CC Madhya 20.270
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 270
- pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ
- sattvaṁ ca miśraṁ na ca kāla-vikramaḥ
- na yatra māyā kim utāpare harer
- anuvratā yatra surāsurārcitāḥ
SYNONYMS
pravartate — exists; yatra — where; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; tayoḥ — of both of them; sattvam ca — and the mode of goodness; miśram — mixture; na — not; ca — also; kāla-vikramaḥ — the influence of time or annihilation; na — not; yatra — where; māyā — external energy; kim — what; uta — to speak; apare — others; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anuvratāḥ — strict followers; yatra — where; sura — by demigods; asura — and by demons; arcitāḥ — being worshiped.
TRANSLATION
“‘In the spiritual world, there is neither the mode of passion, the mode of ignorance nor a mixture of both, nor is there adulterated goodness, the influence of time or māyā herself. Only the pure devotees of the Lord, who are worshiped both by demigods and by demons, reside in the spiritual world as the Lord’s associates.’
PURPORT
This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.9.10) was spoken by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was answering the questions of Parīkṣit Mahārāja, who asked how the living entity falls down into the material world. Śukadeva Gosvāmī explained the cream of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in four verses, which had been explained to Lord Brahmā at the end of the severe austerities he performed for one thousand celestial years. At that time, Brahmā was shown the spiritual world and its transcendental nature.