Verse Text
ṣaṣṭhe śrī-vṛtroktau—
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ
na sārva-bhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam |
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
samaṣjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe ||32||
Translation
In the Sixth Canto Vṛtra says: O my Lord, source of all opportunities, I do not desire to enjoy in Dhruvaloka, the heavenly planets or the planet where Lord Brahmā resides, nor do I want to be the supreme ruler of all the earthly planets or the lower planetary systems. I do not desire the perfection of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, nor do I want liberation if I have to give up Your lotus feet. SB 6.11.25
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Nāka-pṛṣṭham (ceiling of the sky) refers to Dhruva-loka. Sarva-bhaumam means attaining a great kingdom on earth like Pṛthu. Rasādhipatyam refers to ruling over the lower planets starting with Pātāla. “Because I must reject You (tvā) by accepting liberation, I do not desire liberation at all (apunarbhavam).” By placing the four desirable places (Dhruva-loka, Brahma-loka, earth and the lower planets) in order increasing insignificance, he indicates the greater value of the preceding place. Dhruva-loka is the best, since Viṣṇu resides there, but even that he rejects. The yoga-siddhi and liberation are placed after the lower planets. Of these two, yoga-siddhi is superior to liberation. [Note: Yoga-siddhi and impersonal liberation are considered inferior even to ruling the lower planets because of their placement at the end of the list. Impersonal liberation is placed at the end because in that position there is no opportunity for bhakti. Yoga-siddhi gives a little opportunity for bhakti]
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
In the Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, Eleventh Chapter, verse 25, there is a similar statement by Vṛtrāsura, who addresses the Lord as follows: “My dear Lord, by leaving Your transcendental service I may be promoted to the planet called Dhruvaloka [the polestar], or I may gain lordship over all the planetary systems of the universe. But I do not aspire to this. Nor do I wish the mystic perfections of yoga practice, nor do I aspire to spiritual emancipation. All I wish for, my Lord, is Your association and transcendental service eternally.”