Shloka 48
Arjuna’s Lament, the End of the Yadus, and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure
तद्ध्यानोद्रिक्तया भक्त्या विशुद्धधिषणा: परे । तस्मिन् नारायणपदे एकान्तमतयो गतिम् ॥ ४७ ॥ अवापुर्दुरवापां ते असद्भिर्विषयात्मभि: । विधूतकल्मषा स्थानं विरजेनात्मनैव हि ॥ ४८ ॥
tad-dhyānodriktayā bhaktyā viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ pare tasmin nārāyaṇa-pade ekānta-matayo gatim
અવિરત ધ્યાન-સ્મરણથી ઉદ્ભવેલી ભક્તિથી તેમની બુદ્ધિ વિશુદ્ધ બની; એકાંતભાવથી તેમણે પરમ નારાયણપદની ગતિ પામી. વિષયાસક્ત અસત્ લોકો માટે તે ધામ દુર્લભ છે; પરંતુ પાંડવો સર્વ કલ્મષ ધોઈ, આ જ દેહથી તે નિર્મળ સ્થાને પહોંચ્યા।
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, a person freed from the three modes of material qualities, namely goodness, passion and ignorance, and situated in transcendence can reach the highest perfection of life without change of body. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī in his Hari-bhakti-vilāsa says that a person, whatever he may be, can attain the perfection of a twice-born brāhmaṇa by undergoing the spiritual disciplinary actions under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, exactly as a chemist can turn gun metal into gold by chemical manipulation. It is therefore the actual guidance that matters in the process of becoming a brāhmaṇa, even without change of body, or in going back to Godhead without change of body. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī remarks that the word hi used in this connection positively affirms this truth, and there is no doubt about this factual position. The Bhagavad-gītā (14.26) also affirms this statement of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī when the Lord says that anyone who executes devotional service systematically without deviation can attain the perfection of Brahman by surpassing the contamination of the three modes of material nature, and when the Brahman perfection is still more advanced by the selfsame execution of devotional service, there is no doubt at all that one can attain the supreme spiritual planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, without change of body, as we have already discussed in connection with the Lord’s returning to His abode without a change of body.
FAQs
This verse explains that exclusive, one-pointed devotion strengthened by meditation purifies the intelligence and leads the devotee to the supreme destination—Nārāyaṇa’s abode.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing the perfected devotees whose minds became exclusive and purified through bhakti and meditation, enabling them to reach Nārāyaṇa-pada.
Regular focused remembrance of the Lord (japa, kīrtana, reading) strengthens devotion, clarifies decision-making, and reduces distraction—supporting steady spiritual progress.