SB 4.12.19
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 19
- sa dadarśa vimānāgryaṁ
- nabhaso 'vatarad dhruvaḥ
- vibhrājayad daśa diśo
- rākāpatim ivoditam
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he; dadarśa — saw; vimāna — an airplane; agryam — very beautiful; nabhasaḥ — from the sky; avatarat — descending; dhruvaḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja; vibhrājayat — illuminating; daśa — ten; diśaḥ — directions; rākā-patim — the full moon; iva — like; uditam — visible.
TRANSLATION
As soon as the symptoms of his liberation were manifest, he saw a very beautiful airplane coming down from the sky, as if the brilliant full moon were coming down, illuminating all the ten directions.
PURPORT
There are different levels of acquired knowledge—direct knowledge, knowledge received from authorities, transcendental knowledge, knowledge beyond the senses, and finally spiritual knowledge. When one surpasses the stage of acquiring knowledge by the descending process, he is immediately situated on the transcendental platform. Dhruva Mahārāja, being liberated from the material concept of life, was situated in transcendental knowledge and could perceive the presence of a transcendental airplane which was as brilliant as the full moonlight. This is not possible in the stages of direct or indirect perception of knowledge. Such knowledge is a special favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can, however, rise to this platform of knowledge by the gradual process of advancing in devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.