Verse 13.24

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 13.24:

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह ।
सर्वथा वर्त्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥ २४ ॥

ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha |
sarvathā varttamāno'pi na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate || 24 ||

yaḥ–who; evam–in this manner; vetti–understands; puruṣam–the Supreme Person; prakṛtim–material nature (māyā); ca–and (the living beings); guṇaiḥ–three binding influences of goodness, passion and ignorance; saha–together; sarvathā–in every way; varttamānaḥ api–even though situated (within the material world); na–never; saḥ–he; bhūyaḥ–again; abhijāyate–takes birth.

One who thus understands the Supersoul (puruṣa-tattva), the deluding potency with her three binding influences (māyā-tattva), as well as the minute living beings (jīva-tattva), does not take birth again, even though presently situated within this material world.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Śrī Bhagavān is explaining the result of this jñāna. “Although overpowered by sleep and distraction of mind, those who know puruṣa (Paramātmā), prakṛti (the material energy) and jīva-śakti (understood by the word ca) do not take birth again.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

The sādhaka, or practitioner, becomes qualified to achieve liberation when he knows the fundamental principles of devotion (bhakti-tattva), the conscious living entity (jīva-tattva) and the Supersoul (paramātma-tattva) and also their mutual relationships. Then, by the mercy of a bona fide spiritual master and the Vaiṣṇavas, and by following the path of pure bhakti, he gradually attains the stages of faith (śraddhā), strong, fixed faith (niṣṭhā), relish (ruci), attachment (āsakti), transcendental emotion (bhāva), and finally pure love for Bhagavān (bhagavat-prema) and enters His abode. It is certain that the living entity never fell from the eternal abode of the Lord and never will. The imaginary conception that the conditioned souls were first engaged in the service of Bhagavān in His abode and somehow or other fell to the material world is both illogical and against the conclusion of all scriptures. But say, for the sake of argument, that this theory is accepted, then the glories of bhakti and prema come into question if one falls from Śrī Bhagavān’s abode into the material world, even after performing rigorous sādhana to attain it. The examples of King Citraketu and Jaya and Vijaya are not appropriate in this regard because they are eternal associates of Bhagavān. By the will of Bhagavān, they only descended into this material world for the welfare of the jīvas and for the nourishment of Śrī Bhagavān’s pastimes. It is a grievous offence to consider them ordinary conditioned souls. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains this in Mādhurya-kādambinī. The living entity who attains residence in the abode of Śrī Bhagavān never returns to this material world, and if he ever does come here, it is as an associate of Bhagavān and by His will. He is not subject to material conditions.

The Gītā (15:6) states:

na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṃ mama

Neither the sun, moon nor fire can illuminate that supreme realm, attaining which surrendered persons do not return to this world. That abode of Mine is illuminating and self-effulgent.