Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.24.29

sva-dharma-nishthah śata-janmabhih pumān

viriñcatām eti tatah param hi mām

avyākritam bhāgavato 'tha vaishnavam

padam yathāham vibudhāh kalātyaye

SYNONYMS

sva-dharma-nishthah — one who is situated in his own dharma, or occupation; śata-janmabhih — for one hundred births; pumān — a living entity; viriñcatām — the post of Lord Brahmā; eti — gets; tatah — thereafter; param — above; hi — certainly; mām — attains me; avyākritam — without deviation; bhāgavatah — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atha — therefore; vaishnavam — a pure devotee of the Lord; padam — post; yathā — as; aham — I; vibudhāh — demigods; kalā-atyaye — after the annihilation of the material world.

TRANSLATION

A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahmā, and if he becomes more qualified, he can approach Lord Śiva. A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Krishna, or Vishnu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. Lord Śiva and other demigods attain these planets after the destruction of this material world.

PURPORT

This verse gives an idea of the highest perfection of the evolutionary process. As described by the Vaishnava poet Jayadeva Gosvāmī, pralaya-payodhi jale dhritavān asi vedam **. Let us begin tracing the evolutionary process from the point of devastation (pralaya), when the whole universe is filled with water. At that time there are many fishes and other aquatics, and from these aquatics evolve creepers, trees, etc. From these, insects and reptiles evolve, and from them birds, beasts and then human beings and finally civilized human beings. Now, the civilized human being is at a junction where he can make further evolutionary progress in spiritual life. Here it is stated (sva-dharma-nishthah) that when a living entity comes to a civilized form of life, there must be sva-dharma, social divisions according to one's work and qualifications. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13):

cātur-varnyam mayā srishtam

guna-karma-vibhāgaśah

"According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me."

In civilized human society there must be the divisions of brāhmana, kshatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, and everyone must properly execute his occupational duty in accordance with his division. Here it is described (svadharma-nishthah) that it does not matter whether one is a brāhmana, kshatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. If one sticks to his position and properly executes his particular duty, he is considered a civilized human being. Otherwise he is no better than an animal. It is also mentioned herein that whoever executes his occupational duty (sva-dharma) for one hundred births (for instance, if a brāhmana continues to act as a brāhmana) becomes eligible for promotion to Brahmaloka, the planet where Lord Brahmā lives. There is also a planet called Śivaloka, or Sadāśivaloka, which is situated in a marginal position between the spiritual and material worlds. If, after being situated in Brahmaloka, one becomes more qualified, he is promoted to Sadāśivaloka. Similarly, when one becomes even more qualified, he can attain the Vaikunthalokas. The Vaikunthalokas are targets for everyone, even the demigods, and they can be attained by a devotee who has no desire for material benefit. As indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.16), one does not escape material miseries even if he is elevated to Brahmaloka (ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāh punar āvartino 'rjuna). Similarly, one is not very safe even if he is promoted to Śivaloka, because the planet of Śivaloka is marginal. However, if one attains Vaikunthaloka, he attains the highest perfection of life and the end of the evolutionary process (mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate). In other words, it is confirmed herein that a person in human society who has developed consciousness must take to Krishna consciousness in order to be promoted to Vaikunthaloka or Krishnaloka immediately after leaving the body. Tyaktvā deham punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna (Bg. 4.9). A devotee who is fully in Krishna consciousness, who is not attracted by any other loka, or planet, including Brahmaloka and Śivaloka, is immediately transferred to Krishnaloka (mām eti). That is the highest perfection of life and the perfection of the evolutionary process.

<<< >>>

Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness