One portion of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has direct expansion and expansion of the expansion. Just like Kṛṣṇa, His immediate expansion is Baladeva, Balarāma. Then from Balarāma the next expansion is Catur-vyūha, quadruple: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Again, from this Saṅkarṣaṇa there is another expansion, Nārāyaṇa. From Nārāyaṇa, another expansion. Again, second status of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva... Not only one Nārāyaṇa, but innumerable Nārāyaṇas. Because in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual sky, there are innumerable planets. How many? Now, just imagine here in this universe there are planets. This is one universe. There are millions of planets. You cannot count. You cannot count. So similarly, there are innumerable universes also. That also you cannot count. Still, all these universes taken together is only one-fourth manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's expansion. In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka there is three-fourths expansion. So we cannot count even one planet how many Kṛṣṇa's expansions are there, because He is aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He's within the atom also. The scientists are perplexed to analyze one atom. More and more they're finding components. Kṛṣṇa... Therefore His name is Ananta. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). He has got multiforms. Multiforms.
Vaikuntha planets (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)
Expressions researched:
"Vaikuntha loka"
|"Vaikuntha lokas"
|"Vaikuntha planet"
|"Vaikuntha planets"
|"Vaikunthaloka"
|"Vaikunthalokas"
|"Vaikunthas"
|"planet of Vaikuntha"
|"planets Vaikuntha"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So sāyujya-mukti... Sārūpya-mukti, to have the... For Vaiṣṇavas, they don't accept this sāyujya-mukti, to merge into the existence of the Lord. They accept sārūpya-mukti. Sārūpya-mukti means to have the same features of the body like Viṣṇu. In Vaikuṇṭhalokas all the living entities, devotees, they have got four hands. And only in Kṛṣṇaloka, Kṛṣṇa has got two hands and His devotees also have two hands. In other lokas, Vaikuṇṭhalokas... There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, Nārāyaṇa is the predominating Deity, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. And those who enter such planets, they get the same bodily feature, exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. You have seen the picture of the Viṣṇudūtas who came to deliver Ajāmila. They were exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. The same helmets, the same ornaments, exactly. You can understand. Just like your president or queen, if you are also dressed, you'll also look like queen. Or if you are dressed, you'll look like the president.
Revatī-nandana: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda explained to me one time that every devotee has got his unique relation with Kṛṣṇa already fixed up. It's already fixed. The relationship is there. Sometimes that relationship may be with Kṛṣṇa in His original form. Sometimes it may be with a different form of the different Vaikuṇṭha planets. So it's only that we're devotees of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore also our names all have to do with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and they are names of Kṛṣṇa. So we call Vidhānacandra dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Dāsa is always there.
Revatī-nandana: But by saying Vidhānacandra dāsa means I am also saying the name of Kṛṣṇa. So our names serve this purpose, always reminding us of Kṛṣṇa. But our ultimate position, our destination, it may be anywhere in the spiritual kingdom with some form of Kṛṣṇa. It's not necessarily identical with the name.
Prabhupāda: No, he is not identical. But the name is identical. But we are dāsa.
Revatī-nandana: That's right. Just like my name is Revatī-nandana dāsa. So that is a name of Balarāma.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Revatī-nandana is identical with Kṛṣṇa. We are Revatī-nandana dāsa.
Revatī-nandana: Yes. But does that mean that definitely my spirit soul, if I do become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it will go to Kṛṣṇaloka and be associated with Balarāma?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Revatī-nandana: It won't be to some Vaikuṇṭha planet? It wouldn't be to some Vaikuṇṭha planet?
Prabhupāda: Balarāma's expansion is Vaikuṇṭha planet.
Revatī-nandana: Yes. So Their expansions also may be.
Devotee: What does the name Vaiṣṇavī mean?
Prabhupāda: Vaiṣṇavī?
Devotee: Yes. You gave my daughter the name Vaiṣṇavī.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
So there are very particular informations of all the planets within this universe. Not only within this universe; there are many other planets beyond this universe. That is called Vaikuṇṭhaloka, spiritual world. The spiritual sky is there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That is perpetual, that anything in that sky is perpetual, and anything within this material sky, they are temporary. In the Brahmaloka there may be duration of life millions of millions of year, but that is also destructible. That is material nature. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) "Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, you will have to come back again." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). "But if you come to My loka..." There is Kṛṣṇaloka. That is in the spiritual world, spiritual sky.
So these informations are there in the Vedic literatures. And it is a fact that we are transmigrating from one body to another, one planet to another. That is a fact. Just like I have come to your country, similarly I may go to another planet. It is the question of how to go there, what is the means. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: inquire about the Absolute Truth. Brahma, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The ultimate Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa, the person. Paramātmā is plenary expansion, and Brahman is impersonal effulgence. So if one understands Kṛṣṇa by question and answer, then he understands the other three features. But simply by understanding the impersonal feature, Brahman effulgence, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Neither by understanding or seeing the Paramātmā, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. To see the Paramātmā is the business of the yogis. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, the yogis they are trying to see Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu within their heart by meditation. Meditation means this. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). And the jñānīs they want to stop these material varieties, make it impersonal, and merge into the existence of Brahman effulgence. But devotees, they do not, neither of them, neither they even want to be transferred to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. They are satisfied in any condition life, provided they have got the opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is the ambition. Hmm. Then?
