Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.19.28

yady atra nah svarga-sukhāvaśeshitam

svishtasya sūktasya kritasya śobhanam

tenājanābhe smritimaj janma nah syād

varshe harir yad-bhajatām śam tanoti

SYNONYMS

yadi — if; atra — in this heavenly planet; nah — of us; svarga-sukha-avaśeshitam — whatever remains after the enjoyment of heavenly happiness; su-ishtasya — of a perfect sacrifice; su-uktasya — of diligently studying the Vedic literature; kritasya — of having performed a kind act; śobhanam — the resultant actions; tena — by such a resultant action; ajanābhe — in the land of Bhārata-varsha; smriti-mat janma — a birth enabling one to remember the lotus feet of the Lord; nah — of us; syāt — let there be; varshe — in the land; harih — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yat — wherein; bhajatām — of the devotees; śam tanoti — expands the auspiciousness.

TRANSLATION

We are now living in the heavenly planets, undoubtedly as a result of our having performed ritualistic ceremonies, pious activities and yajñas and having studied the Vedas. However, our lives here will one day be finished. We pray that at that time, if any merit remains from our pious activities, we may again take birth in Bhārata-varsha as human beings able to remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord is so kind that He personally comes to the land of Bhārata-varsha and expands the good fortune of its people.

PURPORT

It is certainly as a result of pious activities that one takes birth in the heavenly planets, but from those planets one must nevertheless come down again to earth, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (kshīne punye martya-lokam viśanti [Bg. 9.21]). Even the demigods must return to earth to work like ordinary men when the results of their pious activities expire. Nevertheless, the demigods desire to come to the land of Bhārata-varsha if even a small portion of the merits of their pious activities remains. In other words, to take birth in Bhārata-varsha, one must perform more pious activities than the demigods. In Bhārata-varsha one is naturally Krishna conscious, and if one further cultivates his Krishna consciousness, by the grace of Krishna he certainly expands his good fortune by becoming perfect in Krishna consciousness and very easily going back home, back to Godhead. In many other places in the Vedic literature it is found that even the demigods want to come to this land of Bhārata-varsha. A foolish person may desire to be promoted to the heavenly planets as a result of his pious activities, but even the demigods from the heavenly planets want to come to Bhārata-varsha and achieve bodies that may be very easily used to cultivate Krishna consciousness. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu repeatedly says:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manushya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

[Cc. Ādi 9.41]

A human being born in the land of Bhārata-varsha has the special prerogative to develop Krishna consciousness. Therefore those already born in Bhārata-varsha should take lessons from the śāstras and guru and should fully take advantage of the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in order to be fully equipped with Krishna consciousness. By taking full advantage of Krishna consciousness, one goes back home, back to Godhead (yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām). The Krishna consciousness movement is therefore spreading this facility to human society by opening many, many centers all over the world so that people may associate with the pure devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement, understand the science of Krishna consciousness and ultimately go back home, back to Godhead.

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