Sastra Caksusa

seeing through the eyes of scriptures

Text 6
na tad bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
Translation
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world. 
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada 
The spiritual world, the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna—which is known as Krishnaloka, Goloka Vrindavana—is described here. In the spiritual sky there is no need of sunshine, moonshine, fire or electricity, because all the planets are self-luminous. We have only one planet in this universe, the sun, which is self-luminous, but all the planets in the spiritual sky are self-luminous. The shining effulgence of all those planets (called Vaikunthas) constitutes the shining sky known as the brahmajyoti. Actually, the effulgence is emanating from the planet of Krishna, Goloka Vrindavana. Part of that shining effulgence is covered by the mahat-tattva, the material world. Other than this, the major portion of that shining sky is full of spiritual planets, which are called Vaikunthas, chief of which is Goloka Vrindavana. 
As long as a living entity is in this dark material world, he is in conditional life, but as soon as he reaches the spiritual sky by cutting through the false, perverted tree of this material world, he becomes liberated. Then there is no chance of his coming back here. In his conditional life, the living entity considers himself to be the lord of this material world, but in his liberated state he enters into the spiritual kingdom and becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord. There he enjoys eternal bliss, eternal life, and full knowledge. 
One should be captivated by this information. He should desire to transfer himself to that eternal world and extricate himself from this false reflection of reality. For one who is too much attached to this material world, it is very difficult to cut that attachment, but if he takes to Krishna consciousness there is a chance of gradually becoming detached. One has to associate himself with devotees, those who are in Krishna consciousness. One should search out a society dedicated to Krishna consciousness and learn how to discharge devotional service. In this way he can cut off his attachment to the material world. One cannot become detached from the attraction of the material world simply by dressing himself in saffron cloth. He must become attached to the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore one should take it very seriously that devotional service as described in the Twelfth Chapter is the only way to get out of this false representation of the real tree. In Chapter Fourteen the contamination of all kinds of processes by material nature is described. Only devotional service is described as purely transcendental. 
The words paramam mama are very important here. Actually every nook and corner is the property of the Supreme Lord, but the spiritual world is paramam, full of six opulences. The Katha Upanishad (2.2.15) also confirms that in the spiritual world there is no need of sunshine, moonshine or stars (na tatra suryo bhati na candratarakam), for the whole spiritual sky is illuminated by the internal potency of the Supreme Lord. That supreme abode can be achieved only by surrender and by no other means.
Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
What are the qualities of that object which is attained? The words "Sun, moon and fire do not light it" means that it is self-revealing, self-dependent, self-sufficient, and devoid of miseries such as heat and cold (caused by the sun, moon and fire), tad dhama paramam mama means that light (dhama) which is non-material, beyond the material senses (paramam), which illuminates or reveals everything else, and which belongs to me. The Hari Vamsa says:
tat param paramam brahma sarvam vibhajate jagat 
mamaiva tad ghanam tejo jnatum arhasi bharata
That supreme brahman lights up this whole universe. You should know that this intense light belongs to me, O Bharata. HariVamsa 2.114.12
The sruti says:
na tatra suryo bhati na candra-tarakam 
nema vidyuto bhanti kuto'yam agnih 
tam eva bhantam anubhati sarvam 
tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon or stars. Nor does lightning shine. How, then, can fire burn? When he shines, all of these shine. Through his light, all things shine. Katha Upanisad 2.2.15
Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Visnuswami
Sridhara Swami's Commentary
The attributes of the spiritual worlds are briefly delineated by Lord Krishna. The sun, moon, fire are not required to illuminate it as it is naturally self-lluminating. Once attained a jiva or embodied being never returns to the transitory material existence and is no longer enslaved by the bondage of samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death. As the Supreme Lords abode is transcendental and beyond the scope of material existence it is not subject to the dualities and defects of material nature and is eternally perfect in every way.
Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Madhvacarya
Madhvacarya's Commentary
Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja
Ramanuja's Commentary
The light of illumination which manifests from the atma or immortal soul is what Lord Krishna is referring to here as well. As His transcendntal spiritual body consists of theatmas of all jivas or embodied beings, He, His name, His abode and His pastimes are all illuminating. No sun or moon or fire can illuminate this; for it is spiritual wisdom that gives the light of consciousness. External luminiousity is only able to dissolve the obscurity that intervenes between the senses perceiving their objects.What reveals the atma is called yoga or the individual conciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness. Antagonistic to yoga iskarma which are subsequent reactions to previous actions and to conquer this formidable opponent which gains strength from every action performed; one must fully surrender unto the Supreme Lord and accept Him as one's only refuge. That all illuminating light emanates from Him, it is a part of His splendour as a power from Him. The sublime supremacy of this all illuminating light consists of its potency and efficiency in lighting the consciousness by spiritual wisdom. Sunlight no matter how bright, although capable of travelling for millions and billions of miles through space is never able to internally effect illumination in the consciousness as it is only an external phenomena.
Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya
Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary
Lord Krishna briefly explains some characteristics of that imperishable Supreme state, His eternal abode. There the light of the sun or the moon or fire is not necessary because His eternal abode is self-illuminating and self-effulgent without any association with material existence and always beyond the darkness of nescience. This is confirmed in the Svetasvatara Upanisad III.VIII beginning: veda hametam purusam meaning: The Supreme Lord, more resplendent then the sun, illuminates all within and without, only by realising Him is ajiva or embodied being able to transcend samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death, there is no other possibility. The usage of the word mama meaning my dispels any illusions of seperation or seperate identity of His abode. It is not an independent entity nor is it non-different from Him. The Supreme Lord's eternal 

 
comment: In the Rigveda it is stated : 

om tad vishnoh paramam padam sada
pashyanti surayo diviva chakshur-atatam
tad vipraso vipanyavo jagrivamsaha
samindhate vishnor yat paramam padam
"Just as the sun's rays in the sky are extended to the mundane vision, so in the same way the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu. Because those highly praiseworthy and spiritually awake brahmanas are able to see the spiritual world, they are also able to reveal that supreme abode of Lord Vishnu." (Rig Veda 1.22.20)
Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this vers:" One has to associate himself with devotees, those who are in Krishna consciousness. One should search out a society dedicated to Krishna consciousness and learn how to discharge devotional service. In this way he can cut off his attachment to the material world. One cannot become detached from the attraction of the material world simply by dressing himself in saffron cloth. He must become attached to the devotional service of the Lord."
 
He does not just say ISKCON, but a society dedicadet to Krsna consciouness.

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