Chapter 28

10.28.1
Sidhara Svami

In the twenty-eighth chapter is next described how

Nanda Maharaja was returned from the abode of
Varuna, and how the cowherd men had vision of
Vaikuntha. After lifting Govardhana Hill and
subduing the king of the demigods, Lord Krsna also
subdued Varuna by bringing back Nanda Maharaja.

Jiva Gosvami

On the Ekadasi; After the unusually short Edadasi

characterized by only six praharas (eighteen
hours), remaining on that same (solar) day (that is
to say, the Edadasi was complete early in the day,
and then the Dvadasi on which the fast had to be
broken was complete just before sunrise of the
next day, where by rule the next day is considered
to begin at sunrise). On the Dvadasi some two
praharas (about six hours) of the day on which the
fast had to be broken, namely the Dvadasi, having
already expired, during that very same day (where
there now remained only a few moments to break
the fast). By the word tu is implied subtly that no
one else entered the water, which indicates how
full in knowledge of the principles of devotional
service Nanda Maharaja was (that is, more than
anyone else).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

In the twenty-eighth chapter occur the stealing of

Nanda Maharaja, the prayers offered by Varuna,
and the vision by the cowherd men, because of
their surprise and eagerness, of Vaikuntha.
After having described the offense of Indra and
how he was absolved of that, Sukadeva was so
absorbed that he forgot his own self, and with the
purpose of describing a further pastime, described
the story concerning Varuna to Pariksit.
“He entered the water”; This was even before the
dawn light, there remaining only a few minutes left
of the Dvadasi, doing this for the purpose of
fulfilling the breaking of the Edadasi fast, and
acting on the strength of the injunction of sastra.
Indeed the sastra states, kalardham dvadasim
drstva nisithad urdhvam eva hi/ a-madhyahnah
kriyah sarvah kartavyah sambhusasanat (“if one
sees that a Dvadasi only has less than a minute
remaining at some time later than midnight, one
should at that time execute all the duties
prescribed even for up to noon (of the Dvadasi), in
accordance with the order of Lord Sambhu”).

10.28.2
Sridhara Swami

Because of being intent upon properly breaking the

fast during Dvadasi, of which there only remained
a few minutes, Nanda Maharaja did not take note
that it was an inauspicious time, and thus even
before the dawn acted upon the strength of the
sastra to enter the water in the dark of night, but a
servant of Varuna , who was ignorant (of these
details of scriptural injunction) took him away.
Indeed we have the statement of sastra,
kakardham dvadasim drstva nisithad urdhvam eva
hi/ a-madhyahnah kriyah sarvah kartavyah
sambhu-sasanat. And Varuna himself will later
state ajanata mamakena (“He was taken away by
a servant of mine who was ignorant of the facts”),
which means that (servant) was ignorant of the
fact of devotional service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Jiva Goswami

Avajnaya means disregarding.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

A servant of Varuna , who was a demon. He

brought him to Varuna. The reason for this is,
disregarding the demoniac time period, he entered
the water. Thus it was out of ignorance that (the
servant) ascribed fault to Nanda Maharaja.
Actually, it was on the strength of scriptural
evidence that Nanda Maharaja entered into the
water. For this reason it will later be stated ajanata
mamakena mudhena.

10.28.3
Sridhara Swami

He who gives fearlessness to His own, to those who

are dedicated to the principals of devotional
service, in other words, who was making them
fearless by saying “do not fear”.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

“The cowherd men” means those who were

guarding him when he went out during the night to
take bath. Hearing their loud cries, (Krsna), who at
that time was far away, lying on a bed of flowers,
heard their cries as if they were very near, because
He is present everywhere. The implied completion
of the idea is “understanding that His father had
been taken away by Varuna.” At that very moment
He came into the presence of the cowherd men
who had been guarding Nanda Maharaja. He asked
“where has My father gone?” and then seeing how
he had submerged in the water, he jumped right
from that shore underneath the water and went to
the place of Varuna (tad antikam= varunatikam).
The giver of fearlessness to His own (devotees). In
other words, He who was going to give
fearlessness to His relatives by bringing back
Nanda from that place.

