BRS 2.5.105

Two verses describe another facet of rati’s incomprehensibility. When the suffering of other persons becomes the devotee’s own suffering by not distinguishing himself from the character in the drama or poetic work, that suffering also produces a taste of astonishing bliss. na yatra śoko na jarā na mṛtyur nārtir na codvega ṛte kutaścit yac cittato ’daḥ kṛpayānidaṁ-vidāṁ duranta-duḥkha-prabhavānudarśanāt In that planet of Satyaloka, there is neither bereavement, nor old age nor death. There is no pain of any kind, and therefore there are no anxieties, save that sometimes, due to consciousness, there is a feeling of compassion for those unaware of the process of devotional service, and who are subjected to unsurpassable miseries in the material world. SB 2.2.27 This is a glorification of Satyaloka. Ārti means suffering and udvega means fear. There is no fear or suffering except for suffering from the heart, because there is a feeling of compassion for the endless suffering of saṁsāra of those who do not know about bhakti (anidaṁvidām). But that display of suffering, which arises in the hearts of the sānta-bhaktas in Lord Brahmā’s assembly in Satyaloka, for those caught in saṁsāra, also reveals deep bliss. Also Prahlāda, who mercifully wanted to remove the sufferings of others unconditionally, grieved for the suffering of those in saṁsāra and prayed to the Lord to relieve their suffering. prāyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kāmā maunaṁ caranti vijane na parārtha-niṣṭhāḥ naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa eko nānyaṁ tvad asya śaraṇaṁ bhramato ’nupaśye My dear Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence (mauna-vrata). They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore, I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet. SB 7.9.44 svasty astu viśvasya khalaḥ prasīdatāṁ dhyāyantu bhūtāni śivaṁ mitho dhiyā manaś ca bhadraṁ bhajatād adhokṣaje āveśyatāṁ no matir apy ahaitukī May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him. SB 5.18.9 As well in the Ninth Canto, Rantideva is famous for his desire to deliver others from suffering. Therefore, the appearance of unhappiness in the hearts of these devotees is actually a form of the highest bliss, not a direct experience of suffering, because it is an established fact that the cause of material suffering is previous and present commission of sins. Where is the question of sin for these devotees, by remembrance of whom others become free of sin? yeṣāṁ saṁsmaraṇāt puṁsāṁ sadyaḥ śuddhyanti vai gṛhāḥ kiṁ punar darśana-sparśa-pāda-śaucāsanādibhiḥ Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet and offering you a seat in our home? SB 1.19.33 Thus the devotee thinks “Whatever happens to me does not matter. Let me suffer eternally, but may my master be always happy with my service.” And when the present devotee sees the happiness of others, it gives rise to incomparable bliss in his heart.