Section
78
The
Residents of Vaikuëöha Are Transcendental to
the Material World
Similarly, the Uttarakhaëòa of the Padma Puräëa states (228.1-4):
"There are unlimited planets (people) in the tripädavibhüti, or the spiritual region. They are all çuddha-sattva in nature and are called Brahmänanda-sukha. They are all pure, golden, eternal, immutable, devoid of the lower modes, and brilliant like millions of suns. They are all divine, full of Vedic knowledge, free from qualities of lust and greed. They only taste the nectar of unalloyed devotional service unto the lotus feet of Lord Näräyaëa. They are always filled with the bliss of the sweet chanting of the Sämaveda and are effulgent with the Vedic knowledge and are the personification of the five fold worship of the Lord.
Here tripäda-vibhüti indicates the abode (people) beyond the material world and päda-vibhüti means the material world. This is stated in the Uttarakhaëòa of the Padma Puräëa (227.11,12,13 1/2):
In the spiritual sky the manifestation of the Lord's energy is three-quarters ( tripäda) and here in the material sky it is one-quarter (päda). The manifestation called tripädavibhüti is eternal, but the one called päda is ephemeral. The eternal pure form of the Lord exists in the transcendental sky. His form is divine, eternal, infallible, ever-youthful, and always associated with His enjoyable potencies Sri, Bhü, and Éçvaré.
The following narration is to be understood in this way (SB. 2.6.18):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the controller of mortality and fearlessness, and He is transcendental to death and the fruitive actions of the material world. O Narada, O brahmana, it is therefore difficult to measure the glories of the Supreme Person."
In this verse the two terms "immortality" (amåta) and "fearlessness" (abhaya) are also indicative of "welfare" (kñemam) as the third item cited in the next verse discussed.. In the Çruti mantra also, "Moreover He is the controller of immortality" (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 3.15), immortality is indicative of the other two. The above verse (S.B. 2.6.18) refers to the Lord having these attributes. Although the Çruti statement cited above refers only to the attributes, it implies to the attributed Lord.
Its immortality is indicated in (S.B. 2.9.9), "It (Vaikuëöha) is eulogized by the self-realized souls, it is transcendental, and there is nothing beyond it." This shows that Vaikuëöha is supremely blissful. Therefore its synonym's are amåtam and viñëu-mandiram. Fearlessness is implied in "Time has no influence there" (S.B. 2.9.10). According to this statement there is absolutely no trace of fear in Vaikuëöha. Therefore Çré Süta said, "O Brähmaëas that abode is free of fear." (S.B. 12.11.19). Kñemam is explained in "There is no Mäyä in that planet." (S.B. 2.9.10). According to this statement, kñemam refers to the shelter of the auspicious devotional service of the Lord because there is no contact of material modes which give rise to aversion to the service of the Lord.
Similarly, the Närada Puräëa states:
"O best of the twice born! May you have unalloyed devotional service unto Me, which is always supremely blissful and is the crest-jewel of all auspicious activities."
The Lord also said (S.B. 11.20.37), "They obtain My auspicious abode, kñemam sthänam". To deny the possibility of attributing a secondary meaning by improper imagination such as Janaloka to these words Çré Çuka gives reasoning--martyam annam yad atyagät. negated. The word martyam means "mortal" as is explained by the Lord (S.B. 11.10.30), "Even Brahmä who has a life span of a dviparärdha fears Me." Annam (lit. food) means the result of karma in the form of being in the three planetary systems. That abode is situated beyond the three planetary systems yasmäd atyagät. Eñaù (lit. this) means the abode which has the opulence such as the immortality. Duratyayaù (lit. difficult to cross) means that Vaikuëöha cannot be attained even by the mind or by following paths like brahmacarya.
In this way, "the immortal opulence comprises three-fourths (tripät), and the mortal, one-fourth (ekapät)." Thus Çré Çüka further describes His catuñpät, four-part opulence. (SB.2.6.19):
"All the living entities exist in the one-fourth of the energy of the Lord who is called sthitipada. Beyond the three planetary systems of the material world lies Vaikuëöha, which is a place of fearlessness, auspiciousness, and immortality."
The Lord is called sthitipada, because he is the shelter (sthiti) of all the living entities and all the opulences beginning with mortal objects are His adhiñthäna life His feet (päda). All the living beings upto His personal associates exist into the fourfold division of His opulence which are like Lord's legs. These divisions (padas) are described in the above verse (S.B. 2.6.19). His material nature, (prakrti), is symbolized as the head, representing the planets in the sattvika, rajasika, and tamasika modes, but above this shine the Vaikuëöha planets, in which Lord stays eternally holding the qualities of immortality, auspiciousness, and freedom from fear.
The import is that below this is the place called ekapät because it is the place where karma applies. Beyond this is tripät because it is the place having the three qualities such as immortality. In this way the above verse (S.B. 2.6.19) explains the meaning of the Åg mantra (Åg. 10.903), " The meaning is that His one-fourth potency constitutes the material universe and three-fourths forms the spiritual sky." His one päda and again His three padas, which are immortal and so on, are in divi, or Vaikuëöha, and these include all the living entities. This statement is made considering the support and supported as one.
An alternate explanation of the four pädas consisting of the arrangement of the three planetary systems is in (SB.2.6.20):
"The three padas are outside the three planetary systems (triloké) and achieved by the brahmacärés, vänaprasthas, and sannyäsés respectively. The others, the householders, who do not follow the great vow of celibacy, remain within the triloké."
The indeclinable ca (lit. and) implies all combined. Certainly the three padas exist outside the material world, but to explain the divisions of the fourth päda, which makes the material world, the three padas also exist outside the triloké. This is also explained in the Åg mantra (Puruñasükta-4) by the word punaù (again). Which are these three padas? The planets attainable (äçrmäù) by a brahmacäré, vänaprastha, and a sannyasi (aprajänäm). Because all the four planets (mahar, jana, tapa and satya) are attained by the followers of the three religious principles, they all constitute the tripät. The remaining fourth päda makes up the triloké and is achieved by the materialistic householders (grhamedhis) who do not abide by the law of celibacy (abåhad-vrataù). Thus in both ways the puruñaù has four padas, as is explained in the next verse (S.B. 2.6.21):
"The living entity moves either on the path of attachment (säsäna), or on the path of detachment (anasäna). But the all-pervading Lord is controller of both because He is the shelter of both knowledge and nescience.
Viçvaì means all-pervading. Puruñaù means the Supreme Person. These two paths characterized by material entanglement and liberation are the destinations of the living beings.
But the Lord is beyond both (vicakrame). Which both? Säçnänaçane, the path of enjoying the fruits of karma and the path of transcending it. The reason He is transcendental to both is that He is the shelter of them. These two paths are for the jéva. For one avidyä or mäyä is the shelter, and for the other the shelter is vidyä, or the cit potency. But Supreme Lord is the shelter of both of these. This is stated later in verses such as (S.B.2.6.22), "From Him appeared the universal egg (viräö-brahmäëòa)." The import is that considering either His full opulence or the limited opulence (in the material world), the Lord is called catuñpät, or having four legs."
PURPORT
To prove that the residents of the Vaikuëöha planets are transcendental to the material world, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé refers to verses Lord Çiva spoke to Pärvaté while describing the tripäda vibhüti. The interesting point in these verses is that the word loka can mean a planet as well as a person. So the description can be of the planets or the people in the spiritual region. Because Lord Çiva is describing tripäda-vibhüti or the spiritual manifestation, the description is applicable to both, the place as well as the residents. These verses from the Padma Puräëa and the four verses from the Second Canto of Bhägavatam are the Puräëic version of the mantras from the Puruña Sükta of the Åg Veda. In the previous chapter of the Padma Puräëa (Uttarakhaëòa chapter 223) Lord Çiva gave description of Lakñamé Devé and he said (223.31) evaà åk-saàhitäyäm stüyamänä maheçvaré.--In this way Goddess Lakñamé is glorified in the Åk Saàhitä. This indicates that the description which follows is also based on Åk Saàhitä. While commenting on the sixth chapter of the second canto of the Çrémad Bhägavatam, Çrédhara Svämé writes in the beginning:
"The opulence of viräö form is described in the sixth chapter with its divisions such as adhyätma. What is said earlier is fortified through puruña-sükta."
In his commentary on the verses cited in this section he recognizes the Puruña-sükta verse from Åk-Saàhitä defined in the Çrémad Bhägavatam verse.
The Puruña Sükta refers to the material world as päda vibhüti and the spiritual world as tripäda vibhüti. In the fifth chapter of the Second Canto, Närada Muni approaches Lord Brahmä to inquire about the support, cause, and controller of the universe. In response Lord Brahmä describes the material creation, which emanates from the Supreme Lord. He explains that the universe is the Virät Puruña, a form of the Lord. The verses beginning from S.B. 2.6.14 onwards correspond to the Puruña Sükta mantras given below:
"The universal Lord, who is endowed with unlimited heads, eyes and feet, after having entirely encompassed the universe, surpasses the cosmic creation by a distance of ten fingers."
The meaning is that the Lord exists both within and without the universe. The number ten signifies the seven coverings of the universe which are each ten times the thickness of the preceding one. This is called däsa-angula nyäya in Vedic terminology.
"This visible universe is the form of the Virät Puruña. Whatever existed in the past, or will exist in the future, is also the form of the universal Lord. He is the Lord of immortality and beyond the law of karma which influences the living entities within the universe."
"The material creation is the opulence of the universal Lord who is transcendental to all this. The living entities are one quarter of the Supreme Person and the eternal three quarters of the Puruña exist in His immortal transcendent abode."
"Three quarters of the Lord's manifestation appears beyond the material world, and one quarter comprises this material world. The living entities here tread on the path of knowledge and ignorance, but the Lord is beyond both."
These verses of the Puruña Sükta as well as the corresponding description of the virät puruña clearly describe two different creations. The living entities are under the law of karma, which is compared to food (annam), but the Lord and His devotees are transcendental. The Lord is the controller of immortality, which means He has the power to award it to others. Sometimes heaven is referred to as a place of immortality. This immortality, however, is not real, it only appears so when compared to the mortality of the lower worlds. Thus fear exists even in heaven.
To differentiate the immortality of Vaikuëöha from that of the heavenly sphere, Lord Brahmä uses the adjective abhaya, or fearlessness. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé says that the immortality and fearlessness mentioned in S.B. 2.6.18 indicates the auspiciousness explicitly referred to in the next verse. Kñemam, or auspiciousness, means that time has no unfavorable influence on the devotees. This means devotees reside eternally in Vaikuëöha and never come under the influence of the material modes which are inauspicious. Therefore, the Lord's abode is called kñemam sthänam, or a place of auspiciousness.
The three characteristics of Vaikuëöha, amrtam, abhyam and kñemam, are discussed in great detail in chapter nine of the Second Canto, which describes Lord Brahmä's vision of Vaikuëöha. This was also explained in detail in Text Ten.
It is incorrect to explain this verse as not referring to Vaikuëöha but to planets above heaven, like Janaloka. The verse says the Lord is beyond death. In this world everyone is afraid of death, even Lord Brahmä. Lord Kåñëa says (S.B. 11.10.30):
"In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and for all the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahmä, who possesses the superior life span of 311,040,000,000,000 (Three hundred and Eleven trillion and forty billion). years, is also afraid of Me."
The three quarters spiritual creation of the Lord has as its counterpart the material world. This is implied by the word punaù (lit. again) in the fourth mantra of the Puruña Sükta. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé says that the fuller meaning of this word is explained in S.B. 2.6.20. Beyond the heavenly planets are four planetary systems, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka, and Satyaloka. These represent the tripaòa vibhüti, and the three planetary systems below that, Bhürloka, Bhüvaraloka, and Svarloka, represent the ekapäd vibhüti. The ekapäd vibhüti is the place for the gåhamedha, or the householder. gåha eva medhä buddhir yasya sa gåhamedha--A person whose intelligence is centered around his house is called gåhamedha. The word gåha, although it literally means "house", implies a wife, as is said--na gåham gåhamityähu gåhiné gåham ity ucyate--The house is not called "house", but the wife is called "house". For a gåhastha, house has no meaning without a wife. Therefore the meaning is that a gåhamedha is one who is attached to enjoying sex life. Such people rotate within the triloké. They cannot ascend beyond the heavenly planets.
Çrédhara Swämé explains that although Maharloka is the place of gradual liberation (krama mukti), the happiness there is perishable, because at the end of Lord Brahmä's day the residents feel the heat coming from the mouth of Saìkarñaëa during the partial devastation, however, the happiness of people in Janaloka is indestructible. They do not have to leave their abode at the end of Brahmä's day. Therefore, Janaloka represents amåtam. From Janaloka they see people traveling from Maharloka out of misery. Therefore they have some miserable experience by seeing them. The residents of Tapaloka however are completely aloof. So Tapaloka represents kñemam. Satyaloka, however, is the place of abhaya, because the residents achieve liberation along with Brahmä (Kürma Puräëa 12.273):
"All those pious souls enter into the abode of the Lord along with Lord Brahmä at the end of the duration called para when it is time for complete annihilation."
Çrémad Bhägavatam (2.6.21) describes two paths the conditioned souls traverse. Añana means to eat and thus säçana implies the path of material enjoyment. This is the path of avidyä. Anaçana means the path of detachment. This is the path of vidyä. Puruña or Lord is the shelter of both. He metes out the result of both. It is not that one will get the result automatically by following a particular path.
"According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing from this world--one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns."
Brahmä says that the Lord is the shelter of these two paths (S.B. 2.6.22):
"From that Personality of Godhead, all the universal globes and the universal form with all material elements, qualities and senses are generated. Yet He is aloof from such material manifestations, like the sun, which is separate from its rays and heat."
The conclusion of the above discussion is that to reach the planets beyond heaven one has to observe båhadvrata, the great vow of celibacy. This means that one has to follow the path of detachment. Certainly then, to get out of the material world and reach Vaikuëöha, one must be completely transcendental to the material modes. This proves that Vaikuëöha and its residents are transcendental.
In the following Text Çréla Jéva Gosvämé describes the experience of the four Kumäras to show that Vaikuëöha and its residents are a manifestation of Lord's internal potency.