10.28.4
Sridhara Swami

Saparyaya means offering with honor.

10.28.5
Sridhara Swami

Today, now, this body has been taken

(nibhrtah=dhrtah) by me (me=maya). When I first
caught sight of You, at that time I achieved the
success of my body; or else, nibhrtah means filled
in all desires. Furthermore, today I have
experienced the arthah, even though I am the lord
of all the reservoirs of jewels, still previous to this, I
never gained anything like this. Furthermore, my
material existence is also finished, with which idea
he states the words beginning with tvat-pada-
bhajah. A……. refers to “the other shore’,
liberation. It is especially assumed, because of its
just now becoming successful. Why is this?
Because today I have achieved that which is
ascertained by the best reasoning to be the best
goal. The reason for that is stated: that those who
are tvat-pada-bhajah, who have obtained Your
lotus feet, achieved a ……, “crossing to the other
side”, or in other words, they by gradual stages
have achieved the ultimate end. This, it is implied,
is the cause of Your being directly the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Today (my body) has been especially carried

(bhrtah=dhrta); up until this very day I have in vain
assumed thousands of different bodies, (but now
my having a material body is successful) simply by
having seen You. (The next sentence repeats
Sridhara Swami). Those who partake of Your lotus
feet indeed have achieved a …..,the crossing
beyond of material existence. And I have also
achieved this vision (of You), so just see the great
extent of my good fortune.

10.28.6
Sridhara Swami

Bhagavate indicates “ to Him whose opulence is

unexcelled,” brahmane mans “to Him who is full,”
and paramatmane means “to the controller of all
living entities.” The reason for this is stated in the
words beginning na yatrs. Wherein is not heard
about that maya, which arranges for the creation
of the world, in other words she is conspicuous by
her absence.
Visvanatha Cakravarti

“You are to be worshipped by devotion, knowledge

and yoga,” as Varuna states by the words
beginning namah. Those who perceive that Your
status of Godhead and so forth is based on the
material varieties of illusion are simply deluded in
such an opinion, as he states by the words
beginning na yatra. That (maya) from whom comes
the variegated arrangement of the creation of the
world.

10.28.7
Sridhara Swami

This (Nanda Maharaja), who is present before

himself (before Varuna) out of Varuna’s great
respect for him, as will be described later on.
According to the words nandam ca moksyati
bhayad varunasya pasat (Bhag. 2.7.31; “Lord
Krsna saved His foster father, Nanda Maharaja,
from the fear of rather demigod Varuna”, (which
means that Nanada Maharaja did not have to fear)
for that noose of Varuna.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Why, my friend, (Krsna may address Varuna), are

you embarrassed and offering prayers to Me? Yes,
(Varuna may reply), I have committed a great
offense, which he describes in the words beginning
ajanata. Ajanata means (the servant) who was not
in knowledge of the statement of the bhakti sastra
that when the Dvadasi is short, one should not
enter the water even before the dawn. The
implication of the word mamakena is that by the
offense of my servant I have committed a great
offense, therefore, by the foolish servant, who does
not know his duty; in other words, even though he
is my servant, he does not understand my
business. “Your father who has been brought
here”, is stated as Varuna points with folded hands
to Sri Nanda, who has been seated within a
jeweled welcoming pavilion, has been offered
worship by himself (Varuna), and is not (now?)
deeply engaged in mediating upon his worshipable
Deity. “You should please forgive”: because You
are the ocean of forgiveness, while on the other
hand I am the ocean of offenses, if You mean to
punish me, them please punish me as You see fit.

10.28.8

Releasing Nanda, he offers him (to Krsna) with the

words beginning govinda.

10.28.9

Visvanatha Cakravarti

We should understand that He (took Nanda

Maharaja back home) before the sunrise.

