SB 4.24.68

TEXT 68

TEXT

अथ त्वमसि नो ब्रह्मन् परमात्मन्विपश्चिताम् ।
विश्वं रुद्रभयध्वस्तम् अकुतश्चिद्भया गतिः ॥ ६८ ॥

atha tvam asi no brahman

paramatman vipascitam

visvam rudra-bhaya-dhvastam

akutascid-bhaya gatih

atha-therefore; tvam-my Lord; asi-are; nah-our; brahman-O Supreme Brahman; paramatman-O Supersoul; vipascitam-for the learned wise men; visvam-the whole universe; rudra-bhaya-being afraid of Rudra; dhvastam-annihilated; akutascit-bhaya-undoubtedly fearless; gatih-destination.

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, all actually learned persons know You as the Supreme Brahman and the Supersoul. Although the entire universe is afraid of Lord Rudra, who ultimately annihilates everything, for the learned devotees You are the fearless destination of all.

PURPORT

For the purpose of creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation, there are three lords-Brahma, Visnu and Siva (Mahesvara). The material body is finished at the time of annihilation. Both the universal body and the small unit, the individual living entity's body, are susceptible to annihilation at the ultimate end. However, the devotees do not fear the annihilation of the body, for they are confident that they will go back home, back to Godhead after the annihilation. As stated in Bhagavad-gita:

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." (Bg. 4.9)

If one strictly follows the process of devotional service, he has no fear of death, for he is predestined to go back home, back to Godhead. The nondevotees are fearful of death because they have no guarantee of where they are going or of the type of body they are going to get in their next life. The word rudra-bhaya is significant in this verse because Rudra himself, Lord Siva, is speaking of "fear of Rudra." This indicates that there are many Rudras-eleven Rudras-and the Rudra (Lord Siva) who was offering this prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is different from the other Rudras, although he is as powerful as they are. The conclusion is that one Rudra is afraid of another Rudra because each and every one of them is engaged in the destruction of this cosmic manifestation. But for the devotee, everyone is afraid of Rudra, even Rudra himself. A devotee is never afraid of Rudra because he is always secure, being protected by the lotus feet of the Lord. As Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita:

ksipram bhavati dharmatma
sasvac-chantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati

"He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes." (Bg. 9.31)