SB 8.21.32
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 32
- pratiśrutam adātus te
- niraye vāsa iṣyate
- viśa tvaṁ nirayaṁ tasmād
- guruṇā cānumoditaḥ
SYNONYMS
pratiśrutam — what had been promised; adātuḥ — who could not give; te — of you; niraye — in hell; vāsaḥ — residence; iṣyate — prescribed; viśa — now enter; tvam — yourself; nirayam — the hellish planet; tasmāt — therefore; guruṇā — by your spiritual master; ca — also; anumoditaḥ — approved.
TRANSLATION
Because you have been unable to give charity according to your promise, the rule is that you should go down to live in the hellish planets. Therefore, in accordance with the order of Śukrācārya, your spiritual master, now go down and live there.
PURPORT
It is said:
- nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve
- na kutaścana bibhyati
- svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
- api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ
"Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord." (Bhag. 6.17.28) A devotee engaged in the service of Nārāyaṇa is always in equilibrium. A devotee actually lives transcendentally. Although he may appear to have gone to hell or heaven, he does not live in either place; rather, he always lives in Vaikuṇṭha (sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26)). Vāmanadeva asked Bali Mahārāja to go to the hellish planets, apparently just to show the entire universe how tolerant he was, and Bali Mahārāja did not hesitate to carry out the order. A devotee does not live alone. Of course, everyone lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because the devotee is engaged in His service, he actually does not live in any material condition. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. Thus he prays to take birth as an insignificant insect in the association of devotees. Because devotees are engaged in the service of the Lord, anyone who lives with them also lives in Vaikuṇṭha.