10.28.10
Sridhara Swami

The transcendental (atindriya), never seen before,

great opulence (mahodaya-aisvaryam) of the loka-
pala (Varuna).”Surprised”: This fact (of their being
surprised) is established on the basis of their being
absorbed exclusively in the Lord’s sweet pastimes
as an ordinary human, as described in the verse
beginning nandas tu.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

The great opulence of those controlling deities of

planets (plural?), which are atindriyam, meaning
by which the senses become most astonished. “He
spoke” should be understood as indicating that
after breaking his fast while still Dvadasi, he then
sat down in his assembly hall (and spoke to the
cowherd men).

10.28.11
Sridhara Swami

Those whose minds became full of eagerness.

Perhaps He is going to bestow
(upadhasyad=upadhasyati) His own abode
(svagatim=sva-stanam), the sublime abode known
as Brahmaloka, or in other words, He will cause us
to achieve it. The idea is they were speculating
thus.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Those whose minds were filled with eagerness.

Sva-gatim means the destination of His own
worshippers, which is suksma, meaning
transcendental to illusion, and consists of the
ecstasy of Brahman and also the attainment of
Vaikuntha. Upadhasyat, which is equivalent to the
form upadhasyati, indicates ‘He will impose this
upon us,” or in other words, “He will cause us to
attain it.” Our dear King of Vraja, earlier you
described to us, in the words of Garga Muni, how
He is equal to Narayana Himself. Now, however,
from the prayers offered by Varuna, you might
ascertain by your direct perception that He is
Narayana . If this is the case, then certainly this
fervent desire of us, your family members, will
become fulfilled, since your son Krsna is my
brother’s son. This Supreme Personality of
Godhead is this sister’s son and that person’s
daughter’s son. All of us have great affection for
Him, and certainly He is affectionate toward all of
us. Therefore, o cowherd men, you should all
choose your described objects as benedictions
from Him, the Supreme Lord. These words being
spoken by some of the cowherd men, (some of
them) answered, “we want to enjoy by becoming
liberated”, and others said, “We want to enjoy by
becoming residents of Vaikuntha.” In this way,
each of them expressing different opinions, they
became full of various desires. They did not
behave, on the other hand, like Vasudeva and
Arjuna, who in speaking such words as yuvam na
nah sutau saksat pradhana-purusesvarau (“You
two, our sons, are directly the Personalities of
Godhead”), tat te gato ‘smaranam adya
padaravindam (“Now I have regained my
remembrance of Your lotus feet”), and sakheti
matva prasabham yad uktam ) (”I have said many
disrespectful things while considering You my
ordinary friend”), (thus Arjuna and Vasudeva)
experienced a slackening of their natural
relationship with the Lord because of becoming
affected by the knowledge of His opulence
(whereas the cowherd men were not affected.)

10.28.12
Sridhara Swami

The omniscient one (akhila=sarva-jnah), by

Himself understanding the conjecture (or desire) of
them, His own devotees, as being such (iti=evam-
bhutam), mercifully, for the purpose of the
realization of their conjecture, thought that which
is about to be stated (in the following verse.)

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Understanding the sankalpa of His own relatives

(svanam=jnatinam) as being such (iti=evam-
bhutanam), while Himself seeing, knowing, as the
omniscient Lord, everything about the happiness of
experiencing Brahman, the happiness of residing in
Vaikuntha and also the happiness of the pure love
of God found in Vraja-bhumi. Although (ordinarily)
it is in proportion to the different degrees of pure
love possessed by His personal associates that the
Lord to different degrees covers His opulence in
their presence, nevertheless at that particular
time, being inspired by His lila potency, His total
omniscience became manifest. Even though ,even
by the smallest particle of the sweet love that
those cowherd men had for Him, the happiness of
Brahman and the happiness of Vaikuntha become
quite insignificant in comparison, still, in order to
fulfill the desire of them, who were acting foolish
as part of their human-like pastimes, the Lord is
thus going to cause them to experience the
happiness of Brahman and the happiness of
Vaikuntha, which they were contemplating. With
that intent in mind He thinks the following.

10.28.13
Sridhara Swami

Avidya means that “this body and so forth are

myself”, and from that comes lust, from which
arises material activities. By these (all three), one
is wandering among the superior and inferior
(species) of the demigods, animals and so forth,
and thus does not understand one’s own proper
destination.

Jiva Goswami

Alternately (to what?), janah means a resident of

Vrndavana, such a personal devotee of Mine. In
this material world in which I am currently
accepting My incarnation. Avidya means failing to
seek out anything else because of full absorption in
My pastimes. Kama means variegated desires
within the mind that have Me as their object, and
karma means activities favorable to My devotees.
As we see from the statements navidan bhava-
vedanam (Bhag 10.11.58, “They did not
experience the torment of material existence”),
and yad dhamarha-suhrt-priyatma (Bhag.10.14.35,
“The homes, wealth, friends, dear relations, bodies,
children and very lives and hearts of these
devotees of Vrndavana are dedicated only to
You”), they are being forgetful
(brahman=vismaran) about their own destination
among all the greater and lesser variegated
destinations achieved by the force of pure ecstatic
love, and thus they do not know that individual
destination of their own, the particular
destination ,which is eternally established already
(for each of them), in the form of the opulences of
the supreme Goloka and other planets. In this
connection the following is to be considered: here
the word sva should not be taken as meaning
“one's identity”, and because of it’s being in the
neuter form, the word gati should not be taken as
meaning knowledge. Because of the repetition (of
the idea “knowledge”) with the word veda, if (this
word gati) indicated knowledge, then what would
be said here would be that “knowledge does not
know itself.” And we don't find such a meaning
applicable also, because of the statement (in text
13 of this chapter), “in order to assure the
realization of their desires”. (Here the phrase sva-
gatim suksman should be understood as referring
equally to their (potential attainment) of the
opulence of the presiding deity of planet (Varuna),
and also as well (their future attainment) of the
opulences of Krsna's planet and so forth, which
they have heard about in (Nanda Maharaja's
description) of how Varuna offered obeisances to
Krsna and as is going to be stated in the
description of their vision of those opulences of His
planet and so forth. Suksmam means difficult to
understand. Consequently the word janah should
not be taken here to mean a mundane person,
because such mundane persons have material
existence as their destination, not such planets as
Varuna and so forth. Rather that word (janah) is
taken to refer to the personal devotees of the Lord,
in the same way as the word janah in the verse
beginning salokya-sarsti (Bhag.3.29.13). And if
we .......janah is said to refer to “those who are
devotees”, then the above mentioned meaning of
sva-gatim is corroborated, since for such devotees
of the Lord it is not at all an established fact that
they achieve superior and inferior material
destinations based upon ignorance. The use of the
word avidya in this context, rather, should be
understood as (their being oblivious to their future
destination) because of their compassion (because
of their being so affectionate toward Krsna?)

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Janah means My father and the other residents of

Vrndavana, since they have already been
introduced into the narration. In this world, on the
earth planet, there is avidya, ignorance of one's
true identity, from which comes kama, which
further leads to karma. From that karma they are
mistaken (in their identification) among higher and
lower destinations, those which are full of
happiness and opulence found in the planets of the
demigods such as Varuna, as well as those who are
visibly seen as full of misery and lack of opulence
for the human beings, animals and so forth living
on the earthly planetary system. Bhraman means
becoming bewildered on account of their thinking
themselves caught up in material existence, since
they are enacting human-like pastimes. Thus they
are not aware of their own destination, their goal,
which, although impossible to achieve by all
(others), is already present for them. After all, this
father of Mine, after going to the planet of Varuna,
and seeing the illusory opulence there, is thinking
that Vrindavana, although compromising the
essence of all the Vaikuntha planets, is inferior to
that (opulence of Varunaloka). Just as a foolish
person becomes fascinated upon seeing the form,
brilliance and solidity of an imitation pearl, may
think a real and priceless pearl to be inferior to
that, in the same way they think themselves to be
such a petty person as Varuna, even though the
dust of their lotus feet cannot be achieved even by
Brahma and other great demigods, and also
similarly they think liberation and the realm of
Vaikuntha to be greater than (themselves), who
possess the pure ecstatic love of Godhead
consisting of the loving sentiments of having Me as
their son and so forth, in which the greatest taste
of sweetness is constantly being relished. Both of
these (liberation and Vaikuntha) are indeed
subordinate to me, rather than being subordinate
to them. (They do not know their gati) means that
they don't utilize their discrimination to see, as
some are sometimes able to see, that I can be
subdued by pure love of Godhead, and certainly
everyone can see Me directly (even though they
may not see how I am subdued by pure love).
Furthermore it is Brahman which is relished in
liberation, and that Brahman is My own,
undifferentiated, all-expansive, transcendental
glow, as stated in the words yasya prabha
prabhavatah and tad brahma niskalam anantam
(Brahma-samhita). My own words brahmano hi
pratisthaham, and also the words of Matsya, My
plenary expansion, ca madiyam mahimanam para-
brahmeti sabditam (Bhag.8.24.38). That very same
Me whose effulgence is Brahman is constantly
present (here in Vrndavana) in the form of a son
and so forth, My sweetness becoming the object
relishable by means of prema. Thus according to
the statement of the Padma Purana, aho madhu-
puri dhanya vaikunthac ca gariyasi, the great
fortune of Mathura. This city is greater than even
Vaikuntha.”), ……. this Vrndavana, which is
present within the area of Mathura is greater than
even Vaikuntha and one who always resides within
that Vrndavana will never suffer any loss, even in
the ultimate dissolution of the universe, as
established by the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, in the
statements bhu-loka-cakre sapta-puryo bhavanti
tasam madhye saksad brahma-gopala-puri hi
(there are seven transcendental abodes of the Lord
manifest in the earthly planetary system, and
among them is found the original planet of Lord
Gopala”), and yatha sarasi padmam tisthati tatha
bhumyam (“Just as a lotus stands within a lake so
is this Vrndavana present upon the earth”). This is
also corroborated by the statement of the Brhad-
vamana Purana, prakrte pralaye prapte vyakte
'vyaktam gate pura siste brahmani cin-matre kala-
mayati-ge 'ksare (“When the material universe has
met its dissolution, the manifest creation dissolving
into its unmanifest source, and when only the
Absolute Truth, pure spirit, remains, beyond time
and illusion and indestructible, we will still find that
planet known as Vaikuntha, which comprises the
total ecstasy of the Absolute and is all-pervasive,
beyond all material qualities and devoid of
beginning or end.”) Nevertheless, because they, on
account of not seeing them before their eyes,
desired the achievement of liberation and
Vaikuntha, therefore I will now arrange for them to
directly perceive these two goals. We should not
interpret this verse improperly along the lines,
“these persons, the residents of Vrndavana,
because of ignorant, lusty activities, are wandering
among the species of demigods, animals and so
forth, continuously rotating about, and thus do not
know their own destination, the liberation and
residence in Vaikuntha, which I am willing to
bestow.” After all, because the residents of Vraja,
Nanda and the others are eternally established in
the position of being endowed with ecstatic love
for Krsna in the mood of His being their son and so
forth, there is no material existence based on
ignorance, lust and fruitive activities for them. This
is stated, tasam aviratam krsne kurvatinam
suteksanam/ na punah kalpate rajan samsaro
'jnana-sambhavah (“Because they were always
glancing upon their dear son, Krsna, there is no
possibility, my dear King Parksit, of their having to
undergo this material existence, which is born of
ignorance”). And neither are liberation or
Vaikuntha going to be given (rather than elevation
directly to Goloka) for these residents of the
cowherd pastures, in which connection we should
refer to the elaborate logical commentary (by
whom?) given at the end of the narration of the
killing of Putana, with the words of Lord Brahma
beginning bhavan kim deva-rata. (I could not
identify that quote so I am not certain exactly
which of the words of this sentence are part of that
quote.)

10.28.14
Sridhara Swami

His own planet, identical with the Absolute Truth,

known as Vaikuntha, which is beyond tamas,
material nature. His own planet with which the
cowherd men are related. The possibility of its
being material is denied by the words beginning
tamasah.
Visvanatha Cakravarti

Thinking thus, He having considered “I shall now

reveal to them the superexcellent glories of My
eternal abode Sri Vrndavana by making them
experience the happiness of Brahman and of
Vaikuntha,” He thus showed both sva, the original
identity of Brahman, and loka, the planet known as
Vaikuntha. The idea is that He caused these two to
separate themselves from Vrndavana for some five
or six moments. This is because He is the most
merciful; the implication being that He intended to
inform them in a negative way that the sweetness
of Vrndavana is superior to both of these. But, it
may be objected, vision of Brahman causes one to
achieve Brahman, and indeed it amounts to the
liberation of merging into the Absolute, so then it
would be impossible for them to return from that,
how would they ever be able to again experience
the sweetness of Vrndavana? In reply to this it is
stated the word vibhu (instead of hari in an
alternate reading?), or in other words, (He who is)
capable of bringing them out from even the
liberation of Vaikuntha. This sva and loka are
further characterized as being beyond tamas,
material nature.

10.28.15
Sridhara Swami

Because it is impossible for those who are covered

over by material bodies to see such a thing, first of
all He revealed to them the identity of Brahman,
which is distinct from the material body and so
forth. This is described in the verse beginning
satyam. Satyam means unchecked, jnanam means
not matter, anantam means unlimited, jyotih
means self-luminous, and sanatanam means
eternally existent. That Brahman which the jnanis
see when the material modes subside
(gunapaya=gunapohe), He mercifully showed.

Jiva Goswami

But, it may be questioned, what object is there

which is transcendental to darkness, in reply to
which that entity is characterized in general terms,
by the verse beginning satyam.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(The first sentence repeats). That which the sages,

the jnanis, see when the modes have desisted,
when they have transcended the modes. Because
Vrndavana is also of the identity of the ecstasy of
Brahman, it is even sweeter (than the same
Vaikuntha which is also such), because it is present
in the midst of the illusory opulences of maya. This
is just like the light of a lamp standing in the midst
of darkness. Thus He showed them the effulgence
(jyotih), which was beyond darkness, rather than
that light which is satya and jnana present in the
midst of darkness. Furthermore, it is ascertained
from the experience of such self-satisfied devotees
such as Sukadeva Goswami that the original form
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is much
sweeter than the identity of Brahman, and that
body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even
while being all-pervasive, unlimited and free from
the six kinds of material changes, nevertheless it
(the Lord's body) has its transcendental birth,
growth and so forth; even though it is free from the
faults of restlessness and so forth, it has its
hunger, thirst, perspiration, fear, confusion and its
being wounded by weapons in battle. This is by the
Lord's possessing inconceivable and unlimited
potencies, and in the same way as the Lord's body,
Vrndavana also, even while being expansive to the
extent of millions of universes, which each extent
beyond the seeing power of Lord Brahma (?),
brahma-drstyanta, is nevertheless limited (in
appearance), as stated by the Supreme Lord in the
words, panca-yojanam evasti vanam me deha-
rupa-dhrk (“This forest (Vrndavana) extends for
five yojanas, and it nondifferent from My own
body”). By the words of the Agama (Pancarattra),
smaret punar atantrito vigata-sat-tarangambudhi,
even though (this Vrndavana) is freed from the
faults of agitation and so forth, it exhibits in its
humans, animals, birds and other creatures
hunger, thirst, birth, old age, separation and
quarrel. In this way it is an eternal reservoir of
unlimited wonder.

