Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.12.33
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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ahi-bhoga-utthitam
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risen from the python's body
Compound: ahi (serpent) + bhoga (coil, body of a snake) + utthita (risen). 'Risen from the serpent-coil.' Even from a demon's body, a brilliant ātmā emerges. Gauḍīyas: the jīva is not its outer form — Aghāsura's ātmā is no less precious to Bhagavān than a sage's.
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jyotiḥ
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effulgence
Light, splendor. Specifically the technical jyotiḥ-svarūpa of a liberated being. The same word Bhagavad-gītā 13.18 uses for paramaṁ jyotiḥ — but Gauḍīyas distinguish: this is a jīva-jyotiḥ merging into Bhagavān's body, not the impersonal brahmajyoti.
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īśa-nirgamam
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the exit of the Lord
Compound: īśa (Lord) + nirgama (exit). The soul waited specifically for the Lord to come out before it would enter Him. Gauḍīyas: even Aghāsura's soul knows protocol — Bhagavān is not entered without His permission.
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viveśa tasmin
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entered into Him
From vi + viś (to enter). The demon's soul merges into Kṛṣṇa's body. Gauḍīyas read this carefully: this is sārūpya-mukti (verse 38 clarifies) — the soul retains form similar to Kṛṣṇa's, not impersonal merger. Acintya-bhedābheda: one with Him, distinct in Him.
Apparently the serpent named Aghāsura, because of having received association with Kṛṣṇa, attained mukti by entering Kṛṣṇa’s body. Entering the body of Kṛṣṇa is called sāyujya-mukti, but later verses prove that Aghāsura, like Dantavakra and others, received sārūpya-mukti. This has been broadly described by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura with references from the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Aghāsura attained sārūpya-mukti, being promoted to the Vaikuṇṭha planets to live with the same four-armed bodily features as Viṣṇu. The explanation of how this is so may be summarized as follows. The effulgence came out from the python’s body and became purified, attaining spiritual śuddha-sattva, freedom from material contamination, because Kṛṣṇa had stayed within the serpent’s body, even after the serpent’s death. One may doubt that such a demon, full of mischievous activities, could attain the liberation of sārūpya or sāyujya, and one may be astonished about this. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that in order to drive away such doubts, He had the effulgence, the individual life of the python, wait for some time in its individuality, in the presence of all the demigods. Kṛṣṇa is the full effulgence, and every living being is part and parcel of that effulgence. As proved here, the effulgence in every living being is individual. For some time, the effulgence remained outside the demon’s body, individually, and did not mix with the whole effulgence, the brahmajyoti. The Brahman effulgence is not visible to material eyes, but to prove that every living being is individual, Kṛṣṇa had this individual effulgence stay outside the demon’s body for some time, for everyone to see. Then Kṛṣṇa proved that anyone killed by Him attains liberation, whether sāyujya, sārūpya, sāmīpya or whatever. But the liberation of those who are on the transcendental platform of love and affection is vimukti, special liberation. Thus the serpent first entered the body of Kṛṣṇa personally and mixed with the Brahman effulgence. This merging is called sāyujya-mukti. But from later verses we find that Aghāsura attained sārūpya-mukti. Text 38 explains that Aghāsura attained a body exactly like that of Viṣṇu, and the verse after that also clearly states that he attained a completely spiritual body like that of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore in two or three places the Bhāgavatam has confirmed that Aghāsura attained sārūpya-mukti. One may then argue, How is it that he mixed with the Brahman effulgence? The answer is that as Jaya and Vijaya, after three births, again attained sārūpya-mukti and association with the Lord, Aghāsura received a similar liberation.
The light in the serpent’s body was suddha sattva according to Sridhara Swami. That an evil person can get liberation as illustrated here is for instilling faith in the people. Thought the soul is normally invisible, embraced by the sakti of the Lord, this soul became visible directly as a great light. This is Jiva Goswami’s opinion, in the vaisnava tosani. Like the great light of the para brahman, the light of the soul is not visible to material eyes, it became visible by the Lord’s will, like his own form, in order to show all the world directly the Lord’s quality of giving liberation even to the demons. This is one opinion. According to verses 38 and 39, Aghasura attained a form like the Lord’s and attained the Lord’s abode. From this it is clear that Aghasura did not attain mere sayujya mukti, but svarupya mukti. Therefore the light which was visible was the light from Aghasura’s spiritual body which he attained at that moment. Because the body itself was spiritual, it could not be seen with material eyes. His entrance into the Lord’s body was just a show as in the case of Sisupala and Dantavakra. Though Sisupala and Dantavakra attained sarupya as eternal associates of the Lord, when they died a light from their bodies entered into the Lord. This is another opinion about the visibility of the light. This happened in the presence of the devatas (misatam divaukasam) who were greatly astonished. It can also mean with the use of genative absolute, that Aghasuras soul entered Krsna, not paying attention to the devas though they were present.
The light was indescribable (adbhūtam) because of it was so bright. The devatās looked on. This statement is in the locative case to indicate that they were incidental. The soul of Agha was waiting only for Kṛṣṇa. Or the devatās looked on in astonishment since a sinner was liberated and because they could observe the process of liberation which is beyond material perception. This was arranged by the Lord so that Brahmā and others would have no doubt and to astonish them. Since the jīva has no form and is therefore not visible, it became a form possessing light by investment of the power of the Lord.
The light was indescribable (adbhūtam) because it was so bright. The devatās looked on. This statement is in the locative case to indicate that the devatās were incidental. The soul of Agha was waiting only for Kṛṣṇa. Or the devatās looked on in astonishment since a sinner was liberated and because they could observe the process of liberation which is beyond material perception. Thus, by seeing it directly, there was no doubt about his liberation. This was also astonishing to Brahmā. The light entering Kṛṣṇa is only an appearance. Actually, one merges in Brahman. This liberation which amounts to non-existence, is not the final goal. Because it is contrary to bhakti-rasa, it is rejected by the devotees. It is proper that demons attain this goal. That is the Vaiṣṇava conclusion. It is explained in Bhāgavatāmṛta.
- Do I believe Kṛṣṇa is merciful enough to use even an opponent's life for liberation?
- Where am I writing someone off whom Kṛṣṇa may already be carrying back to Himself?
Picture a light leaving a body and waiting in the sky as if it had to ask permission before going home — and then, the moment its Lord emerges, the light rushes into Him. Aghāsura's soul is a particle that has waited eight miles long for its moment; that moment is Kṛṣṇa walking out of his mouth.
My note
Source: vedabase.io