502 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 9
TRANSLATION
Knowing that Bhismadeva had merged into the unlimited eternity of
the Supreme Absolute, all present there became silent like birds at the
end of the day.
PURPORT
To enter into or to become merged into the unlimited eternity of the
Supreme Absolute means to enter the original home of the living being.
The living beings are all component parts and parcels of the Absolute
Personality of Godhead, and therefore they are eternally related with Him
as the servitor and the served. The Lord is served by all His parts and
parcels, as the complete machine is served by its parts and parcels. Any
part of the machine removed from the whole is no longer important.
Similarly, any part and parcel of the Absolute detached from the service
of the Lord is useless. The living beings who are in the material world are
all disintegrated parts and parcels of the supreme whole, and they are no
longer as important as the original parts and parcels. There are. however.
more integrated living beings who are eternally liberated. The material
energy of the Lord, called Durga-Sakti, or the superintendent of the prison
house, takes charge of the disintegrated parts and parcels, and thus they
undergo a conditioned life under the laws of material nature. When the
living being becomes conscious of this fact, he tries to go back home,
back to Godhead, and thus the spiritual urge of the living being begins.
This spiritual urge is called Brahma-jijndsa, or inquiry about Brahman.
Principally this Brahma-jijfidsa is successful by Knowledge, renunciation
and devotional service of the Lord. Jaana, or knowledge, means to know
everything of Brahman. the Supreme, renunciation means detachment of
material affection, and devotional service is the revival by practice of the
original position of the living being. The successful living beings who are
eligibic to enter into the realm of the Absolute are called the jadnis, the
yogis and the bhaktas. The jidnis and yegis enter into the impersonal rays
of the Supreme. but the bhaktas enter into the spiritual planets known as
the Vaikunthas. In these spiritual planets the Supreme Lord as Narayana
predominates, and the healthy unconditioned living beings live there by
rendering loving service to the Lord in the capacity of servant, friend,
parents and fiancee. There the unconditioned living beings enjoy life in
full freedom with the Lord, whereas the impersonalist jianis and yogis
enter into the impersonal glowing effulgence of the Vaikuntha planets.
