374 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 9

from devotional service, what to speak of the temporary blissfulness of
elevating oneself to the heavenly planets, which is ended by the separating
sword of time? Although one may be elevated to the heavenly planets, he
falls down in due course of time.

PURPORT

The transcendental bliss derived from devotional service, primarily from
Sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting, cannot be compared with the
happiness derived by karmis by elevating themselves to the heavenly
planets or by jfidnis or yogis who enjoy oneness with the supreme imper-
sonal Brahman. Yogis generally meditate upon the transcendental form of
Visnu, but devotees not only meditate upon Him but actually engage in the
direct service of the Lord. In the previous verse we find the phrase
bhavapyaya, which means birth and death. The Lord can give relief from
the chain of birth and death. It is a misunderstanding to think, as do the
monists, that when one gets relief from the process of birth and death he
merges into the Supreme Brahman. Here it is clearly said that the tran-
scendental bliss derived from sravanarn kirtanam by pure devotees cannot
be compared with brahmananda, or the impersonal conception of tran-
scendental bliss derived by merging into the Absolute.

The position of karmis is still more degraded. Their aim is to elevate
themselves to the higher planetary systems. It is said, yanti deva-vrata
devin: persons who worship the demigods are elevated to the heavenly
planets (Bg. 9.25). But elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (Bg. 9.21) we find,
ksine punye martya-lokam visanti: those who are elevated to the higher
planetary systems must come down again as soon as the results of their
pious activities are exhausted. They are like the modern astronauts who go
to the moon; as soon as their fuel is used up, they are obliged to come
back down to this earth. As the modern astronauts who go to the moon or
other heavenly planets by force of jet propulsion have to come down again
after exhausting their fuel, so also do those who are elevated to the
heavenly planets by force of yajfias and pious activities. Antakdsi-
lulitat: by the sword of time one is cut from his exalted position within
this material world, and he comes down again. Dhruva Maharaja appre-
ciated that the results of devotional service are far more valuable than
merging into the Absolute or being elevated to the heavenly planets. The
words patatam vimanat are very significant. Vimana means airplane: those
who are elevated to the heavenly planets are like airplanes, which drop
when they run out of fuel.