Just like this moon planet-goers, going and coming. Why don't they stay there? So it doubtful whether they are going.
So anyway, this is the position of the nirviśeṣa-vāda. Because they do not enter in one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets... Because they are not bhaktas, they are not admitted. Without being bhakta, nobody is allowed to enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets. Just like here in the sky there are millions and millions of planets, similarly, in the brahma-jyotir there are also millions and millions of planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. But in those Vaikuṇṭhalokas only bhaktas are admitted, not the nondevotees. They can go to the Brahmaloka. Brahmaloka is combination of the spirit souls. But spirit soul means part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is ānandamaya. So they do not get that ānanda. They simply are elevated to the position of eternity. But eternity without ānanda. Just like you just imagine: suppose you are given a very nice place. You are ordered that "You live here eternally, but don't allow nobody else. You can live alone." How long you will live? Because as a living entity, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you want ānanda. So ānanda, you require society, friendship and love. That is ānanda. That is not impersonalism. That is personalism. So unless you enter to the personal activities of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be ānanda. There cannot be. Unless you are qualified to dance with Kṛṣṇa or to play with Kṛṣṇa, to become father of Kṛṣṇa, mother of Kṛṣṇa, and enjoy the ānandamayam, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37), you cannot be happy. Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa.
So formerly people used to go to the sun planet. It requires such yogic mystic power. Just like Durvāsā Muni. He used to travel all over the universe, and beyond the universe. He reached to the Vaikuṇṭha planets also by yogic power, and he returned within one year. So it is possible. You can go. The yogis, the perfect yogis, they can transfer them to any planet they desire. Any planet they desire. These are stated in the śāstras, in the Bhāgava..., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is the highest perfection of life. Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ Brahman. Brahman, impersonal effulgence. Just like the sunshine. Then localized sun, the sun globe. Then further, if you able to enter the sun globe, you'll find there is a predominating deity. There are also cities and palaces—everything, just like this planet. But this planet is made prominently of earth, and that planet is one of the elements, material elements, earth, water, fire, air. So if this planet is made of earth, why not other planet made of fire? What is the scientific reason to deny it? Because I cannot live in the fire, it does not mean other living entities cannot live there. There are different kinds of living entities. Just like you cannot live within the water, within the ocean, but there are other living entities... Just like fish.
So there is another planet... Not another planet, another nature, sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature, eternal nature. That is called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Every dhāma, every place, is Kṛṣṇa's. He's the supreme proprietor. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). "I am the proprietor." But there are differentiation, paraṁ dhāma and aparaṁ dhāma. This is aparaṁ dhāma. This material world is aparaṁ dhāma, inferior nature. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. There is another prakṛti, another nature. There is Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Not one, two, but millions, unlimited. And the topmost planet is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is mad-dhāma, Kṛṣṇa says, or tad-dhāma.
That is called asura, na sura. And sura means interested in advancement of spiritual life. That is called sura. So for the asuras, the life is different, but for the suras, their aim is: tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Their aim of perfection is Viṣṇu. Paramaṁ padam: the Supreme Abode of Viṣṇu, or the Vaikuṇṭhaloka.
So those who are actually advanced in civilization, those who are in the platform of goodness, their aim is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is their business. It is not that to take to religious life for some material gain. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthaḥ arthāya upakalpate (SB 1.2.9). We have discussed these verses. To become religious means to become free from material entanglement. Not that to take to religious life means to, I mean to say, to develop economic condition. Generally, people take to religious to make economic development very easily. Therefore at the modern age the educated public, they are not interested in religious life because they think that in primitive stage the people were taking to religious life for economic development. Actually, that is the idea, because ordinarily people go to ask for bread in the church: "O God, give us our daily bread." So modern advanced in science people, they think: "Oh, what is the use of asking bread in the church? Why not take to industry?"
Those who are in the platform of goodness, they worship nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntāḥ, Nārāyaṇa and His expansions. In the spiritual world, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. As we have got experience within this material world, within this universe, there are innumerable planets, similarly there is another sky. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That sky is eternal. This sky is not eternal. It is created. It has got a date of creation, and it will be annihilated at a certain date. So beyond the sky there is another sky, which is called paravyoma, or sanātana, eternal sky. And in that sky there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha hy asmāt. There is no anxiety. Here in this material world everyone is full of anxiety. This is the material nature. Even a small bird—you give some grains to the small bird, he'll be full of anxiety. He'll look like this, look like this. Yes. "If somebody's coming to kill me? Somebody's coming to kill me?" That is explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). The living entities in this material world, they are full of anxieties. Why? Asad-grahāt. Why? Because they have accepted something which will not exist. Asad-grahāt. There are two things: asat and sat. So oṁ tat sat. Paraṁbrahma Bhagavān, He's sat. And this material world, asat. Asat means "that which does not exist."
So we should follow the disciplinary methods sincerely under the guidance of spiritual master. Then it will be very, very easy to go back to home, back to Godhead. Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni, next life became... Nārada means he went back to home, back to Godhead. He was promoted in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Then in the next creation, to distribute this bhakti-mārga, he took birth as the son of Brahmājī, and his business was to convert only all others to devotional life. You'll find Nārada Muni's name in connection with Vālmīki, in connection with Prahlāda Mahārāja. Long, long ago. And still, we are also following Nārada Muni's path, Nārada Pañcarātra. Our method is Nārada Pañcarātra.
So Nārada Muni is the original spiritual master of Vyāsadeva, and from Vyāsadeva our disciplic succession is coming. Therefore guru is representative of Vyāsadeva. On his birthday the ceremony is offered as Vyāsa-pūjā. This is the disciplic succession. So we should try to follow Nārada Muni. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). There are twelve mahājanas, great authorities, of whom, out of the twelve, Nārada Muni is one of them. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ, yes. Is not that the verse? Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ. So Nārada's name is there, the, one of the mahājanas. So Nārada Muni is mahājana, and he became mahājana on account of his austerity and following the principles. So anyone who follows Nārada, he also becomes mahājana. This is the disciplic succession.
Sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya. There are different types of position, although they are all spiritual. The one is the sāyujya-mukti, or to become one with the Supreme, merge into the Supreme. This is one position. Another position: sārūpya, the same feature of the body. Just like Nārāyaṇa, four-handed. In the Vaikuṇṭha planets, the inhabitants, the citizens, they have got four hands. When Ajāmila was delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas, they appeared exactly looking like Viṣṇu. That is described. That is called sārūpya. Sārūpya, sārṣṭi (CC Madhya 6.266), same opulence. Or sāmīpya, always near, associate. There are five kinds of... Gacchanti tat-padam. But out of the five, the first one, namely to merge into the existence of the Supreme, that is very dangerous, not safe.
Therefore Vaiṣṇava never accepts sāyujya-mukti, to become one with the Supreme. Because Vaiṣṇava knows that impersonal advancement is risky. They know it perfectly. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava never... Vaiṣṇava is not anxious for any kind of mukti. Dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti. They don't want... Especially Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, they don't want mukti. They are happy wherever they are existing. If they get the chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is perfection of life. They don't want anything more. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. We should not imitate, but the position is like that. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was not at all afraid of this material world. He was very cautious.
From material calculation they say it takes about some forty thousands of years to go to the limit of this universe. Then beyond that universe there is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20), another nature, avyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Then you pass through the spiritual world, brahma-jyotir. There are innumerable, unlimited number of Vaikuṇṭha planets. Then, above all of them, there is the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa resides.
It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. That is Kṛṣṇa's personal planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu (Bs. 5.43). There are other planetary system, Hari-dhāma, Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma. Then, this is, this material world is called Devī-dhāma, and between the Goloka, between the spiritual world and material world there is...Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu (Bs. 5.43). So there are so many status (?) of planetary system. Each planet is full with living entities. The spiritual planet, they are full of living entities: they are all liberated, nitya-mukta. And those who are within this material world, planets, they are nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddha, nitya-mukta. There are two kinds of living entities. The nitya-baddhas are only few, but the nitya-muktas are many, many. This material world is only one fourth energy of the creation. The three-fourths energy is in the spiritual world.
He refused. "No, it is not possible. The Lord is angry with you, and He has sent the sudarśana-cakra. It is not in my power to give you protection." Then he went to Lord Śiva. He also refused. And at last he went to Viṣṇu. Just see how powerful yogi he was. He could go personally from this planet to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, and there, from there, Śivaloka. Then from there, Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Just see his power, mystic power. But still, because he committed offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he could not be given any protection. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is so severe. A person so powerful that by his will he could go anywhere, by yogic power he can do so. Yogic power, even there are many yogis, they take bathing in four places every morning. They take bathing at Jagannātha Purī, at Rāmeśvaram, at Hardwar, and Jagannātha Purī. Four dhāma, they take bathing. By four o'clock they finish. They can go. There are still such yogis. So similarly by the yogis, by their aṇimā-siddhi, laghimā-siddhi... They are called. They can go within a second. They can catch up the beams of the sun and go to the sun planet. This is yoga. Not that "Give me some dollars, I'll show you some yoga." They do not know what is yoga. Yoga is so powerful, yogic power.
So everything is lighter as soon as it is spiritually advanced or there is spirit. Similarly when we'll be spiritually advanced, then there will be no impediment. Now we cannot fly in the air, but when you are free from this body, your spirit soul, within a second you can go to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It is so light. Within a second. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9).
So the conclusion is when the world becomes overloaded with the demons, nondevotees, it becomes disturbed, becomes... The mother earth feels load, very much load. So at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore it is said: bhāra-avatāraṇāya, just to unload. And bhārāvatāraṇāyānye. Somebody says: bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if a ship or boat is overloaded, it is very dangerous. It can be drowned at any moment. So sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa.
You cannot even walk without anxiety. Just like we were walking on the street, and the leg slipped. So we should be very much careful even in walking. Beginning from your morning walk, you are full of anxiety. But Vaikuṇṭha means no anxiety, no anxiety. That is spiritual world. We must understand what is Vaikuṇṭhaloka, and what is Jaḍaloka.
So here, everywhere, simply danger. But if we take shelter of the Vaikuṇṭha, Kṛṣṇa... Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. It is just like the boat for crossing over a furious, dangerous ocean. Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet is compared with very sound, secure boat. And boarding it, you can cross over the ocean of nescience. Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padam. Bhavāmbudhiḥ. Ambudhi means sea, and bhava means repetition of birth and death, birth and death. Just like in the ocean you are struggling. Sometimes you are drowning, and somebody helps you, saves you from being drowned, and again he throws you in the ocean. Then again struggle.
He is the origin of the demigods. Aham ādir hi devānām. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Everything emanates from Him. So therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is bhava-bhāvana. Bhava-bhāvana. This world is called bhava-saṁsāra, bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means become. There is another nature, spiritual world, that is not bhava, that does not become. It is always existing, nitya. Nitya-loka. Vaikuṇṭha-loka. But this material world is called bhava. Bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means it appears and again disappears. Everything here—just like your body, my body—it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. Similarly, the whole universal body also, it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It becomes manifested, again it becomes disappeared. Therefore it is called bhava-saṁsāra. But still, although it is temporary, the arrangement is so nice, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate.. (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Everything is complete. It is not false.
Ordinarily we are free. Those who are not within the walls of prison house, they are free. They are acting wherever they like they are going, but within the law. Similarly we have got freedom. There are living entities, their number is greater. Nitya-mukta, ever liberated. They live in the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭha planets. Nitya-mukta. Nitya-mukta means eternally liberated. They never come down in this material world. And we are nitya-baddha-ever conditioned, eternally conditioned.
Eternally conditioned means... We cannot be eternally conditioned, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Our natural position is ever liberated, eternally liberated. But because we wanted to imitate Kṛṣṇa, we wanted to become Kṛṣṇa, as the Māyāvādīs want to do, therefore in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. Ekam eva aditiyam(?). Aham, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Sarva-loka, not only of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, planets, but these planets also. Everywhere, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor. Therefore he is the supreme enjoyer. We cannot be enjoyer. We each can simply be servitor; that is our natural position. Just like a dog, when it serves a nice master, he's happy. Otherwise, it is street dog. Nobody cares for it. Street dog.
Not only Kṛṣṇaloka, any loka. If you desire to go to heavenly planet, to Brahmā planet, to Satyaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka... Many thousands and millions of planets are there. Or even if you want to go beyond this material world, to the Vaikuṇṭha planet, Kṛṣṇa planet, Goloka planet, you can go there. This is the science. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). People... Just like they are very much anxious to go to the moon planet. And what is this nonsense moon planet? It is also a material planet. Actually if you go moon planet, you can live for ten thousands of years. That is the statement in the śāstra. But after ten thousand of years you have to die. So if you go to any planet, within this material world, the four material, I mean to say, problems, namely birth, death, old age, and disease, will follow you. You may live in one planet. Just like we are allowed to live on this planet utmost hundred years, not more than that. Or the ant is allowed to live for six hours. Or another fly is allowed one moment. There are different varieties of... Or Brahmā is allowed to live for millions of years. So according to the different types of body, we are allowed to live under certain duration of life. But nobody can be immortal here. That is not possible. That is possible when you transfer yourself to the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). That is possible.
"That planet is made of cintāmaṇi gems." Cintāmaṇi gem means... If you get by chance imitation cintāmaṇi gem, you can turn iron into gold. That is cintāmaṇi gem. So these things are there. One may believe or not believe, but we believe because we believe in the śāstra. So we have no botheration.
So there is Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, and Vaikuṇṭhaloka. There are... As there are different grades of lokas, planets... Here also, in this material world, there is one planet which is called Siddhaloka. Siddhaloka means there the inhabitants (are) automatically perfect in all yogic practice. Yogic practice means... If you become perfect in yogic practice, you can fly in the air without any instrument. Aṇimā laghimā prāpti īśitā vaśitā. There are eight kinds of siddhi. You are sitting here. If you want such and such thing from London, you can get immediately. This is called siddhi, prāpti. You can become the smaller than the smallest. You can be packed up in a box. We have seen it. And you'll come out. In Bose's circus, Calcutta, in our childhood, we saw this yogic practice. A man was tied up, hands and legs, put into a bag. The bag was sealed up, again put into a box. The box was locked and sealed. And the man again came out. We have seen. So yogic practice is such... Yes. Prāpti siddhi aṇimā. You can become the smaller... There was a saintly person in Benares, Trailanga Baba.
They were coming with four hands, very nice. In the Vaikuṇṭha, the people are also exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. Just like in this planet, the president is there. So far bodily features are concerned, there is no difference. The president has also two hands; we have also got two hands. Similarly, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the president is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So He has got four hands, so the devotees or the inhabitants there, they have also the similar feature of the body, four hands. So these Yamadūta were surprised, that "You are looking so gentle, so nice. Why you are stopping in our duty? This man is sinful. It is our duty to take to Yamarāja, Mṛtyu."
So there was argument, and their attempt was foiled by these Nārāyaṇa-dūta. So when they came to their master Yamarāja, that "This is our first experience, that somebody else took away from our hand the person who was to be brought here. So is there any greater personality like you, er, more than you?" So he explained, "Yes, I am servant of Nārāyaṇa." So in that time Yamarāja advised that "To a devotee, you shall never go. It is not your jurisdiction." Just like the police jurisdiction is for the criminals, not for the gentlemen, similarly, Yamarāja's duty and his servant's duty, to take away to the Yamarāja only these sinful men.
These ordinary university degrees, M.A., Ph.D... Because the essence of knowledge is there. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). It is stated that what is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Nigama-kalpa-taru. Nigama means Vedas. It is just like kalpa-taru, desire tree. We have no idea of desire tree, what is desire tree. It is in the Vaikuṇṭha-loka. The trees are desire tree. Desire tree means from any tree you can get any fruit or anything you want. That is called desire tree. Here it is fixed up: you can get mango from the mango tree. But in the desire tree, whatever you want, you can get. So kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means any departmental knowledge that you require to execute your human form of life, so that you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam (SB 1.1.3). Galitaṁ phalam means the fruit matured in the tree. Here we artificially mature. We take the fruit unripe, and by artificial method, we get it ripened. But that is not acceptable. But the fruit which is ripened fully in the tree, that is very palatable, sweet. Nigama galitam. Galitaṁ phalam, fully matured fruit, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Fully matured fruit of the desire tree known as Vedas.
This material world is devī-dhāma, under the... You have seen the picture of Durgā. So material nature is also devī, devī-dhāma. And maheśa-dhāma. Above this, there is maheśa-dhāma, the region of Lord Śiva. Devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu. Then the Vaikuṇṭhas. And the topmost is kṛṣṇa-dhāma. That dhāma, or that universal system, that is very, very big, many times. This material universe is considered one fourth creation. It is one... Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "This material world is one fourth creation of God." And the three-fourth creation is the spiritual world. Just imagine. This material world, this universe, which you are seeing, the big sky, dome, this is one universe. That is also stated. We get all this information from Vedic literature. This universe is only one single universe, and there are so many planets, stars. These are all stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe, and koṭi means millions, 100,000 one hundred times.
That is another sky. You have no estimation of this sky. Not only this, this sky; even in the material world, this is one universe. What sky we see, that is of one universe. But there are innumerable universes. That is material world. And beyond that, there is spiritual sky. Then the spiritual world begins. There are also planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets. And above these Vaikuṇṭha planets, there is Kṛṣṇaloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's abode. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29).
So you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, or God, or His abode by the speculative, ascending process. That is not possible. You have to inquire from. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "What is my duty now I am going to die?" He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was quite competent to counteract the curse of the brāhmaṇa boy, but he decided that "I shall die." Because he thought that "I offended the boy's father by encircling a dead snake on the neck of the ṛṣi. So his son became angry that 'You have insulted my father. You die with this snake.' " So he accepted. So this, on the death point, he immediately left his kingdom, family, and everything, and went down to the river, bank of the river Ganges, and many... Because he was king, so many big, big men, even demigods, great saintly persons, they came to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit at his last stage of life, seven days. And so he asked, "What is my duty?" So he was a devotee, Parīkṣit Mahārāja.
Because general people, they cannot walk on the water. But if somebody can walk on the water, oh, millions of people immediately go to the Pacific Ocean to see. So therefore they want siddhi. Actually, there are yogis in Siddhaloka, without any flying machine, they can go from one planet to another. Durvāsā Muni, he went. Within a year, he came back. He went to Vaikuṇṭha planet. Yogi, great yogi. He saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, but he was not excused. He went to beg pardon so that he may be saved from the sudarśana-cakra. So he went to Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, and all big, big demigods: "Please save me. The sudarśana-cakra is after me." So everyone said, "We are unable to do anything. You can go to Lord Viṣṇu." So he went to Lord Viṣṇu, he saw Him, he talked with Him. And Lord Viṣṇu also said that "I cannot do anything. You must go to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja and fall down on his feet and beg his pardon. Then you can be saved." So this is the position.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. This consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if achieved in the slightest degree, it can help you for the highest benefit. For the highest benefit, to takes you to the spiritual kingdom, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, Vṛndāvana. So don't be proud that "I have got human body" unnecessarily. Don't be proud that "I can live very, very longer period than the cats and dogs."
