Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 4 - 12.1

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twelve

SB4.12.13

TEXT 13

sat-trimsad-varsa-sahasram

sasasa ksiti-mandalam

bhogaih punya-ksayam kurvann

abhogair asubha-ksayam

SYNONYMS

sat-trimsat—thirty-six; varsa—years; sahasram—thousand; sasasa—ruled; ksiti-mandalam—the earth planet; bhogaih—by enjoyment; punya—of reactions of pious activities; ksayam—diminution; kurvan—doing; abhogaih—by austerities; asubha—of inauspicious reactions; ksayam—diminution.

TRANSLATION

Dhruva Maharaja ruled over this planet for thirty-six thousand years; he diminished the reactions of pious activities by enjoyment, and by practicing austerities he diminished inauspicious reactions.

PURPORT

That Dhruva Maharaja ruled over the planet for thirty-six thousand years means that he was present in the Satya-yuga because in the Satya-yuga people used to live for one hundred thousand years. In the next yuga, Treta, people used to live for ten thousand years, and in the next yuga, Dvapara, for one thousand years. In the present age, the Kali-yuga, the maximum duration of life is one hundred years. With the change of the yugas, the duration of life and memory, the quality of kindness and all other good qualities diminish. There are two kinds of activities, namely pious and impious. By executing pious activities one can gain facilities for higher material enjoyment, but due to impious activities one has to undergo severe distress. A devotee, however, is not interested in enjoyment or affected by distress. When he is prosperous he knows, “I am diminishing the results of my pious activities,” and when he is in distress he knows, “I am diminishing the reactions of my impious activities.” A devotee is not concerned with enjoyment or distress; he simply desires to execute devotional service. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that devotional service should be apratihata, unchecked by the material conditions of happiness or distress. The devotee undergoes processes of austerity such as observing Ekadasi and similar other fasting days and refraining from illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. Thus he becomes purified from the reactions of his past impious life, and because he engages in devotional service, which is the most pious activity, he enjoys life without separate endeavor.

evam bahu-savam kalam

mahatmavicalendriyah

tri-vargaupayikam nitva

putrayadan nrpasanam

evam—thus; bahu—many; savam—years; kalam—time; maha-atma—great soul; avicala-indriyah—without being disturbed by sense agitation; tri-varga—three kinds of worldly activities; aupayikam—favorable for executing; nitva—having passed; putraya—to his son; adat—he handed over; nrpa-asanam—the royal throne.

The self-controlled great soul Dhruva Maharaja thus passed many, many years favorably executing three kinds of worldly activities, namely religiosity, economic development and satisfaction of all material desires. Thereafter he handed over the charge of the royal throne to his son.

Perfection of materialistic life is suitably attained by the process of observing religious principles. This leads automatically to successful economic development, and thus there is no difficulty in satisfying all material desires. Since Dhruva Maharaja, as a king, had to keep up his status quo or it would not have been possible to rule over the people in general, he did it perfectly. But as soon as he saw that his son was grown up and could take charge of the royal throne, he immediately handed over the charge and retired from all material engagements.

One word used here is very significant—avicalendriyah, which means that he was not disturbed by the agitation of the senses nor was his sensory power diminished, although in years he was a very old man. Since he ruled over the world for thirty-six thousand years, naturally one may conclude that he became very, very old, but factually his senses were very young—and yet he was not interested in sense gratification. In other words, he remained self-controlled. He performed his duties perfectly according to the materialistic way. That is the way of behavior of great devotees. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, one of the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya, was the son of a very rich man. Although he had no interest in enjoying material happiness, when he was entrusted with doing something in managing the state, he did it perfectly. Srila Gaurasundara advised him, “From within, keep yourself and your mind completely aloof, but externally execute the material duties just as they need to be done.” This transcendental position can be achieved by devotees only, as described in the Bhagavad-gita: while others, such as yogis, try to control their senses by force, devotees, even though possessing full sensory powers, do not use them because they engage in higher, transcendental activities.

manyamana idam visvam

maya-racitam atmani

avidya-racita-svapna-

gandharva-nagaropamam

manyamanah—realizing; idam—this; visvam—universe; maya—by the external energy; racitam—manufactured; atmani—unto the living entity; avidya—by illusion; racita—manufactured; svapna—a dream; gandharva-nagara—phantasmagoria; upamam—like.

