44 The Nectar of Devotion
could the liberated persons known as adtmaramas be attracted by
such pastimes? That is the important point in this verse.

From the above statement it is found that a devotee is not after
any of the stages of liberation. There are five stages of liberation,
already explained as being 1) to become one with the Lord, 2) to
live on the same planet as the Lord, 3) to obtain the same bodily
features as the Lord, 4) to have the same opulences as the Lord and
5) to have constant association with the Lord. Out of these five
liberated stages the one which is known as sdyujya, or to merge
into the existence of the Lord, is the last to be accepted by a
devotee. The other four liberations, although not desired by devotees,
still are not against the devotional ideals. Some of the liberated
persons who have achieved these four stages of liberation may also
develop affection for Krsna and be promoted to the Goloka Vrn-
davana planet in the spiritual sky. In other words, those who are
already promoted to the Vaikuntha planets and possess the four kinds
of liberation may also sometimes develop affection for Krsna and
become promoted to Krsna-loka.

So those who are in the four liberated states may still be going
through different stages of existence. In the beginning they may
want the opulences of Krsna, but at the mature stage the dormant
love for Krsna exhibited in Vrndavana becomes prominent in their
hearts. As such, the pure devotees never accept the liberation of
sdyujya, to become one with the supreme, though sometimes they
may accept as favorable the other four liberated states.

Out of many kinds of devotees of the Supreme Personality of God-
head, the one who is attracted to the original form of the Lord, Krsna
in Vrndavana, is considered to be the foremost, first-class devotee.
Such a devotee is never attracted by the opulences of Vaikuntha, nor
even of Dvaraka, the royal city where Krsna ruled. The conclusion of
Sri Riipa Gosvami is that the devotees who are attracted by the pas-
times of the Lord in Gokula, or Vrndavana,* are the topmost devotees.

*Vrndavana is the transcendental place where Krsna enjoys His eternal pastimes

as a boy, and it is considered the topmost sphere in all existence. When this is ex-
hibited in the material world the place is called Gokula, and in the spiritual world
it is called Goloka or Goloka Vrndavana.
