sat-saṅkalpena dhīmatā
athābhiṣṭuta evaṁ vai
sat-saṅkalpena dhīmatā
bhṛtyānurakto bhagavān
pratinandyedam abravīt
Maitreya said: After hearing himself praised by the intelligent boy having great determination, the Supreme Lord, attracted to his servant, accepted the praise and then spoke.
|| 4.9.19 ||
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
vedāhaṁ te vyavasitaṁ
hṛdi rājanya-bālaka
tat prayacchāmi bhadraṁ te
durāpam api suvrata
The Lord said: O prince, determined in vows! I know what you resolved in your heart. All auspiciousness to you! I will award that place rarely achieved, and also prema.
“O prince (rājanya-bālaka)! Your desire for power is natural. Therefore I will fulfill that desire.” “But then you will not give prema!” “All auspiciousness to you (bhadraṁ te)! Do not worry. I will also give you prema.” This is indicated by the word api. You previously said:
padaṁ tri-bhuvanotkṛṣṭaṁ jigīṣoḥ sādhu vartma me
brūhy asmat-pitṛbhir brahman anyair apy anadhiṣṭhitam
O brāhmaṇa! Please tell the correct method for me, desiring the best position in the three worlds, which has not been attained by my forefathers or others. SB 4.8.37
Please accept that place now.
|| 4.9.20-21 ||
nānyair adhiṣṭhitaṁ bhadra
yad bhrājiṣṇu dhruva-kṣiti
yatra graharkṣa-tārāṇāṁ
jyotiṣāṁ cakram āhitam
meḍhyāṁ go-cakravat sthāsnu
parastāt kalpa-vāsinām
dharmo 'gniḥ kaśyapaḥ śukro
munayo ye vanaukasaḥ
caranti dakṣiṇī-kṛtya
bhramanto yat satārakāḥ
Fortunate boy! I give you that radiant place which is eternal, not attained by anyone else. The zodiac of planets, constellations and stars revolve around it like oxen walking around a central pillar to grind grains. That places remains till the end of Brahmā’s life. Bharaṇi, Kṛttika, Cancer, Venus and the Big Dipper revolve around Dhruva-loka in clockwise direction along with the stars.
I give you that residence (kṣiti) which is eternal (dhruva), possessing the zodiac belt of planets, constellations and stars, which are like oxen circling around the central pillar to which they are tied. This place remains fixed for the duration of Brahmā’s life for those living for that duration (kalpa-vāsinām). At the time of final destruction, some say that Dhruva ascends to Mahā-vaikuṇṭha. Even though existing within the material universe, Dhruva-loka has the qualities of Śvetadvīpa, Mathurā and Dvārakā. The following verses show that Dhruva attained Vaikuṇṭha.
sudurlabhaṁ yat paramaṁ padaṁ harer
māyāvinas tac-caraṇārcanārjitam
labdhvāpy asiddhārtham ivaika-janmanā
kathaṁ svam ātmānam amanyatārtha-vit
Having attained the supreme abode of the merciful Lord which is rarely attained, through worshipping the Lord’s feet, within one lifetime, and though he was knowledgeable, why did he consider himself unfulfilled? SB 4.9.28
tato gantāsi mat-sthānaṁ sarva-loka-namaskṛtam
upariṣṭād ṛṣibhyas tvaṁ yato nāvartate gataḥ
You will go to my abode, worshipped by all planets, higher than the Big Dipper, from which you will not return, having gone there. SB 4.9.25
anāsthitaṁ te pitṛbhir anyair apy aṅga karhicit
ātiṣṭha jagatāṁ vandyaṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam
O Dhruva! Stay in that supreme abode of Viṣṇu, a place not achieved by your forefathers or any others, which is worshipped by the whole universe. SB 4.12.26
Others say that parastāt means that Dhruva-loka remains beyond the life span of those lasting for Brahmā’s life, since the planet of the Lord is eternal. Dharma, Agni and others are the forms of constellations (Bharaṇi, Kṛttika).[5] Vanaukasaḥ refers to the seven sages (Big Dipper).
|| 4.9.22 ||
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