These things are very nicely discussed here. We shall try to explain. The beginning is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18) . The beginning of this... How our consciousness is developed and important, that is stated in these pages, that taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti. You are proud of having a little long duration of life than the cats and dogs; therefore you are proud? Oh, don't you see how long the trees also live, for seven thousand years, many thousands of years. So what is there in living for long duration of life? So there is no actual wonderful achievement by the so-called material advancement of life unless you have got developed consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is false. False means maybe, temporary. You are American. You are feeling that you belong to the rich country, very beautiful body, no scarcity of food. That's all right, but it is also temporary. It is not permanent. And next life you do not know.
Suppose if I want to be God, is it possible to become God? But they are trying to be. Bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ. So in this way, for this misunderstanding, he is falsely trying to have happiness through so many species of life. "Let me enter this life, let me enter that life, that life, that life, that ..." In this way he falls down. He is fallen already from Vaikuṇṭha planet. He is fallen in this material world, and he is again trying to make progress.
Prāpyaṁ mānuṣyam. In this way, after many, many births, he gets this human form of life. Prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt. By the graduation, gradual evolution process. This is real evolution. Not the body is changing. Body is already there. Jīva-jātiṣu. The jīva-jāti, species, are already there. There is a defect of Darwin's theory. He does not want, he does not know that the living entity is passing through different types of body. Not that the body is changing. Bodies are already there. Bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt. Paryayāt means chronological. What is called, one after another?
Prabhupāda: Prospect Park. Yes. Go on. Just try to understand the situation of the world. And you are living in this world. How much careful you have to become. (break) These are the saṅkleśa. And Kṛṣṇa showed him the Vaikuṇṭha planet, vyapeta-saṅkleśa. All these problems are not there. Go on. (break)
Pradyumna: "...Personality of Godhead, being thus very much satisfied with the penance of Lord Brahmā, was pleased to manifest His personal abode, Vaikuṇṭha, the supreme planet above all others. This transcendental abode of the Lord is adored by all self-realized persons freed from all kinds of miseries and fearfulness of illusory existence."
Prabhupāda: These five kinds of... Is it explained there? Five kinds of?
Śyāmasundara: Five kinds of material miseries?
Pradyumna: "The material body is overcast with five kinds of miserable conditions, namely ignorance, material conception, attachment, hatred, and absorption. As long as one is overwhelmed with these five kinds of material miseries, there is no question of entering into the Vaikuṇṭhalokas."
You see? So this is the lowest stage of tamo-guṇa. There is no offense, still he will disturb people. So tamo-guṇa is lowest stage. Little more, passion, rajo-guṇa: "Beware of the dogs." He does not make "Gow! Gow!" but he points out "Here is dog. Please don't come." Similarly, sattva-guṇa also: "I am Mr. Such and such. You cannot see without engagement." So these things are going on. The influence of three modes of material nature.
So these things are not there. There they do not require to keep a dog, neither there is dog. You see? Just to make an idea what is Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Because vaikuṇṭha means without anxiety. Vaikuṇṭha. Kuṇṭha means anxiety, and vaikuṇṭha means without anxiety. So if you have no anxiety, what is the use of keeping dog for making "Gow! Gow!"? You have no anxiety. Just like in Japan the practice is... Generally they say that there is no thief.
Everyone is engaged. Surāsurārcitāḥ anuvratāḥ. They are not..., they have no revolutionary spirit: "Oh, why shall I serve You? I am also God." This is revolutionary. These things are not there. The so-called rascal declaring oneself that "I am God," no. Anuvrata. Everyone is following: "Oh, here is Lord." In the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is very great respectful consciousness, "Here is Lord." But in Vṛndāvana, there is no such respectful consciousness, Kṛṣṇa, and the cowherds boys, gopīs, but their love is very, very intense. Out of love, they cannot disobey Kṛṣṇa. Here in the Vaikuṇṭha, out of respect, they cannot disobey. In the Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana, they cannot think of denying anything to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so much lovable. They can give anything. There is no so respectful because they do not know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. They know, "Kṛṣṇa is like us, one of us." But their respect and love is so intense that without Kṛṣṇa they become lifeless. There is no life.
They are going to different planets... They cannot go. Suppose if they are going: so taking so much trouble, expending so much money, they are trying to study. But we study within this room, even up to Vaikuṇṭha planet. Huh? These rascals are taking so much trouble and still unsuccessful. And we are getting all clear idea. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the perfection of Vedic literature. In remote jungle they are sitting. They are enjoying spiritual atmosphere and getting all information from the Vedic literature. How much, I mean to say, fortunate we are, those who have taken shelter of this Vedic literature. We get all information. Is there any doubt? So why should we take so much trouble? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take information, be prepared, and at the time of death, think of Kṛṣṇa. Immediately transferred within a second. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Within a second, transferred. Because spirit soul is finer than the mind. So mind can be transferred immediately within a second millions of miles away. So how much speed is there for spirit soul, you can imagine. Mind, you can immediately... You are sitting here. Immediately you can transfer mind, Bombay. You are seeing. The kīrtana is going on. It is practical. Manaso vāyuḥ. Vāyu, the velocity of the air, and finer than the...