10.28.16
Sridhara Swami

He brought them to that lake of Brahman, in the

sense that Brahman is like a lake, in that when one
is submerged in it he loses all his awareness of
specific things. He brought them to that and
submerged them in it. But particularity is then
expressed by the word tu, which is described: then
again they were lifted up by Krsna, they......out of
their trance, and then they saw the planet of that
Brahman, namely Vaikuntha. And then, further
describing that (AbsoluteTruth) more particularly,
the vision of it as such is described by the words
beginning te tu. Brahman here refers to the
general (undifferentiated) form of the Absolute
above mentioned; they were brought, made to find
out, and submerged, brought to the state of
perceiving only that. After that, they were lifted up,
further elevated by its manifesting in its particular
form, and thus they saw it. The words beginning
brahmanah: at that place where Akrura
experienced that which lies beyond material
nature, they saw Vaikuntha.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

In this way, they, the residents of Vrndavana, were

brought to, made realize, brahma-hradam, where
Brahman is like a lake, and they are submerged in
that lake in the sense that (when one is absorbed
in Brahman) he forgets all awareness of particular
things. Then, when they were submerged in it,
they were again lifted up by Krsna; by His own
inconceivable potency they were lifted up even
from having been merged into Brahman, they were
brought out of it, and they saw the planet of that
Brahman, Vaikuntha. This is in accordance with the
statement of the Second Canto, in the verse lokam
vikuntham apanesyati gokulam sma (I could not
locate this verse). The implied idea of the word
uddhrtah is that just as other people, when they
are lifted up from the lake of material existence,
experience the Absolute Truth, similarly these
cowherd men endowed with pure love of Godhead,
when lifted up from the lake of Brahman, saw
Vaikuntha-loka. In other words, Vaikuntha affords
more pleasure than the calamity of merging into
Brahman, in which all of one's assets are
destroyed. The experience of the pleasure of
Vaikuntha with pure love of God is greater than the
experience of pleasure of Gokula, which is fully
surcharged with prema. This conclusion is made
known (by this verse). That Vaikuntha where
Akrura went previously, or else where he
previously saw his worshipable Deity. Because of it
having occurred before the conversation between
Sukadeva and Pariksit, (the incident involving
Akrura) it is referred to as having occurred in the
past (although it occurs later in the sequence of
Lord Krsna's pastimes relative to the current
chapter).

10.28.17
Sridhara Swami

But, it may be questioned, for those who had been

submerged in Brahman to again see some planet is
impossible. Anticipating this objection are spoken
the words beginning yatra. Which (yatra=yasmin)
Krsna being the cause, previously Akrura saw
(adhyagat=drstavan). This is described as in the
past, because of being previous to the
conversation between Sukadeva and Pariksit. The
implication is that for the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose opulences are inconceivable,
there is nothing impossible. Or else, the lake of the
Yamuna, known as Brahma-hrada, where Akrura
previously saw; they were brought to that lake and
then saw the planet of Brahman. Then again, lifted
out by Krsna, they saw Him as before and became
amazed; such is the implied sequence of the
words, which have been placed out of order. This
arrangement of (stating beforehand) what has not
yet occurred (their being lifted out of, being stated
before their having seen Vaikuntha) should
be .......... as acceptable.
Jiva Goswami

“By the Vedic hymns,” means by Sri Gopala-tapani

Upanisad and so on.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

And seeing that Vaikunthaloka, they became

overjoyed with supreme bliss. This, it is implied, is
because of their noticing that the Vrndavana
present in the Goloka of Vaikuntha has the same
nature as (their own) Vrndavana. This is just as
millionaires sometimes lose all their wealth, and
then by chance they see some token of their
wealth and become overjoyed in supreme bliss; in
the same manner as this. Thus, when they were
searching out for Krsna, “where is Krsna, a mere
drop of perspiration from those lotus face is more
worthy of homage than thousands of lives (?)” they
then saw Him, as stated by the word krsnam.
Seeing Krsna present there, being praised by the
personified Vedic hymns, they became most
astonished. “Indeed where have we arrived, that
there are all these luminous personalities offering
prayers? We have never seen such persons in
Vrndavana. But, who are they, whom we seem
incapable of approaching to question? And in the
midst of them is our Krsna, yet even He is looking
upon us, His many parents and other relatives, He
is not manifesting His childhood behaviour. Neither
does he come near to us. He doesn't take our
necks in His arms. And we feel embarrassed to
approach Him and place Him on our laps. How is it
that just now we are forgetting the disturbances of
hunger and thirst? How is it that His mother,
unable to feed him, is able to maintain her life?
They were exhibiting such expressions of surprise.
The implied completion of the idea is they were
again brought back to Vrndavana by Yogamaya,
who was inspired by the Lord's lila sakti. The lesson
of this story has been explained in a verse cited by
Srimat Rupa Goswami-carana in his Stava-mala.
This verse is as follows:
(May Lord Mukunda grant you His protection. There
is no realm more charming than His forest of
Vrndavana. He with ease revealed to His relatives
and friends the planet Vaikuntha, and after
revealing it fully to them, He again returned them
to the cowherd pasture”).

