Verse 1.3.61

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.3.61:

कृष्ण-भक्ति-सुधा-पानाद् देह-दैहिक-विस्मृतेः ।
तेषां भौतिक-देहेऽपि सच्-चिद्-आनन्द-रूपता ॥ ६१ ॥

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-sudhā-pānād deha-daihika-vismṛteḥ |
teṣāṃ bhautika-dehe'pi sac-cid-ānanda-rūpatā || 61 ||

If beings who dwell in this mundane world drink the nectar of śrī-kṛṣṇna-bhakti, forgetting their body and pleasures relating to it, then even in that body their divine nature of eternity, knowledge and bliss is realized.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

One may assert that devotees of this mundane world possess perishable bodies consisting of the five gross elements and Vaikuṇṭha devotees have divine forms made of sac-cid-ānanda, thus Vaikuṇṭha devotees are superior. Henceforth, this verse beginning with kṛṣṇa-bhakti conveys the meaning.

If sādhakas of this material world drink the nectar of śrī-kṛṣṇabhakti, disregarding the egoistic pleasures of gross and subtle bodies, such as sentiments for family relations, then the sādhakas’ bodies, consisting of five elements, also manifest into sac-cid-ānanda forms. The import is that extended family relations and selfish pleasures are obstacles to one’s absorption in bhakti. In this way, by drinking the nectar of bhakti the bodies of sādhakas, devoid of obstacles and impediments, transform into sac-cid-ānanda forms like the bodies of Vaikuṇṭha devotees. Vaikuṇṭha devotees with no impediments constantly drink the nectar of bhakti in the same way devotees in the material world, untouched by obstacles, follow bhakti.

Therefore, both devotees living in the material world and Vaikuṇṭha residents have similarities. Otherwise, it means that their mortal bodies transform into forms of sac-cid-ānanda.

In this connection, Śrī Maitreya recalls Śrī Dhruva upon attaining his Vaikuṇṭha planet (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 4.12.29):

परीत्याभ्यर्च्य धिष्ण्याग्र्यं पार्षदाव् अभिवन्द्य च
इयेष तद् अधिष्ठातुं बिभ्रद् रूपं हिरण्मयम्

parītyābhyarcya dhiṣṇyāgryaṃ pārṣadāv abhivandya ca
iyeṣa tad adhiṣṭhātuṃ bibhrad rūpaṃ hiraṇmayam

“Afterwards, Śrī Dhruva worshipped and circumambulated the airplane, then offering obeisances to the two confidential associates of Viṣṇu, assumed a brilliant golden form and mounted the airplane.”

In his commentary to this verse, Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda interprets the word hiraṇmayam as “filled with light,” that is, “condensed spiritual illuminations.” Furthermore, in the material world it is observable too that by especially drinking ambrosial rasa a beautiful transformation takes place in the body.