Pradyumna: "In that sky the material qualities, especially the modes of ignorance and passion, are completely absent. The mode of ignorance influences a living entity to the habit of lust and hankering. And this means that in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas the living entities are free from these two things. As confirmed..."
Prabhupāda: Lust and anger. These two things completely... Then?
Pradyumna: "As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage of life one becomes free from hankering and lamentation. Therefore the conclusion is that the inhabitants of the Vaikuṇṭha planets are all brahma-bhūta living entities, as distinguished from the mundane creatures who are all compact in hankering and lamentation. When one is not in the modes of ignorance and passion, one is supposed to be situated in the mode of goodness in the material world. Goodness in the material world also at times becomes contaminated with touches of the mode of passion and ignorance. In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka it is unalloyed goodness only. The whole situation there is one of freedom from the illusory manifestation of the external energy. Although the illusory energy is also a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, still, illusory energy is differentiated from the Lord. The illusory energy is not, however, false, as claimed by the monist philosophers. The rope accepted as a snake may be an illusion to a particular person, but the rope is a fact, and the snake is also a fact.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- śyāmāvadātāḥ śata-patra-locanāḥ
- piśaṅga-vastrāḥ surucaḥ supeśasaḥ
- sarve catur-bāhava unmiṣan-maṇi-
- praveka-niṣkābharaṇāḥ suvarcasaḥ
- (SB 2.9.11)
"The inhabitants of the Vaikuṇṭha planets are described as having a glowing sky-bluish complexion. Their eyes resemble the lotus flower, their dress is of yellowish color, and their bodily features are very attractive. They are just the age of growing youths. They all have four hands, they are all nicely decorated with pearl necklaces with ornamental medallions, and they all appear to be effulgent."
Prabhupāda: So, still you are not prepared to go to Vaikuṇṭha? If you get this body, if you go to Vaikuṇṭha, four hands, catur-bāhavaḥ, four hands? You cannot see any human being here with four hands. Although Kṛṣṇa is two-handed, but Nārāyaṇa, He is four-handed. Therefore when the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes on this platform... You have seen two hands, not four hands. Four hands is not for human being. It is only Brahmā has got four hands, and above him, in the spiritual world, all the inhabitants, they have got exactly the form like Viṣṇu. You cannot distinguish who is Viṣṇu and who is ordinary living being. But Viṣṇu has got some special feature on His chest. So by seeing that, He is recognized by the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī. Otherwise, just like here, if some big man comes, president, he looks like ordinary man, but he has got his badge.
Pradyumna: Purport: "The inhabitants in Vaikuṇṭhaloka are all personalities with spiritual bodily features not to be found in the material world. We can find the descriptions in the revealed scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Impersonal descriptions of transcendence in the scriptures indicate that the bodily features in Vaikuṇṭha are never to be seen in any part of the universe. As there are different bodily features in different places of a particular planet, or as there are different bodily features between bodies in different planets, similarly the bodily features of the inhabitants in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas are completely different from those in the material universe. For example, the four hands are distinct from two hands in this world."
Prabhupāda: So in other planets also there are different types of body. Some of the bodies are prominent in earth, earthly body. Just like we have got here earthly body. Similarly, fiery body, watery body, gaseous body, there are different types of body. What the scientists know about? Maybe in Candraloka they are going, but they cannot see the body. They say that there is no life. Suppose there is gaseous body, so they do not see it. But every planet has got different types of body. And Vaikuṇṭha planets also their bodily features are described herein. Then?
Pradyumna: Translation: "Lord Brahmā saw in the Vaikuṇṭha planet, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Lord of the entire devotee community, the Lord of the goddess of fortune, the Lord of all sacrifices, and the Lord of the universe, and who is served by the foremost servitors like Nanda, Sunanda, Prabala, and Arhaṇa, His immediate associates." (SB 2.9.15)
Prabhupāda: So here, as Brahmā saw God, His abode, His associates, so anyone can see also. Brahmā is also living being. Just like if Mr. Nixon can become president, you can also become president. But not that you can become God. You can become president, but you cannot become God. That is not possible. A foolish conclusion is that "If I can become president, then I can become also God." But these associates of God, they are equally... We have already heard how their bodily features are. They are also of the same color. They are also same color.
Sudāmā: "The inhabitants of the Vaikuṇṭha planets are described as having a glowing, sky-bluish complexion."
