Text 45]
Bhīṣma's Passing Away
503
The Vaikuṇṭha planets are all self-illuminating like the sun, and the rays of the Vaikuṇṭha planets are called the  brahmajyoti . The  brahmajyoti  is spread unlimitedly, and the material world is but a covered portion of an insignificant part of the same  brahmajyoti . This covering is temporary, and therefore it is a sort of illusion.
Bhīṣmadeva, as a pure devotee of the Lord, entered the spiritual realm in one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets where the Lord in His eternal form of  Pārtha-sārathi  predominates over the unconditioned living beings who are constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. The love and affection which bind the Lord and devotee are exhibited in the case of Bhīṣmadeva. Bhīṣmadeva never forgot the Lord in His transcendental feature as the  Pārtha-sārathi , and the Lord was present personally before Bhīṣmadeva while he was passing to the transcendental world. That is the highest perfection of life.
TEXT 45
तत्र दुन्दुभयो नेदुदेवमानववादिताः । शशंसुः साधवो राज्ञां खात्पेतुः पुष्पवृष्टयः ॥४५॥
tatra dundubhayo nedur deva-mānava-vāditāḥ śaśamsuḥ sādhavo rājñām khāt petuḥ puṣpa-vṛṣṭayaḥ
tatra—thereafter; dundubhayaḥ—drums; neduḥ—were sounded; deva—the demigods from other planets; mānava—men from all countries; vāditāḥ—beaten by; śaśamsuḥ—praised; sādhavaḥ—honest; rājñām—by the royal order; khāt—from the sky; petuḥ—began to fall; puṣpa-vṛṣṭayaḥ—showers of flowers.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, both men and demigods sounded drums in honor, and the honest royal order commenced demonstrations of honor and respect. And from the sky fell showers of flowers.
PURPORT
Bhīṣmadeva was respected both by the human beings and the demigods. The human beings live on earth and similar other planets in the Bhūr and Bhuvar group of planets, but the demigods live in the Svar or heavenly