Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.20.12
स्वर्गिणोऽप्येतमिच्छन्ति लोकं निरयिणस्तथा ।
साधकं ज्ञानभक्तिभ्यामुभयं तदसाधकम् ॥ १२ ॥
svargiṇo ’py etam icchanti
[svargino ’py etam ichchanti]
lokaṁ nirayiṇas tathā
[lokam nirayinas tathaa]
sādhakaṁ jñāna-bhaktibhyām
[saadhakam jnaana-bhaktibhyaam]
ubhayaṁ tad-asādhakam
[ubhayam tad-asaadhakam]
Word-for-word
svargiṇaḥ
—
the residents of the heavenly planets
api
—
even
etam
—
this
icchanti
—
desire
lokam
—
earth planet
nirayiṇaḥ
—
the residents of hell
tathā
—
in the same way
sādhakam
—
leading to achievement
jñāna-bhaktibhyām
—
of transcendental knowledge and love of Godhead
ubhayam
—
both (heaven and hell)
tat
—
for that perfection
asādhakam
—
not useful.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
svargiṇo ’py etam icchanti
svargiṇaḥ
the residents of the heavenly planets
api
even
etam
this
icchanti
desire
lokaṁ nirayiṇas tathā
lokam
earth planet
nirayiṇaḥ
the residents of hell
tathā
in the same way
sādhakaṁ jñāna-bhaktibhyām
sādhakam
leading to achievement
jñāna-bhaktibhyām
of transcendental knowledge and love of Godhead
ubhayaṁ tad-asādhakam
ubhayam
both (heaven and hell)
tat
for that perfection
asādhakam
not useful.
The residents of both heaven and hell desire human birth on the earth planet because human life facilitates the achievement of transcendental knowledge and love of Godhead, whereas neither heavenly nor hellish bodies efficiently provide such opportunities.
Purport
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that in material heaven one becomes absorbed in extraordinary sense gratification and in hell one is absorbed in suffering. In both cases there is little impetus to acquire transcendental knowledge or pure love of Godhead. Excessive suffering or excessive enjoyment are thus impediments to spiritual advancement.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The residents of both heaven and hell desire human birth on the earth planet because human life facilitates jñāna and bhakti, whereas neither heavenly nor hellish bodies provide such opportunities.
Kṛṣṇa praises the human body for attaining liberation and prema in six verses. Human life produces jñāna and bhakti. Heavenly or hellish bodies do not produce these.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Heaven and hell residents desire human birth on earth because only here are transcendental knowledge and love of God efficiently available. The Lord names this position as enviable.
Reflection Questions
- Do I treat my human life as enviable or as merely difficult?
- What does this reframing change?
My note
Source: vedabase.io