Text 3] The Descent of the River Ganges 125

TRANSLATION

The seven great sages [Marici, Vasistha, Atri and so on] reside on
planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Well aware of the influence of the
water of the Ganges, to this day they keep Ganges water on the
tufts of hair on their heads. They have concluded that this is the
ultimate wealth, the perfection of all austerities, and the best
means of prosecuting transcendental life. Having obtained unin-
terrupted devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, they neglect all other beneficial processes like religion,
economic development, sense gratification and even merging into
the Supreme. Just as janis think that merging into the existence
of the Lord is the highest truth, these seven exalted personalities
accept devotional service as the perfection of life.

PURPORT

Transcendentalists are divided into two primary groups: the nirvisesa-
vadis, or impersonalists, and the bhaktas, or devotees. The imper-
sonalists do not accept spiritual varieties of life. They want to merge into
the existence of the Supreme Lord in His Brahman feature (the brahma-
Jyoti). The devotees, however, desire to take part in the transcendental
activities of the Supreme Lord. In the upper planetary system, the top-
most planet is Dhruvaloka, and beneath Dhruvaloka are the seven
planets occupied by the great sages, beginning with Marici, Vasistha and
Atri. All these sages regard devotional service as the highest perfection
of life. Therefore they all carry the holy water of the Ganges on their
heads. This verse proves that for one who has achieved the platform of
pure devotional service, nothing else is important. even so-called libera-
tion (kaivalya). Srila Sridhara Svami states that only by achieving pure
devotional service of the Lord can one give up all other engagements as
insignificant. Prabodhananda Sarasvati confirms his statement as
follows:

kaivalyam narakdayate tri-dasa-pir akasa-puspayate
durdantendriya-kdla-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate
visvarn purna-sukhayate vidhi-mahendradis ca kitdyate
yat kdrunya-kataksa-vaibhavavatam tam gauram eva stumah