Srila Dhruva Maharaja realized that this cosmic manifestation bewilders living entities like a dream or phantasmagoria because it is a creation of the illusory, external energy of the Supreme Lord.

In the deep forest it sometimes appears that there are big palaces and nice cities. That is technically called gandharva-nagara. Similarly, in dreams also we create many false things out of imagination. A self-realized person, or a devotee, knows well that this material cosmic manifestation is a temporary, illusory representation appearing to be truth. It is like a phantasmagoria. But behind this shadow creation there is reality—the spiritual world. A devotee is interested in the spiritual world, not its shadow. Since he has realization of the supreme truth, a devotee is not interested in this temporary shadow of truth. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (param drstva nivartate).

atma-stry-apatya-suhrdo balam rddha-kosam

antah-puram parivihara-bhuvas ca ramyah

bhu-mandalam jaladhi-mekhalam akalayya

kalopasrstam iti sa prayayau visalam

atma—body; stri—wives; apatya—children; suhrdah—friends; balam—influence, army; rddha-kosam—rich treasury; antah-puram—female residential quarters; parivihara-bhuvah—pleasure-grounds; ca—and; ramyah—beautiful; bhu-mandalam—the complete earth; jala-dhi—by oceans; mekhalam—bound; akalayya—considering; kala—by time; upasrstam—created; iti—thus; sah—he; prayayau—went; visalam—to Badarikasrama.

Thus Dhruva Maharaja, at the end, left his kingdom, which extended all over the earth and was bounded by the great oceans. He considered his body, his wives, his children, his friends, his army, his rich treasury, his very comfortable palaces and his many enjoyable pleasure-grounds to be creations of the illusory energy. Thus in due course of time he retired to the forest in the Himalayas known as Badarikasrama.

In the beginning of his life, when he went to the forest in search of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Maharaja realized that all bodily conceptions of pleasure are products of the illusory energy. In the very beginning, of course, he was after the kingdom of his father, and in order to get it he went to search for the Supreme Lord. But he later realized that everything is the creation of the illusory energy. From the acts of Srila Dhruva Maharaja we can understand that somehow or other if one becomes Krsna conscious—it does not matter what his motivation is in the beginning—he will eventually realize the real truth by the grace of the Lord. In the beginning, Dhruva Maharaja was interested in the kingdom of his father, but later he became a great devotee, maha-bhagavata, and had no interest in material enjoyment. The perfection of life can be achieved only by devotees. Even if one completes only a minute percentage of devotional service and then falls down from his immature position, he is better than a person who fully engages in the fruitive activities of this material world.

tasyam visuddha-karanah siva-var vigahya

baddhvasanam jita-marun manasahrtaksah

sthule dadhara bhagavat-pratirupa etad

dhyayams tad avyavahito vyasrjat samadhau

tasyam—in Badarikasrama; visuddha—purified; karanah—his senses; siva—pure; vah—water; vigahya—bathing in; baddhva—having fixed; asanam—sitting position; jita—controlled; marut—breathing process; manasa—by the mind; ahrta—withdrawn; aksah—his senses; sthule—physical; dadhara—he concentrated; bhagavat-pratirupe—on the exact form of the Lord; etat—the mind; dhyayan—meditating upon; tat—that; avyavahitah—without stopping; vyasrjat—he entered; samadhau—into trance.

In Badarikasrama Dhruva Maharaja’s senses became completely purified because he bathed regularly in the crystal-clear purified water. He fixed his sitting position and by yogic practice controlled the breathing process and the air of life; in this way his senses were completely withdrawn. Then he concentrated his mind on the arca-vigraha form of the Lord, which is the exact replica of the Lord and, thus meditating upon Him, entered into complete trance.

Here is a description of the astanga-yoga system, to which Dhruva Maharaja was already accustomed. Astanga-yoga was never meant to be practiced in a fashionable city. Dhruva Maharaja went to Badarikasrama, and in a solitary place, alone, he practiced yoga. He concentrated his mind on the arca-vigraha, the worshipable Deity of the Lord, which exactly represents the Supreme Lord, and thus thinking constantly of that Deity, he became absorbed in trance. Worship of the arca-vigraha is not idol worship. The arca-vigraha is an incarnation of the Lord in a form appreciable by a devotee. Therefore devotees engage in the temple in the service of the Lord as arca-vigraha, a form made of sthula (material) objects such as stone, metal, wood, jewels or paint. All of these are called sthula, or physical representations. Since the devotees follow the regulative principles of worship, even though the Lord is there in His physical form, He is nondifferent from His original, spiritual form. Thus the devotee gets the benefit of achieving the ultimate goal of life, that is to say, becoming always absorbed in thought of the Lord. This incessant thought of the Lord, as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gita, makes one the topmost yogi.

bhaktim harau bhagavati pravahann ajasram

ananda-baspa-kalaya muhur ardyamanah

viklidyamana-hrdayah pulakacitango

natmanam asmarad asav iti mukta-lingah

bhaktim—devotional service; harau—unto Hari; bhagavati—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pravahan—constantly engaging in; ajasram—always; ananda—blissful; baspa-kalaya—by a stream of tears; muhuh—again and again; ardyamanah—being overcome; viklidyamana—melting; hrdayah—his heart; pulaka—standing of hairs; acita—covered; angah—his body; na—not; atmanam—body; asmarat—he remembered; asau—he; iti—thus; mukta-lingah—free from the subtle body.

Because of his transcendental bliss, incessant tears flowed from his eyes, his heart melted, and there was shivering and standing of the hairs all over his body. Thus transformed, in a trance of devotional service, Dhruva Maharaja completely forgot his bodily existence, and thus he immediately became liberated from material bondage.

Due to constant engagement in devotional service—hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping the Deity, etc., as prescribed in nine varieties—there are different symptoms which appear in the body of a devotee. These eight bodily transformations, which indicate that a devotee is already liberated within himself, are called asta-sattvika-vikara. When a devotee completely forgets his bodily existence, he should be understood to be liberated. He is no longer encaged in the body. The example is given that when a coconut becomes completely dry, the coconut pulp within the coconut shell separates from the bondage of the shell and the outer covering. By moving the dry coconut, one can hear that the pulp within is no longer attached to the shell or to the covering. Similarly, when one is fully absorbed in devotional service, he is completely disconnected from the two material coverings, the subtle and gross bodies. Dhruva Maharaja actually attained this stage of life by constantly discharging devotional service. He has already been described as a maha-bhagavata, for unless one becomes a maha-bhagavata, or a first-class pure devotee, these symptoms are not visible. Lord Caitanya exhibited all these symptoms. Thakura Haridasa also exhibited them, and there are many pure devotees who manifested such bodily symptoms. They are not to be imitated, but when one is actually advanced, these symptoms are exhibited. At that time it is to be understood that a devotee is materially free. Of course, from the beginning of devotional service the path of liberation immediately opens, just as the coconut taken from the tree immediately begins to dry; it simply takes some time for the shell and pulp to separate from one another.

An important word in this verse is mukta-lingah. Mukta means “liberated,” and linga means “the subtle body.” When a man dies, he quits the gross body, but the subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego carries him to a new body. While existing in the present body, the same subtle body carries him from one stage of life to another (for example, from childhood to boyhood) by mental development. The mental condition of a baby is different from that of a boy, the mental condition of a boy is different from that of a young man, and the mental condition of a young man is different from that of an old man. So at death the process of changing bodies takes place due to the subtle body; the mind, intelligence and ego carry the soul from one gross body to another. This is called transmigration of the soul. But there is another stage, when one becomes liberated even from the subtle body; at that time the living entity is competent and fully prepared to be transferred to the transcendental or spiritual world.

The description of the bodily symptoms of Sri Dhruva Maharaja makes it apparent that he became perfectly fit to be transferred to the spiritual world. One can experience the distinction between the subtle and gross bodies even daily; in a dream, one’s gross body is lying on the bed while the subtle body carries the soul, the living entity, to another atmosphere. But because the gross body has to be continued, the subtle body comes back and settles in the present gross body. Therefore one has to become free from the subtle body also. This freedom is known as mukta-linga.

sa dadarsa vimanagryam

nabhaso ’vatarad dhruvah

vibhrajayad dasa diso

rakapatim ivoditam

sah—he; dadarsa—saw; vimana—an airplane; agryam—very beautiful; nabhasah—from the sky; avatarat—descending; dhruvah—Dhruva Maharaja; vibhrajayat—illuminating; dasa—ten; disah—directions; raka-patim—the full moon; iva—like; uditam—visible.

As soon as the symptoms of his liberation were manifest, he saw a very beautiful airplane coming down from the sky, as if the brilliant full moon were coming down, illuminating all the ten directions.

There are different levels of acquired knowledge—direct knowledge, knowledge received from authorities, transcendental knowledge, knowledge beyond the senses, and finally spiritual knowledge. When one surpasses the stage of acquiring knowledge by the descending process, he is immediately situated on the transcendental platform. Dhruva Maharaja, being liberated from the material concept of life, was situated in transcendental knowledge and could perceive the presence of a transcendental airplane which was as brilliant as the full moonlight. This is not possible in the stages of direct or indirect perception of knowledge. Such knowledge is a special favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can, however, rise to this platform of knowledge by the gradual process of advancing in devotional service, or Krsna consciousness.

tatranu deva-pravarau catur-bhujau

syamau kisorav arunambujeksanau

sthitav avastabhya gadam suvasasau

kirita-harangada-caru-kundalau

tatra—there; anu—then; deva-pravarau—two very beautiful demigods; catuh-bhujau—with four arms; syamau—blackish; kisorau—quite young; aruna—reddish; ambuja—lotus flower; iksanau—with eyes; sthitau—situated; avastabhya—holding; gadam—clubs; suvasasau—with nice garments; kirita—helmets; hara—necklaces; angada—bracelets; caru—beautiful; kundalau—with earrings.

Dhruva Maharaja saw two very beautiful associates of Lord Visnu in the plane. They had four hands and a blackish bodily luster, they were very youthful, and their eyes were just like reddish lotus flowers. They held clubs in their hands, and they were dressed in very attractive garments with helmets and were decorated with necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

The inhabitants of Visnuloka are of the same bodily feature as Lord Visnu, and they also hold club, conchshell, lotus flower and disc. In this verse it is distinctly stated that they had four hands and were nicely dressed; the description of their bodily decorations corresponds exactly to that of Visnu. So the two uncommon personalities who descended from the airplane came directly from Visnuloka, or the planet where Lord Visnu lives.

vijnaya tav uttamagaya-kinkarav

abhyutthitah sadhvasa-vismrta-kramah

nanama namani grnan madhudvisah

parsat-pradhanav iti samhatanjalih

vijnaya—after understanding; tau—them; uttama-gaya—of Lord Visnu (of excellent renown); kinkarau—two servants; abhyutthitah—stood up; sadhvasa—by being puzzled; vismrta—forgot; kramah—proper behavior; nanama—offered obeisances; namani—names; grnan—chanting; madhu-dvisah—of the Lord (the enemy of Madhu); parsat—associates; pradhanau—chief; iti—thus; samhata—respectfully joined; anjalih—with folded hands.

Dhruva Maharaja, seeing that these uncommon personalities were direct servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately stood up. But, being puzzled, in hastiness he forgot how to receive them in the proper way. Therefore he simply offered obeisances with folded hands and chanted and glorified the holy names of the Lord.

Chanting of the holy names of the Lord is perfect in every way. When Dhruva Maharaja saw the Visnudutas, the direct associates of Lord Visnu, four-handed and nicely decorated, he could understand who they were, but for the time being he was puzzled. But simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, he could satisfy the uncommon guests who had all of a sudden arrived before him. The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is perfect; even though one does not know how to please Lord Visnu or His associates, simply by sincerely chanting the holy name of the Lord, everything becomes perfect. A devotee, therefore, either in danger or in happiness, constantly chants the Hare Krsna mantra. When he is in danger he is immediately relieved, and when he is in a position to see Lord Visnu or His associates directly, by chanting this maha-mantra he can please the Lord. This is the absolute nature of the maha-mantra. Either in danger or in happiness, it can be chanted without limitation.

tam krsna-padabhinivista-cetasam

baddhanjalim prasraya-namra-kandharam

sunanda-nandav upasrtya sasmitam

pratyucatuh puskaranabha-sammatau

tam—him; krsna—of Lord Krsna; pada—of the lotus feet; abhinivista—absorbed in thought; cetasam—whose heart; baddha-anjalim—with folded hands; prasraya—very humbly; namra—bowed; kandharam—whose neck; sunanda—Sunanda; nandau—and Nanda; upasrtya—approaching; sa-smitam—smilingly; pratyucatuh—addressed; puskara-nabha—of Lord Visnu, who has a lotus navel; sammatau—confidential servants.

Dhruva Maharaja was always absorbed in thinking of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna. His heart was full with Krsna. When the two confidential servants of the Supreme Lord, who were named Nanda and Sunanda, approached him, smiling happily, Dhruva stood with folded hands, bowing humbly. They then addressed him as follows.

In this verse the word puskaranabha-sammatau is significant. Krsna, or Lord Visnu, is known for His lotus eyes, lotus navel, lotus feet and lotus palms. Here He is called puskara-nabha, which means “the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a lotus navel,” and sammatau means “two confidential or very obedient servants.” The materialistic way of life differs from the spiritual way of life in that one is disobedience and the other is obedience to the will of the Supreme Lord. All living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and they are supposed to be always agreeable to the order of the Supreme person; that is perfect oneness.

In the Vaikuntha world all the living entities are in oneness with the Supreme Godhead because they never defy His orders. Here in the material world, however, they are not sammata, agreeable, but always asammata, disagreeable. This human form of life is a chance to be trained to be agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Lord. To bring about this training in society is the mission of the Krsna consciousness movement. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the laws of material nature are very strict; no one can overcome the stringent laws of material nature. But one who becomes a surrendered soul and agrees to the order of the Supreme Lord can easily overcome those stringent laws. The example of Dhruva Maharaja is very fitting. Simply by becoming agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by developing love of Godhead, Dhruva got the chance to personally meet the confidential servants of Lord Visnu face to face. What was possible for Dhruva Maharaja is possible for everyone. Anyone who very seriously engages in devotional service can obtain, in due course of time, the same perfection of the human form of life.

sunanda-nandav ucatuh

bho bho rajan subhadram te

vacam no ’vahitah srnu

yah panca-varsas tapasa

bhavan devam atitrpat

sunanda-nandau ucatuh—Sunanda and Nanda said; bhoh bhoh rajan—O dear King; su-bhadram—good fortune; te—unto you; vacam—words; nah—our; avahitah—attentively; srnu—hear; yah—who; panca-varsah—five years old; tapasa—by austerity; bhavan—you; devam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atitrpat—greatly satisfied.

Nanda and Sunanda, the two confidential associates of Lord Visnu, said: Dear King, let there be all good fortune unto you. Please attentively hear what we shall say. When you were only five years old, you underwent severe austerities, and you thereby greatly satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

What was possible for Dhruva Maharaja is possible for anyone. Any five-year-old child can be trained, and within a very short time his life will become successful by realization of Krsna consciousness. Unfortunately, this training is lacking all over the world. It is necessary for the leaders of the Krsna consciousness movement to start educational institutions in different parts of the world to train children, starting at the age of five years. Thus such children will not become hippies or spoiled children of society; rather, they can all become devotees of the Lord. The face of the world will then change automatically.

tasyakhila-jagad-dhatur

avam devasya sarnginah

parsadav iha sampraptau

netum tvam bhagavat-padam

tasya—His; akhila—entire; jagat—universe; dhatuh—creator; avam—we; devasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarnginah—who has the bow named Sarnga; parsadau—associates; iha—now; sampraptau—approached; netum—to take; tvam—you; bhagavat-padam—to the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

We are representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the creator of the whole universe, who carries in His hand the bow named Sarnga. We have been specifically deputed to take you to the spiritual world.

In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that simply by knowing His transcendental pastimes (whether within this material world or in the spiritual world), anyone who understands factually who He is, how He appears and how He acts can be immediately fit for transfer to the spiritual world. This principle stated in the Bhagavad-gita operated in the case of King Dhruva. Throughout his life he tried to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by austerity and penances. Now, the mature result was that Dhruva Maharaja became fit to be carried to the spiritual world, accompanied by the confidential associates of the Lord.

sudurjayam visnu-padam jitam tvaya

yat surayo ’prapya vicaksate param

atistha tac candra-divakaradayo

graharksa-tarah pariyanti daksinam

sudurjayam—very difficult to achieve; visnu-padam—planet known as Vaikunthaloka or Visnuloka; jitam—conquered; tvaya—by you; yat—which; surayah—great demigods; aprapya—without achieving; vicaksate—simply see; param—supreme; atistha—please come; tat—that; candra—the moon; diva-akara—sun; adayah—and others; graha—the nine planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto); rksa-tarah—stars; pariyanti—circumambulate; daksinam—to the right.

To achieve Visnuloka is very difficult, but by your austerity you have conquered. Even the great rsis and demigods cannot achieve this position. Simply to see the supreme abode [the Visnu planet], the sun and moon and all the other planets, stars, lunar mansions and solar systems are circumambulating it. Now please come; you are welcome to go there.

Even in this material world the so-called scientists, philosophers and mental speculators strive to merge into the spiritual sky, but they can never go there. But a devotee, by executing devotional service, not only realizes what the spiritual world actually is, but factually goes there to live an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. The Krsna consciousness movement is so potent that by adopting these principles of life and developing love of God one can very easily go back home, back to Godhead. Here the practical example is the case of Dhruva Maharaja. While the scientist and philosopher go to the moon but are disappointed in their attempts to stay there and live, the devotee makes an easy journey to other planets and ultimately goes back to Godhead. Devotees have no interest in seeing other planets, but while going back to Godhead, they see all of them as passing phases, just as one who is going to a distant place passes through many small stations.

anasthitam te pitrbhir

anyair apy anga karhicit

atistha jagatam vandyam

tad visnoh paramam padam

anasthitam—never achieved; te—your; pitrbhih—by forefathers; anyaih—by others; api—even; anga—O Dhruva; karhicit—at any time; atistha—please come and live there; jagatam—by the inhabitants of the universe; vandyam—worshipable; tat—that; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; paramam—supreme; padam—situation.

Dear King Dhruva, neither your forefathers nor anyone else before you ever achieved such a transcendental planet. The planet known as Visnuloka, where Lord Visnu personally resides, is the highest of all. It is worshipable by the inhabitants of all other planets within the universe. Please come with us and live there eternally.

When Dhruva Maharaja went to perform austerities, he was very determined to achieve a post never dreamed of by his forefathers. His father was Uttanapada, his grandfather was Manu, and his great-grandfather was Lord Brahma. So Dhruva wanted a kingdom even greater than Lord Brahma could achieve, and he requested Narada Muni to give him facility for achieving it. The associates of Lord Visnu reminded him that not only his forefathers but everyone else before him was unable to attain Visnuloka, the planet where Lord Visnu resides. This is because everyone within this material world is either a karmi, a jnani or a yogi, but there are hardly any pure devotees. The transcendental planet known as Visnuloka is especially meant for devotees, not for karmis, jnanis or yogis. Great rsis or demigods can hardly approach Brahmaloka, and as stated in Bhagavad-gita, Brahmaloka is not a permanent residence. Lord Brahma’s duration of life is so long that it is difficult to estimate even the duration of one day in his life, and yet Lord Brahma also dies, as do the residents of his planet. Bhagavad-gita (8.16) says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna: except for those who go to Visnuloka, everyone is subjected to the four principles of material life, namely birth, death, old age and disease. The Lord says, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: “The planet from which, once going, no one returns, is My supreme abode.” (Bg. 15.6) Dhruva Maharaja was reminded, “You are going in our company to that planet from which no one returns to this material world.” Material scientists are attempting to go to the moon and other planets, but they cannot imagine going to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, for it is beyond their imagination. By material calculation, traveling at the speed of light it would take forty thousand light-years to reach the topmost planet. By mechanical processes we are unable to reach the topmost planet of this universe, but the process called bhakti-yoga, as executed by Maharaja Dhruva, can give one the facility not only to reach other planets within this universe, but also to reach beyond this universe to the Visnuloka planets. We have outlined this in our small booklet Easy Journey to Other Planets.

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