Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 9: Liberation | Chapter 2: The Dynasties of the Sons of Manu |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 9.2.14
tenopayukta-karano
SYNONYMS
evam vrittah -- being situated in such an order of life; vanam -- to the forest; gatva -- after going; drishtva -- when he saw; dava-agnim -- a forest fire; utthitam -- existing there; tena -- by that (fire); upayukta-karanah -- engaging all the senses of the body by burning; brahma -- transcendence; prapa -- he achieved; param -- the ultimate goal; munih -- as a great saintly person.
TRANSLATION
With this attitude, Prishadhra became a great saint, and when he entered the forest and saw a blazing forest fire, he took this opportunity to burn his body in the fire. Thus he achieved the transcendental, spiritual world.
PURPORT
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.9):
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." Prishadhra, because of his karma, was cursed to take his next birth as a sudra, but because he took to saintly life, specifically concentrating his mind always upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a pure devotee. Immediately after giving up his body in the fire, he reached the spiritual world, as mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (mam eti), as a result of his devotional situation. Devotional service performed by thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so powerful that although Prishadhra was cursed he avoided the terrible consequence of becoming a sudra and instead returned home, back to Godhead. As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.54):
yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti
karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
Those who engage in devotional service are unaffected by the results of their material activities. Otherwise, everyone, from the smallest microbe up to the King of heaven, Indra, is subject to the laws of karma. A pure devotee, being always engaged in the service of the Lord, is exempt from these laws.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness