BG 08.22 purusah sa parah partha... cited

Expressions researched:
"bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya" |"purusah sa parah partha" |"yasyantah-sthani bhutani" |"yena sarvam idam tatam"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 8.22, Translation and Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him.

It is here clearly stated that the supreme destination, from which there is no return, is the abode of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person. The Brahma-saṁhitā describes this supreme abode as ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, a place where everything is full of spiritual bliss. All the variegatedness manifest there is of the quality of spiritual bliss—nothing there is material. That variegatedness is expanded as the spiritual expansion of the Supreme Godhead Himself, for the manifestation there is totally of the spiritual energy, as explained in Chapter Seven. As far as this material world is concerned, although the Lord is always in His supreme abode, He is nonetheless all-pervading by His material energy. So by His spiritual and material energies He is present everywhere—both in the material and in the spiritual universes. Yasyāntaḥ-sthāni means that everything is sustained within Him, within either His spiritual or material energy. The Lord is all-pervading by these two energies.

To enter Kṛṣṇa's supreme abode or the innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets is possible only by bhakti, devotional service, as clearly indicated here by the word bhaktyā. No other process can help one attain that supreme abode. The Vedas (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.21) also describe the supreme abode and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. In that abode there is only one Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose name is Kṛṣṇa. He is the supreme merciful Deity, and although situated there as one He has expanded Himself into millions and millions of plenary expansions. The Vedas compare the Lord to a tree standing still yet bearing many varieties of fruits, flowers and changing leaves. The plenary expansions of the Lord who preside over the Vaikuṇṭha planets are four-armed, and they are known by a variety of names—Puruṣottama, Trivikrama, Keśava, Mādhava, Aniruddha, Hṛṣīkeśa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Śrīdhara, Vāsudeva, Dāmodara, Janārdana, Nārāyaṇa, Vāmana, Padmanābha, etc.

The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37) also confirms that although the Lord is always in the supreme abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is all-pervading, so that everything is going on nicely (goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ). As stated in the Vedas (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8), parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate/ svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca: (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport) His energies are so expansive that they systematically conduct everything in the cosmic manifestation without a flaw, although the Supreme Lord is far, far away.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad 14, Purport:

The predominating Supreme Person residing within the spiritual nature is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 8.22), He can be approached only by unalloyed devotional service and not by the processes of jñāna (philosophy), yoga (mysticism) or karma (fruitive work). The karmīs, or fruitive workers, can elevate themselves to the Svargaloka planets, which include the sun and the moon. Jñānīs and yogīs can attain still higher planets, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka, and when they become still more qualified through devotional service they can enter into the spiritual nature, either the illuminating cosmic atmosphere of the spiritual sky (Brahman) or the Vaikuṇṭha planets, according to their qualification. It is certain, however, that no one can enter into the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets without being trained in devotional service.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama. The Lord says, "That superior place, superior nature, if somebody can go there, then he has no more to come back here. He gets the highest perfection of life." Now, if there... What is there? What is the nature and what are the paraphernalia? Now, here it is said, puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā. Now, if we are at all interested to reach that supreme abode, then the process is bhakti. Bhaktyā. Bhaktyā means devotional service, submission, submission to the Supreme Lord. Bhaktyā means bhaja. It is a Sanskrit word. The root meaning is bhaja-dhātūkti. Bhaja. Bhaja means service. So bhaja-dhātūkti bhakti, bhaktyā.

Here it is clearly said, puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā. Tv ananyayā means "without any other engagement." Bhakti means... The definition of bhakti, devotional service, is given in authoritative books like Nārada Pañcarātra. It is said there that... This is the definition of bhakti: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now we are encumbered with so many designations, designation. This body is Indian—it is a designation. Your body, American—it is a designation. You are not this body, not this designation. Suppose if your university gives you one degree, M.A. or B.A., Ph.D., oh, that degree you are not. It is a designation. So bhakti means you have to get yourself from this designation. Designation. Sarva upādhi. Upādhi means designation. So somebody, if gives me title, Sir Anatole, or this or that, oh, I become very happy: "Oh, I have got this 'sir' title." But I forget that this is my designation. It will exist so long I have got this body. But the body is sure to vanquish, so designation will vanquish. When you get another body, then you get another designation. Suppose in this body I am American and next body you get China. Then you become Chinese designation. So we are changing our designation. We should stop this business of designation. You see? So sarvopādhi-vinir... If one is determined to get out of all these nonsense designations, then he can attain bhakti.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So puruṣa... So in that spiritual planet, puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha, there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the spiritual planet there are... Just like you see here millions of planets or stars within this universe. This universe is a small particle only. There are many universes like this. And in the spiritual sky there are three... This is only one-fourth manifestation of the planets. There are other. Three-fourth is there in the spiritual sky. That information is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). So each and every spiritual planet, there is expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and they are differently named. In that picture we will find, our Bhāgavata. Innumerable. So puruṣa. They are all puruṣa. Puruṣa means the person. They are not imperson. Puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ. But superior. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ. You can approach that puruṣa simply by devotional service, not by challenge, not by philosophical speculation or not by exercise of this yoga and that yoga. No. Simply by surrender and devotional service. It is clearly stated. It is not stated that you can reach there by philosophical speculation, mental concoction or by some physical exercise. This is not possible. You have to reach there bhaktyā, by devotion, ananyayā, ananya-cetāḥ, without deviation to this karma, fruitive activities, or the philosophical speculation or this exercise. No. Simply, simply this devotional service, unalloyed devotional service without any mixture.

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

So we want enjoyment, but this atheism or this voidness, this impersonalism, they have created such an atmosphere that we are simply speculating, but we are addicted to these material enjoyments. That is not the process. Here it is said, puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā. If you accept this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the devotional path, and if you worship that Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you can have the spiritual realization and you prepare yourself and you become detached from this material enjoyment. Your life becomes sublime. Oh. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Puruṣa. Here it is clearly said, puruṣa, puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ. Paraḥ means Supreme. Paraḥ: "O My dear Arjuna, that in that spiritual atmosphere, there is the Supreme Personality." He's a person just like you and me. Just we have got talking face to face, when you'll reach there you'll talk face to face with God. You'll play, you'll eat, everything. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

Prabhupāda:

puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha

bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā

yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni

yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

We have been discussing about the transcendental world. The transcendental world is above this material sky. The material sky is also a part of the transcendental sky or spiritual sky—it is covered only. This thing we have already explained. Just like the sky, some part of the sky is covered by cloud. The cloud cannot cover the whole sky. That is not possible. That is not in the power of the cloud. Only insignificant portion of the cloud, er, sky, is covered by cloud. Similarly, the unlimited sky, spiritual sky, and some portion of it, when it is covered by mahat-tattva or a spiritual cloud, the portion which is covered, it is called material sky.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

So there, in the spiritual sky, there are spiritual planets, and on each planet the Lord is manifested. There are innumerable planets. So here it is, that information is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, that puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha: "That spiritual sky, the predominating Personality of Godhead is transcendental." Just like here, in every country, in every planet, there is a predominating personality. In your country, the predominating personality is President Johnson. Similarly, in every country there is a predominating personality. Similarly, every planet there is a predominating personality. So the same system is there also. But there is no rival. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha. There, the Personality of Godhead, there is nobody rival. Just like here, the predominating personality, President Johnson, when the next election will come, there will be so many rivals. But in the spiritual sky there is no rival. In the spiritual sky the Supreme Lord is the Supreme. And those who wanted to become rival, they are put into this material sky, under condition of the material nature. This is the difference between spiritual sky and material sky.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

So puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha. There the predominating Personality of Godhead is transcendental. Because there is no rivalry, there are also inhabitants; in those planets, there are inhabitants. They are liberated souls. In the Bhāgavata we get information that their feature of the body is exactly like God. In some of the planets the God is manifested in two hands; and some of the planets, the God is manifested in four hands. And the living entities, they are also of the same feature. The inhabitants or citizens, they are also of the four hands. And one cannot distinguish who is God and who is not God. This is called sārūpya-mukti, liberation of the same feature.

There are five kinds of liberation: sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, five kinds of liberation. So sāyujya-mukti is to merge into the impersonal effulgence of God. That is called sāyujya-mukti. If you like, you can merge your identity with the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, which is called Brahman, brahma-jyotir. That you can do. But that is not very palatable. That we have discussed many times. But others... There are two schools of philosophers. One likes to merge into the existence of the Supreme and close his identity, individual identity—no more individuality. That you can do. You close your identity. But that sort of merging is risky also. That we have several times discussed. But if you enter into some planets, spiritual planets, then you can have five kinds of liberation. One kind of liberation is sārūpya. You can have body exactly like God. Sārūpya. Sālokya. You can live in the same planet, sālokya. Sālokya, sālokya and sārṣṭi. Sārṣṭi means you can have similar opulence as God has, similar opulence. So much powerful you can become that you are as powerful as God is. That is called sārṣṭi. And sāmīpya. Sāmīpya means you can always remain with God as one of the associates. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is always with Kṛṣṇa as friend. This is called sāmīpya.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that if you want to become one of the associates in that spiritual planet, then you have to become a pure devotee. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ. Bhaktyā labhyaḥ means you can attain that perfection by devotional service. And ananyayā. Ananyayā means "without any deviation." Ananyayā. What is that deviation? The deviation is that we are sometimes inclined to become a devotee for some material benefits. So here it is said that ananyayā, ananya-bhakti, without any deviation, without any material profit, you have to become a pure devotee. Then you can attain that spiritual planet.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966:

So, but the superior energy in which the Supreme Lord is always staying... Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto (Bs. 5.37). In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20), puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā. (BG 8.22) That puruṣa, that Supreme Lord has to understood bhaktyā, not otherwise. That is stated. Only through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way. You cannot understand the Supreme Lord. That Supreme Lord is dhāmnā svena sadā. Sadā means always, eternal. Dhāmnā svena. In His own abode. His own abode. Dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam. Where there is no illusion. Nirasta-kuhaka. Kuhaka means illusion.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Paramaṁ mama. Now, again, He's come to mama. "That dhāma is mama, Mine."

Dr. Patel: Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha...

Prabhupāda: And that mama...

Dr. Patel: ...bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhaktyā labhya ananyayā. Not ordinarily.

Dr. Patel: Puruṣa...

Prabhupāda: Ananya bhaktyā.

Dr. Patel: Sir, I am repeating. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv anyayā.

Prabhupāda: That, the predominating Deity in that sanātana world, spiritual world, is puruṣa, a person. Purusa, a person. And He is achieved-bhaktya ananya. Not by mix. Mixing this, mixing that. "This is also good. This is also good." No. He cannot. Bhaktya ananyayā.

Dr. Patel: Yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.

Prabhupāda: Tatam. That Puruṣa is spread all over.

Chandobhai: But He's not Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa also.

Prabhupāda: Yes, He is Kṛṣṇa.

Chandobhai: Yasyāntaḥ-sthani bhūtāni.

Prabhupāda: All Vaikuṇṭha-pati, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa.

Dr. Patel: Just as (indistinct) saw a whole world within the mouth of Bala Mukunda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Within the body of Bala Mukunda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Yasyāntaḥ-sthani bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.

yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim

āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ

prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ

vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha

That is the...

Prabhupāda: This is material calculation.

Dr. Patel: Agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam...

Prabhupāda: Then he assures, assures Arjuna that "You are assured. Your coming to Me is assured."