392 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

Anantadeva, from the lowest position in the universe, produces a great blazing fire.
The heat of this fire reaches even Maharloka, and then the residents of Maharloka
travel to Brahmaloka, which exists for twice the duration of pardrdha time.

In Brahmaloka there is an unlimited number of airplanes that are controlled not
by yantra (machine) but mantra (psychic action). Because of the existence of the
mind and intelligence on Brahmaloka, its residents have feelings of happiness and
distress, but there is no cause of lamentation from old age, death, fear or distress.
They feel sympathy, however, for the suffering living beings who are consumed in
the fire of annihilation. The residents of Brahmaloka do not have gross material
bodies to change at death, but they transform their subtle bodies into spiritual
bodies and thus enter the spiritual sky. The residents of Brahmaloka can attain
perfection in three different ways. Virtuous persons who reach Brahmaloka by dint
of their pious work become masters of various planets after the resurrection of
Brahmi, those who have worshiped Garbhodaka§$ayi Visnu are liberated with Brahma,
and those who are pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead at once push through
the covering of the universe and enter the spiritual sky.

The numberless universes exist together in foamlike clusters, and so only some of
them are surrounded by the water of the Causal Ocean. When agitated by the
glance of KaranodakaSayi Visnu, material nature produces the total elements, which
are eight in number and which gradually evolve from finer to gross. A part of ego is
the sky, a part of which is air, a part of which is fire, a part of which is water, a part
of which is earth. Thus one universe inflates to an area of four billion miles in
diameter. A yogi who desires gradual liberation must penetrate all the different
coverings of the universe, including the subtle coverings of the three qualitative
modes of material nature. One who does this never has to return to this mortal
world.

According to Sukadeva Gosvami, the above description of the material and
spiritual skies is neither imaginary nor utopian. The actual facts are recorded in the
Vedic hymns, and Lord Vasudeva disclosed them to Lord Brahma when Brahma
satisfied Him. One can achieve the perfection of life only when he has a definite idea
of Vaikuntha and the Supreme Godhead. One should always think about and
describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for this is recommended both in
Bhagavad-gitd and in the Bhdgavata Purdna, which are two authorized commentaries
upon the Vedas. Lord Caitanya has made all these subject matters easier for the
fallen people of this age to accept, and Sr7 Caitanya-caritamrta has therefore pre-
sented them for the easy understanding of all concerned.

TEXT 23

aga-aaers frean crerfaa |
atatacet Parca OFA TE Cea N20 1

mathurda-dvarakdya nija-ripa prakdsiyad
nana-riipe vilasaye catur-vyitha haifid