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Sripada Jiva Prabhu has given a few definitions of

words in this verse in his book Sri Sri Krsna-
sandarbha, as follows:
Jana means resident of Vraja, “My own men,” and
etasmin means in this material world.
Avidya-kama-karmabhih uccavacasu gatisu means
among the higher and lower species, such as those
demigods, animals and so forth, which have been
constructed by material activities based on
material desire and ignorance.
Svam gatim bhraman means thinking of one's own
real destination to be nondifferent from these
(material species of life). Now he gives the
meaning of the entire verse (the rest of Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's commentary
paraphrases Sri Krsna-sandarbha):
My own men, these cowherds, think themselves
nondifferent from persons who take birth in higher
and lower species, such as those of demigods and
animals, within this world, such forms of life being
products of lusty activities born out of ignorance.
Thus they do not understand their own true
position. Although this delusion has been arranged
by My own sakti known as nila? (lila) for the
purpose of nourishing the sweet pastimes of
Vrndavana, nevertheless in accordance with the
desires of the residents of Vrndavana, I will reveal
to them for some few moments their extraordinary
future destination, and thus dispel their delusion.
Such is the purport of this verse.
The personal planet of the cowherd men is Goloka.
That abode, which is identified in the Brahma-
samhita by the words cintamani prakara sadmasu
is described in terms of such opulence, which
drives away the mundane opulence of Varuna. It
(Vaikuntha) is transcendental to darkness, or
material nature; it is not manifested in the realm of
matter, and it is not a creation connected with it.
Therefore this world (Vaikuntha) is full of eternity,
knowledge and bliss. And for this reason it is
described by the words beginning satyam and
jnanam. That Absolute Truth which is manifested
as satya and so forth is experienced by sages in
the stage of realization transcendental to the
modes of nature. That same Brahman was seen by
the cowherd men simply in its form of satyam and
so forth, without it exhibiting any of the particular
functions of the Lord's internal potency.
Then is described at which place in Vrndavana the
cowherd men saw such a thing. They were brought
by Krsna to the place known as Brahma-hrada or
Akrura-tirtha, and then by His order, they
submerged themselves there. After that they were
brought out by Krsna and they had vision of the
abode, known as Goloka, of the Supreme Absolute
Truth in His human-like form, Sri Krsna. In that
same Brahma-hrada in which Sri Akrura offered
prayers to Sri Krsna, or else in which he obtained
(his vision), the cowherd men saw Goloka.
That planet, which Sri Krsna showed the cowherd
men is not simply another Vaikuntha, as we should
understand from the use of the three phrases
svam gatim, gopanam sva lokam and krsnam ca.
Svam gatim means that it is meant for them; in
other words, that place is the personal abode of
the cowherd men. The word gopanam has the
genitive case ending, by which there is the
connection of the cowherd men with this planet,
and by the word sva is indicated the privilege of (to
be in such relation) the cowherd men. Similarly, by
the word krsna is accepted the fact that Krsna is
present there in direct relationship with that place.
Certainly these phrases conclusively establish that
this was not just another Vaikuntha. It is quite
fitting that they became full in supreme ecstasy by
seeing Goloka, and that they became overwhelmed
in amazement, because this abode is in itself the
complete reality. Furthermore (the cowherd men
think), it is the object of our greatest pleasure to
know that we and Sri Krsna, who appeared as our
son, are going to reside there in the future.