān aṣṭau—eight subordinate islands; ha—certainly; eke—some; upadiśanti—learned scholars describe; sagara-ātma-jaiḥ—by the sons of Mahārāja Sagara; aśva-anveṣaṇe—while trying to find their lost horse; imām—this; mahīm—tract of land; paritaḥ—all around; nikhanadbhiḥ—digging; upakalpitān—created; tat—that; yathā—as follows; svarṇa-prasthaḥ—Svarṇaprastha; candra-śuklaḥ—Candraśukla; āvartanaḥ—Āvartana; ramaṇakaḥ—Ramaṇaka; mandara-hariṇaḥ—Mandara-hariṇa; pāñcajanyaḥ—Pāñcajanya; siṁhalaḥ—Siṁhala; laṅkā—Laṅkā; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in the opinion of some learned scholars, eight smaller islands surround Jambūdvīpa. When the sons of Mahārāja Sagara were searching all over the world for their lost horse, they dug up the earth, and in this way eight adjoining islands came into existence. The names of these islands are Svarṇaprastha, Candraśukla, Āvartana, Ramaṇaka, Mandara-hariṇa, Pāñcajanya, Siṁhala and Laṅkā. PURPORT In the Kūrma Purāṇa there is this statement about the desires of the demigods:
anadhikāriṇo devāḥ Although the demigods are situated in exalted positions in the heavenly planets, they nevertheless desire to descend to the land of Bhārata-varṣa on the planet earth. This indicates that even the demigods are unfit to reside in Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore if persons already born in Bhāratavarṣa live like cats and dogs, not taking full advantage of their birth in this land, they are certainly unfortunate.
SB5.19.31 TEXT 31 evaṁ tava bhāratottama jambūdvīpa-varṣa-vibhāgo yathopadeśam upavarṇita iti. SYNONYMS evam—thus; tava—unto you; bhārata-uttama—O best of the descendents of Bharata; jambūdvīpa-varṣa-vibhāgaḥ—the divisions of the island of Jambūdvīpa; yathā-upadeśam—as much as I am instructed by the authorities; upavarṇitaḥ—explained; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION My dear King Parīkṣit, O best of the descendants of Bharata Mahārāja, I have thus described to you, as I myself have been instructed, the island of Bhārata-varṣa and its adjoining islands. These are the islands that constitute Jambūdvīpa. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Nineteenth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “A Description of the Island of Jambūdvīpa.” THIS WEB PAGE URL: http://causelessmercy.com/SB5.19.2.htm
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta puruṣaṁ param
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
svarga-sthā bhāratodbhavam
vāñchanty ātma-vimokṣārtha-
mudrekārthe ’dhikāriṇaḥ