Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 30 Verse 35

Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 30: The Activities of the Pracetās

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.30.35

yatreḍyante kathā mṛṣṭās

tṛṣṇāyāḥ praśamo yataḥ

nirvairaḿ yatra bhūteṣu

nodvego yatra kaścana

SYNONYMS

yatra — where; īḍyante — are worshiped or discussed; kathāḥ — words; mṛṣṭāḥ — pure; tṛṣṇāyāḥ — of material hankerings; praśamaḥ — satisfaction; yataḥ — by which; nirvairam — nonenviousness; yatra — where; bhūteṣu — among living entities; na — not; udvegaḥ — fear; yatra — where; kaścana — any.

TRANSLATION

Whenever pure topics of the transcendental world are discussed, the members of the audience forget all kinds of material hankerings, at least for the time being. Not only that, but they are no longer envious of one another, nor do they suffer from anxiety or fear.

PURPORT

Vaikuṇṭha means "without anxiety," and the material world means full of anxiety. As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. The living entities who have accepted this material world as a residence are full of anxiety. A place immediately becomes Vaikuṇṭha whenever the holy topics of the Personality of Godhead are discussed by pure devotees. This is the process of śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing about the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. As the Supreme Lord Himself confirms:

nāhaḿ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe

yogināḿ hṛdayeṣu vā

tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada

yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ

"My dear Nārada, actually I do not reside in My abode, Vaikuṇṭha, nor do I reside within the hearts of the yogīs, but I reside in that place where My pure devotees chant My holy name and discuss My form, pastimes and qualities." Because of the presence of the Lord in the form of the transcendental vibration, the Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere is evoked. This atmosphere is without fear and anxiety. One living entity does not fear another. By hearing the holy names and glories of the Lord, a person executes pious activities. Śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (Bhāg. 1.2.17). Thus his material hankerings immediately stop. This sańkīrtana movement started by the Society for Krishna Consciousness is meant for creating Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental world that is without anxiety, even in this material world. The method is the propagation of the śravaṇaḿ kīrtanam process throughout the world. In the material world everyone is envious of his fellow man. Animalistic envy exists in human society as long as there is no performance of sańkīrtana-yajña, the chanting of the holy names — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. The Pracetās therefore decided to remain always in the society of devotees, and they considered that to be the highest benediction possible in human life.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness