Verse 8.15

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 8.15:

माम् उपेत्य पुनर् जन्म दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम् ।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥ १५ ॥

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam |
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ || 15 ||

mām–Me; upetya–having attained; punaḥ janma–rebirth; duḥkha-ālayam–which is an ocean of misery; aśāśvatam–transitory; na āpnuvanti–do not attain; mahātmānaḥ–the great souls; saṃsiddhim–complete perfection; paramām–the highest; gatāḥ–having attained.

The great souls, having attained Me, do not take another temporary birth, which is the source of misery, for they have attained the highest perfection.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

“What becomes of those who attain You?” In response, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with the word mām. “They do not have to take another birth, which is temporary and full of misery. Instead, they attain a birth like Mine, which is eternal and full of bliss.” According to the Amara-koṣa (dictionary), the words śāsvata, dhruva, nitya, sadātana and sanātana are all synonymous. “When I take My blissful, eternal and transcendental birth in the house of Vasudeva, My eternal associates (My devotees) also take birth. They do not take birth at any other time.” The word paramām has special significance. “Other types of devotees attain complete perfection (saṃsiddhi), but those who have fixed their minds solely on Me, who are ananya-cetāḥ, attain an even more exalted type of perfection (paramāṃ saṃsiddhim). That is to say, they become associates in My pastimes.” Thus it has been established that the devotees who are without any other thought than Śrī Kṛṣṇa are superior to the devotees who were described previously.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Those who have become indifferent to karma, jñāna, yoga and so forth, and who have not taken shelter of the various demigods but worship Kṛṣṇa only, with exclusive devotion, surely attain Him. They do not have to take another miserable, temporary birth but become eternally absorbed in service to Kṛṣṇa, being freed from the bondage of birth and fruitive activities (karma). As it is said in the Padma Purāṇa (quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.113): “na karma-bandhanaṃ janma vaiṣṇavānāñ ca vidyate viṣṇor anucaratvaṃ hi mokṣam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ–For the Vaiṣṇavas, the bondage of karma does not exist. Since the Vaiṣṇavas have become the associates of Viṣṇu, they are described as being eligible for liberation by those who know the Truth.”

By performing kevalā-bhakti, or rāgānugā-bhakti, the exclusive devotees of Bhagavān attain supreme perfection. That is, by attaining realization of their eternal svarūpa (svarūpa-siddhi) and entrance to the spiritual world (vastu-siddhi), they are counted among the associates of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in His pastimes and engage in service to Him. When it is time for His appearance, they, like Him, also appear in order to nourish His manifest pastimes.