Verse 2.1.14

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.14:

वैकुण्ठं दुर्लभं मुक्तैः सान्द्रानन्द-चिद्-आत्मकम् ।
निष्कामा ये तु तद्-भक्ता लभन्ते सद्य एव तत् ॥ १.१४ ॥

vaikuṇṭhaṃ durlabhaṃ muktaiḥ sāndrānanda-cid-ātmakam |
niṣkāmā ye tu tad-bhaktā labhante sadya eva tat || 1.14 ||

vaikuṇṭham–Vaikuṇṭha; durlabham–rarely achieved; muktaiḥ–by the liberated souls; sāndra-ānanda–intense bliss; cit–of cognizance; ātmakam–which is of the nature; niṣkāmāḥ–who are free from material desires; ye–they who; tu–certainly; tatbhaktāḥ–His devotees; labhante–attain; sadyaḥ–instantly; eva–indeed; tat–that (abode).

Devotees who worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, giving up all material desires, are called niṣkāma-bhaktas. They are promoted to Vaikuṇṭha immediately after death. This abode, which is made of the concentrated essence of happiness and of the nature of consciousness, is rarely achieved even by liberated souls.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

In this verse, the word tat indicates Vaikuṇṭha. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.2.17–18), Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī briefly describes its characteristics:

न यत्र कालो’निमिषां परः प्रभुः कुतो नु देवा जगतां य ईशिरे
न यत्र सत्त्वं न रजस् तमश् च न वै विकारो न महान् प्रधानम्
परं पदं वैष्णवम् आमनन्ति तद् यन् नेति नेतीत्य् अतद् उत्सिसृक्षवः
विसृज्य दौरात्म्यम् अनन्य-सौहृदा हृदोपगुह्यार्ह-पदं पदे पदे

na yatra kālo’nimiṣāṃ paraḥ prabhuḥ kuto nu devā jagatāṃ ya īśire
na yatra sattvaṃ na rajas tamaś ca na vai vikāro na mahān pradhānam
paraṃ padaṃ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tad yan neti netīty atad utsisṛkṣavaḥ
visṛjya daurātmyam ananya-sauhṛdā hṛdopaguhyārha-padaṃ pade pade

Even time personified, the master of all the demigods, is incapable of exercising his control in Vaikuṇṭha. How, then, can the power of ordinary demigods like Indra, whose rule is limited to the material world, extend there? The total material energy, mahat-tattva, and material nature, prakṛti, cannot exert their influence in Vaikuṇṭha because it is free from the transformations of the three material modes: goodness, passion, and ignorance.

Persons eligible for Vaikuṇṭha unceasingly cast off attachment and identification with the gross body and subtle mind through the process of gradual elimination of the non-essential (neti neti). In a mood of absolute affection, they permanently enthrone Śrī Viṣṇu’s unparalleled lotus feet in their hearts and glorify His topmost abode.

Furthermore, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.9.9–10) states:

तस्मै स्व-लोकं भगवान् सभाजितः सन्दर्शयाम् आस परं न यत्-परम्
व्यपेत-सङ्क्लेश-विमोह-साध्वसं स्व-दृष्टवद्भिर् पुरुषैर् अभिष्टुतम्
प्रवर्तते यत्र रजस् तमस् तयोः सत्त्वं च मिश्रं न च काल-विक्रमः
न यत्र माया किम् उतापरे हरेर् अनुव्रता यत्र सुरासुरार्चिताः

tasmai sva-lokaṃ bhagavān sabhājitaḥ sandarśayām āsa paraṃ na yat-param
vyapeta-saṅkleśa-vimoha-sādhvasaṃ sva-dṛṣṭavadbhir puruṣair abhiṣṭutam
pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ sattvaṃ ca miśraṃ na ca kāla-vikramaḥ
na yatra māyā kim utāpare harer anuvratā yatra surāsurārcitāḥ

At that time, Śrī Bhagavān, being pleased with Brahmā’s penance, showed him His abode. Vaikuṇṭha is devoid of all distress (kleśa) and is free from illusion or fear generated by that distress. No place is superior to that abode, and pious, self-realized souls always desire to go there. It is devoid of material passion and ignorance, and even of material goodness, which is mixed with passion and ignorance. Only pure goodness is present, and there is no effect of the force of time. What to speak of anger, envy, and so forth, even Māyā, the illusory potency, the root cause of material happiness and sorrow, does not exist there. It is the permanent residence of Bhagavān’s eternal associates, who are worshiped by both demigods and demons.

The Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.28.14–15) states:

इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् महा-कारुणिको हरिः
दर्शयाम् आस लोकं स्वं गोपानां तमसः परम्
सत्यं ज्ञानम् अनन्तं यद् ब्रह्म-ज्योतिः सनातनम्
यद् धि पश्यन्ति मुनयो गुणापाये समाहिताः

iti sañcintya bhagavān mahā-kāruṇiko hariḥ
darśayām āsa lokaṃ svaṃ gopānāṃ tamasaḥ param
satyaṃ jñānam anantaṃ yad brahma-jyotiḥ sanātanam
yad dhi paśyanti munayo guṇāpāye samāhitāḥ

After some deliberation, the most merciful and supremely powerful Śrī Kṛṣṇa revealed to the cowherd men His Vaikuṇṭha abode, which is fully spiritual in nature and beyond material existence. It is purely conscious (cinmaya), unlimited (ananta), absolute reality (satya), self-effulgent (svaprakāśita), eternal (nitya), and the very embodiment of transcendence (brahma-svarūpa). Sages who have transcended the modes of material nature become competent to perceive that abode in their perfect trance, or samādhi.

That Brahman, the Absolute Truth, manifests as Vaikuṇṭha. It does this through the specific function of the Lord’s internal potency (svarūpa-śakti) and without transgressing the real nature of Brahman. The phrase beginning with satyam (in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.28.15) specifically refers to the supramundane abode of Vaikuṇṭha. It is the abode of Parabrahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, and therefore, everything manifests there in its most essential, absolute form.

It may be asked, “What is the nature of that place?”

In reply, Śrī Uttarā says, “That place is difficult for even liberated souls to attain.” This statement asserts that Śrī Bhagavān’s abode, which is the ultimate destination for His devotees, is superior to the abode obtained by those desiring liberation.

“What is the nature of the superlative excellences of that sacred abode?”

Śrī Uttarā responds with the phrase beginning with sāndra. She says, “That abode is suffused with condensed bliss and transcendental knowledge, and it embodies Absolute Reality, or Brahman. On the other hand, the happiness obtained by liberated persons is quite insignificant.” This last point will be explained later. The word tadbhakta in the original verse means that only the Lord’s devotees can achieve an abode such as Vaikuṇṭha.