Verse 2.2.42

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.42:

श्री-बृहस्पतिर् उवाच—
अत ऊर्ध्वं महर्-लोको राजते कर्मभिः शुभैः ।
महद्भिर् यो नश्येत् त्रैलोक्य-प्रलयेऽपि न ॥ ४२ ॥

śrī-bṛhaspatir uvāca—
ata ūrdhvaṃ mahar-loko rājate karmabhiḥ śubhaiḥ |
mahadbhir yo naśyet trailokya-pralaye'pi na || 42 ||

śrī-bṛhaspatiḥ–the resplendent Bṛhaspati; uvāca–said; ataḥ–from here; ūrdhvam–above; mahaḥ-lokaḥ–Maharloka; rājate–shines; karmabhiḥ–with deeds; śubhaiḥ–auspicious; prāpyaḥ–attainable; mahadbhiḥ–great; yaḥ–which; naśyet–is destroyed; trai-lokya–when the three worlds; pralaye–are destroyed; api–even; na–not.

Śrī Bṛhaspati said: O king of the demigods! Radiantly situated above Svarga is Maharloka, which is attained by those who perform pious deeds. Only those who are qualified to receive liberation reside there. Even when the three worlds are annihilated at the time of the cosmic dissolution, Maharloka is not destroyed.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

What types of planets are above Svarga? To describe this, Śrī Bṛhaspati says, “Maharloka exists above Svarga. Just as one reaches Svarga by performing ordinary pious deeds, one reaches Maharloka by executing an even higher class of righteous activities, such as performing sacrifices and yogic practices. At the time of the devastation of the three worlds–the realms of Bhū, Bhuva, and Svarga–Maharloka escapes destruction. Generally, only those who are qualified for liberation reach that abode, which exists for the entire duration of Brahmā’s life.”