Shloka 28
Devotion in Kimpuruṣa-varṣa and the Glory of Bhārata-varṣa
Rāmacandra & Nara-Nārāyaṇa; Rivers, Varṇāśrama, and Liberation
यद्यत्र न: स्वर्गसुखावशेषितं स्विष्टस्य सूक्तस्य कृतस्य शोभनम् । तेनाजनाभे स्मृतिमज्जन्म न: स्याद् वर्षे हरिर्यद्भजतां शं तनोति ॥ २८ ॥
yady atra naḥ svarga-sukhāvaśeṣitaṁ sviṣṭasya sūktasya kṛtasya śobhanam tenājanābhe smṛtimaj janma naḥ syād varṣe harir yad-bhajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti
O Ajanābha, by the fruits of sacrifices, pious deeds, and Vedic study we now enjoy heavenly happiness, yet this life too will one day end. If any merit remains, may we be born again in Bhārata-varṣa as human beings able to remember the Lord’s lotus feet, for Hari personally comes there and expands the welfare and good fortune of His worshipers.
It is certainly as a result of pious activities that one takes birth in the heavenly planets, but from those planets one must nevertheless come down again to earth, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā ( kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti ). Even the demigods must return to earth to work like ordinary men when the results of their pious activities expire. Nevertheless, the demigods desire to come to the land of Bhārata-varṣa if even a small portion of the merits of their pious activities remains. In other words, to take birth in Bhārata-varṣa, one must perform more pious activities than the demigods. In Bhārata-varṣa one is naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if one further cultivates his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa he certainly expands his good fortune by becoming perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and very easily going back home, back to Godhead. In many other places in the Vedic literature it is found that even the demigods want to come to this land of Bhārata-varṣa. A foolish person may desire to be promoted to the heavenly planets as a result of his pious activities, but even the demigods from the heavenly planets want to come to Bhārata-varṣa and achieve bodies that may be very easily used to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu repeatedly says:
FAQs
This verse shows that even if merit yields heavenly pleasure, devotees pray that it instead grant birth where they can worship Hari and remain absorbed in His remembrance—valuing bhakti over temporary svarga.
Ajānābha is a name of Lord Viṣṇu/Hari addressed in prayer, emphasizing the Lord as the ultimate object of worship and remembrance.
Prioritize choices that deepen remembrance of God—daily japa, śravaṇa (hearing), and sādhana—over pursuits that only increase comfort or status.