Prabhupāda:
- matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt
- svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit
- yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām
- akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām
- (SB 5.5.25)
So devotional life, bhakti-yoga, is so exalted that they do not care for heavenly planet, apavarga, mukti, liberation. They do not care. Insignificant. That śloka of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he realized this, that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevalādvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And then? What about heavenly planets, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka? Ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāya. In Bengal there is one word, ghorabdin(?), means "no value." Just like horse. Horse never give any egg, but it is said, "It is as good as the egg of horse." That means there is no such thing, insignificant. So ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpāyate means it has no value; simply imagination. Actually that is the fact. Suppose if you go to Svargaloka, become Indra. So that is not permanent. By pious activities you can become Brahmā, Indra, and so many demigods. You can hold that post. But ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, what is the benefit? Again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Similarly, even you go to the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyotir, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). That is called paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ: again you fall down.