SB 1.9.45 (1964)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 45
Tatra dundubhayo nedur devamanava badita Sasamsu sadhabo rajna khat petah puspabristayah.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Tatra—thereafter, Dundubhayo—drums, Nedur—were sounded, Deva—the demi gods from other planets, Manava—men from all countries, Badita—beaten by, Sasamsu—praised, Sadhabo—honest, Rajna—by royal order, Khat—from the sky, Petuh—began to fall down, Puspabristayah—showers of flowers.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, both men and the demigods sounded respectful honour by beating of drums, the royal order who were honest began to demonstrate honour and respect and from the sky there was shower fall of flowers.
PURPORT
Bhismadeva was respectful both for the human being and the demigods. The human beings live on earth and similar other planets on the the Bhu and Bhubhar group of planets but the demigods do live in the Swar or heavenly planets and all of them knew Bhismadeva as a great warrior and devotee of the Lord. As Mahajan (or authority) he was on the level of Brahma, Narada and Shiva although he was a human being. Qualification on par with the great gods and demigods is possible only on attainment of spiritual perfection. As such Bhismadeva was known all over the universes and during his time the interplanetary travel was effected by finer methods than futile endeavour by mechanical sputniks. The distant planets thus being informed of the passing away of Bhismadeva, all inhabitants of the upper planets as well as of the earth dropped showers of flowers to show due respect to the departed great personality. This showering of flowers from the heaven is the sign of recognition by great demigods and it was never to be compared with the system of decoration of the dead body. The body of Bhismadeva lost its material effects on account of being surcharged with spiritual realisation by him and thus the body was spiritualised as much as the iron becomes red hot while in full contact with fire. The body of a fully self-realised soul is not, therefore, accepted as material and special ceremony is observed for such spiritualised bodies. The respect and recognition of Bhismadeva is never to be imitated by artificial means as it has become a fashion to observe the so called Jayanti ceremony for any and every common man. According to authorised Shastras such Jayanti ceremony for ordinary man, however, materially may he be exhalted, is an act of offence to the Lord because Jayanti is reserved for the day when the Lord appears on the earth. Bhismadeva was unique in his activities and his passing away to the Kingdom of God is also similarly unique in the estimation of historical events.