Canto 3: The Status QuoChapter 33: Activities of Kapila

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.33.30

evaḿ sā kapiloktena

mārgeṇācirataḥ param

ātmānaḿ brahma-nirvāṇaḿ

bhagavantam avāpa ha

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; — she (Devahūti); kapila — by Kapila; uktena — instructed; mārgeṇa — by the path; acirataḥ — soon; param — supreme; ātmānam — Supersoul; brahmaBrahman; nirvāṇam — cessation of materialistic existence; bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avāpa — she achieved; ha — certainly.

TRANSLATION

My dear Vidura, by following the principles instructed by Kapila, Devahūti soon became liberated from material bondage, and she achieved the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Supersoul, without difficulty.

PURPORT

Three words have been used in this connection to describe the achievement of Devahūti: ātmānam, brahma-nirvāṇam and bhagavantam. These refer to the gradual process of discovery of the Absolute Truth, mentioned herein as the bhagavantam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides in various Vaikuṇṭha planets. Nirvāṇa means to extinguish the pangs of material existence. When one is able to enter into the spiritual kingdom or into spiritual realization, one is automatically freed from material pangs. That is called brahma-nirvāṇa. According to Vedic scripture, nirvāṇa means cessation of the materialistic way of life. Ātmānam means realization of the Supersoul within the heart. Ultimately, the highest perfection is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is to be understood that Devahūti entered the planet which is called Kapila Vaikuṇṭha. There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets predominated by the expansions of Viṣṇu. All the Vaikuṇṭha planets are known by a particular name of Viṣṇu. As we understand from Brahma-saḿhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33]. Ananta means "innumerable." The Lord has innumerable expansions of His transcendental form, and according to the different positions of the symbolical representations in His four hands, He is known as Nārāyaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Vāsudeva, etc. There is also a Vaikuṇṭha planet known as Kapila Vaikuṇṭha, to which Devahūti was promoted to meet Kapila and reside there eternally, enjoying the company of her transcendental son.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness