यल्लीलानुभवेनायं भ्रमः स्यान्मादृशामपि ।
वैकुण्ठद्वारकायं किं मर्त्ये वर्तामहेऽथवा ॥
युक्तं तदेका प्रभुपादपद्मयोः
सप्रेमभक्तिर्भवतामपेक्षिता ।
भक्तप्रियस्यास्य च भक्तकामित
प्रपूरणं केवलमिष्टमुत्तमम् ॥
वैकुण्ठवासोचितमीहितं न वो
नो मर्त्यलोकस्थितियोग्यमप्यतः ।
ऐश्वर्ययोग्यं न हि लोकबन्धुता
युक्तं च तस्यापि भवेदपेक्षितम् ॥
yal-līlānubhavenāyaṁ bhramaḥ syān mādṛśām api |
vaikuṇṭha-dvārakāyaṁ kiṁ martye vartāmahe’thavā ||
yuktaṁ tad ekā prabhu-pāda-padmayoḥ
sa-prema-bhaktir bhavatām apekṣitā |
bhakta-priyasyāsya ca bhakta-kāmita-
prapūraṇaṁ kevalam iṣṭam uttamam ||
vaikuṇṭha-vāsocitam īhitaṁ na vo
no martya-loka-sthiti-yogyam apy ataḥ |
aiśvarya-yogyaṁ na hi loka-bandhutā-
yuktaṁ ca tasyāpi bhaved apekṣitam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.71–73)
“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] ‘Are we present in the Dvārakā in Vaikuṇṭha or [the Dvārakā] in the mortal world?’ That līlā by experience of which this confusion [that was just described] can occur even for those like myself is befitting [for Prabhu, that is, Śrī Bhagavān, and his bhaktas like you]. Only bhakti [endowed] with prema for the lotus feet of Prabhu is regarded by you all [i.e., by bhaktas such as yourself], and only completely fulfilling the desired ends of bhaktas is the ultimate desired object of [Prabhu,] he to whom bhaktas are dear. Thus, activity neither suited to residence in Vaikuṇṭha, nor suited to residence in the mortal plane, nor suited to aiśvarya, or nor suited to being a kinsman (bandhu) [of people] in the [mortal] world shall be regarded by you all or by him.”
Commentary
Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmīpāda introduces these verses as follows in his commentary,
nanu tarhi martya-loke parama-sādhana-nicayena sādhyamānasya śrī-vaikuṇṭha-lokasya ko viśeṣaḥ sidhyet? tatrāha—yuktam iti dvābhyām | tat-sevakānāṁ prabhoś ca tathā vyavaharaṇaṁ yuktam eva, na tu martya-vaikuṇṭha-lokayor viśeṣābhāvāpattyānucitam ity arthaḥ, nija-nijābhīṣṭa-saṁsiddheḥ |
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, then what speciality of Śrī Vaikuṇṭhaloka—the object being sought in the mortal plane by means of a great quantity of the greatest sādhana—shall be established [if one cannot tell the difference between the Dvārakā in the mortal plane on Earth and the Dvārakā in Vaikuṇṭha, as was indicated in the previous verse, viz., BB 2.5.70]?’ To this, he [i.e., Śrī Nārada] speaks with two [verses]: yuktam … [i.e., he speaks BB 2.5.72–73]. Such behavior of Prabhu and his servants [i.e., their desiring and acting only to fulfill the desires of one another] is certainly befitting, and it is not, rather, that an occurrence of an absence of a distinction between [the Dvārakā in] the mortal plane and [the Dvārakā in] the plane of Vaikuṇṭha is improper. This is the meaning because of the complete accomplishment of the respective desired objects (abhīṣṭas) [of Śrī Bhagavān and his bhaktas both in the Dvārakā in the mortal plane and the Dvārakā in Vaikuṇṭha since in both of these places both Śrī Bhagavān and his bhaktas have ample opportunity to desire and act so as to satisfy one another reciprocally, and that itself is the desired object of them both respectively].”
Śrī Gosvāmīpāda goes on to comment (1) that activity, meaning, behavior (vyavahāraḥ), “suited to residence in Vaikuṇṭha” (vaikuṇṭhe vāsasya ucitaṁ yogyaṁ) refers behavior suited to [bhaktas’] having a form constituted of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss, and so forth (sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahādy-anurūpam), (2) that activity “suited to residence in the mortal plane” (martya-loka-sthiti-yogyam) refers to [bhaktas’] behavior similar to that of householders with bodies made of the five elements (gṛhastha-pāñcabhautika-dehivat), (3) that activity “suited to mastery” (aiśvarya-yogyaṁ) refers to [Śrī Bhagavān’s] behavior in the form of being possessed of satisfaction within the self, being possessed of fulfilled desires, and so on, or, to [his] behavior in the form of manifesting paramount magnificences (ātmārāmatā-pūrṇa-kāmatādi-rūpasya parama-vibhūti-vistāraṇa-rūpasya vā), and that (4) activity “suited to being a kinsman (bandhu) [of people] in the [mortal] world” (loka-bandhutā-yuktaṁ) refers to [Śrī Bhagavān’s] behavior which is appropriate for a husband or a son situated in the world (laukika-pati-putra-rūpāyā upayuktaṁ). The point being made in these verses and their commentary is that bhaktas have no particular concern as to whether they are endowed with a spiritual body or material body, and Śrī Bhagavān has no particular concern as to whether he exercises his aiśvarya or he acts just like a worldly person. Rather, both bhaktas and Śrī Bhagavān are one-pointedly concerned only with their desires and actions aimed at satisfying the hearts of one another, and thus whether they are engaged in this manner as per the norms of Vaikuṇṭha or as per the norms of the material world makes no difference to them.
Śrī Gosvāmīpāda concludes his commentary on these verses as follows:
ayaṁ bhāvaḥ—teṣāṁ paramaikāntitayā tat-tal-līlādy-anubhavenaiva manas-tṛptyā sukhaṁ syāt | bhagavataś ca tad-ekam eva priyatamam | atas tad-anurūpa-vyavahāra eva teṣāṁ tasya cocitaḥ syāt | sa ca martya-loke vā vaikuṇṭha-loke’thavā sidhyatu, nāsti viśeṣa iti |
“The purport is this: by virtue of their [i.e., bhaktas’] paramount one-pointedness, [their] bliss shall occur as a result of the satisfaction of [their] minds only by means of [their] experience of those various līlās and so forth [of Śrī Bhagavān wherein Śrī Bhagavān acts like a kinsman of persons in the world so as to fulfill the desires of his bhaktas’ hearts to intimately serve him]. Furthermore, verily they alone are dearmost to Bhagavān [and thus Śrī Bhagavān shall experience bliss only as a result of the satisfaction that arises in his heart when he engages in such līlā whereby his bhaktas become fully satisfied]. Thus, only behavior in accord with that [i.e., with the aforementioned forms of bliss in the hearts of bhaktas and Śrī Bhagavān] shall be suitable for them [i.e., bhaktas] and him [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān, meaning, it is thus suitable that both Śrī Bhagavān and his bhaktas engage in behavior that gives rise to such bliss, meaning, that they engage in activity with the mentality of their being mutual worldly kinsmen (bandhus)]. That [behavior], furthermore, can be accomplished either in the mortal plane or in the plane of Vaikuṇṭha [since in either place they can act in the aforementioned manner]. [Thus,] There is no speciality [of the Dvārakā in Vaikuṇṭha in comparison to the Dvārakā that manifests in the mortal world, meaning, there is no significant difference between the two realms as far as Śrī Bhagavān and his bhaktas are concerned].”