Prabhupāda: Yes, śyāmāvadātāḥ, śyāma, śyāma. Śyāmasundara. Kṛṣṇa is known, therefore, Śyāmasundara. This is the sky color. You can understand. Because the sky has no own color, because the color of Kṛṣṇa is spread as brahma-jyotir, that is being reflected in the sky. This is the color of God. Śyāmasundara, therefore called. Yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... So we can see at least the color of the Lord. Here it is said "sky-bluish." How can you deny? Who can say that "I have not..." If you have seen... Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is whitish. So in the sunshine, you can see the whitish color. So you can at least imagine what is the color of the sun planet, what is the color of the predominating deity there. A little intelligence required. So if the sky... When clear sky, you see bluish sky. That is reflection of Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā, by expansion of the bodily effulgence, the brahma-jyotir... In that brahma-jyotir there are many universes, in that brahma-jyotir, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. The sky's bluish effulgence is there. Above this material sky there is another sky whose reflection you simply can see little. Just like outside there is a brilliant light, so you can get little reflection within your room, similarly, this universe is dark and covered.
Pradyumna: "The Vaikuṇṭha planets are also surrounded by various airplanes, all glowing and brilliantly situated, belonging to the great mahātmās, or devotees of the Lord. The ladies also are as beautiful as lightning because of their celestial complexions. And all these combined together appear just like the sky decorated with both clouds and lightning." (SB 2.9.13)
Prabhupāda: So, there is no scarcity of aeroplanes in Vaikuṇṭhaloka also. It is not nirviśeṣa, zero. The rascals, they do not know what is actually Vaikuṇṭha is or the kingdom of God. And they dismiss everything by declaring, "Zero, without any varieties." Nirviśeṣa śūnyavādi. They have no information; therefore, "zero." But actually that is not. Exactly like this sky, the Vaikuṇṭha sky is there. Like the planets here, there are also planets. As in the sky, outer space, here in this material world big, big...(break) So there also there are many big, big aeroplanes running on.
Now, how this information received. When Bhāgavata was compiled five thousand years ago, there was no existence of aeroplane. But how in the Bhāgavata the information of the aeroplane is there? If men were less intelligent five thousand years ago, and now they have advanced, then how persons five thousand years ago... Not five thousand years.
Pradyumna: "Purport: It appears that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets there are airplanes also, brilliantly glowing, and they are occupied by the great devotees of the Lord, with ladies of celestial beauty as brilliant as lightning. As there are airplanes, so there must be different types of carriages also, like the airplanes, and they may not be driven machines as we have experience in this world. Because everything is of the same nature of eternity, bliss and knowledge, the airplanes and carriages are of the same quality as Brahman. As there is nothing except Brahman, so it should not be misconceived that there is only void and no variegatedness. To think like that is due to a poor fund of knowledge. Otherwise no one would have such a misconception of voidness in the Brahman. As there are airplanes, ladies and gentlemen, so there must be cities and houses and everything else just suitable to the particular planets. One should not carry the ideas of imperfection from this world to the transcendental world without taking into consideration the nature of the atmosphere as completely free from the influence of time, etc., as described previously."
Prabhupāda: So, in all other planets, not only within this material world, but also in the spiritual world there are also varieties of planets. The difference is: here the varieties are made of matter, and there the varieties are made of spirit. That's all. There are two things: material energy and spiritual energy. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. The material energy is also one, mahat-tattva. But bahudhā iva ivābhāti. The one thing is matter. But bahudhā ivābhāti. What is that?
Everyone, it is in our experience that a lump of matter is standing, sometimes photograph of a nice woman, or the doll of a nice woman. Everyone knows that this is false. Nobody is attracted. So therefore there, there is nothing material. Everything is spiritual. The body is also spiritual. He is and everything... There is no distinction between body and soul. Everything is one. That we cannot experience now, but we have to get information from the authorized book. Therefore they are far far better. There is no question of comparison. Pramada uttamādyubhiḥ. Pramada. Woman's name is pramada, pramada because as soon as one woman comes before a man, he becomes agitated. Therefore woman's name is pramada. Pramada. Pramada means agitates. Kāminī. Agitates. So there the pramada uttamādyubiḥ. Uttama. Udgata-tama. Tama, this darkness, is not there. Savidyut. Savidyud abhrāvalibhir yathā nabhaḥ. When they fly in the sky it appears just like lightning in the clouds. These are the description of Vaikuṇṭha planet. So, what is your question? Any question?
The associates of Lakṣmī, the maidservants of Lakṣmī, they are also lakṣmīs. They are not ordinary women, just like Rādhārāṇī is the chief gopī and all Her young girl friends, they are also gopīs. They are of the same category. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). They are all expansion of Kṛṣṇa, pleasure potency. So this is the information of the Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana. So one should take advantage of this life. What we are gaining here by attachment? What we shall get here? The all rascaldom. There is nothing substantial. Therefore one should little risk, that "If there is some chance of entering such a immortal, eternal kingdom of God, why should I not take chance?" You should take chance at all risk in this life to enter into the nitya-līlā, nitya-līlā, eternal pastimes of the Lord.
| Page Title: | Vaikuntha planets (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 14 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=41, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 41 |