इत्याभाष्य सुरान्वेधा: सह देवैररिन्दम ।
अजितस्य पदं साक्षाज्जगाम तमस: परम् ॥ २४ ॥
ity ābhāṣya surān vedhāḥ
saha devair arindama
ajitasya padaṁ sākṣāj
jagāma tamasaḥ param
daiva āsura eva ca
viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva
āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti—thus; ābhāṣya—talking; surān—unto the demigods; vedhāḥ—Lord Brahmā, who is the head of this universe and who gives everyone good sense in Vedic knowledge; saha—with; devaiḥ—the demigods; arim-dama—O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, subduer of all kinds of enemies (such as the senses); ajitasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; padam—to the place; sākṣāt—directly; jagāma—went; tamasaḥ—the world of darkness; param—transcendental to, beyond.
TRANSLATION
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, subduer of all enemies, after Lord Brahmā finished speaking to the demigods, he took them with him to the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is beyond this material world. The Lord's abode is on an island called Śvetadvīpa, which is situated in the ocean of milk.
PURPORT
Mahārāja Parīkṣit is addressed here as arindama,"subduer of all enemies." Not only do we have enemies outside of our bodies, but within our bodies there are many enemies, such as lusty desires, anger and greed. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is specifically addressed as arindama because in his political life he was able to subdue all kinds of enemies, and even though he was a young king, as soon as he heard that he was going to die within seven days, he immediately left his kingdom. He did not follow the dictates of enemies within his body, such as lust, greed and anger. He was not at all angry with the muni's son who had cursed him. Rather, he accepted the curse and prepared for his death in the association of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Death is inevitable; no one can surpass the force of death. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit, while fully alive, wanted to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He is consequently addressed here as arindama.
Another word, sura-priya, is also significant. Although Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is equal toward everyone, He is especially inclined toward His devotees (ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham). The devotees are all demigods. There are two kinds of men within this world. One is called the deva, and the other is called the asura. The Padma Purāṇa states:
daiva āsura eva ca
viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva
āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ
Concerning ajitasya padam, the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the milk ocean of this material world, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says: padaṁ kṣīrodadhi-stha-śvetadvīpaṁ tamasaḥ prakṛteḥ param. The island known as Śvetadvīpa, which is in the ocean of milk, is transcendental. It has nothing to do with this material world. A city government may have a rest house where the governor and important government officers stay. Such a rest house is not an ordinary house. Similarly, although Śvetadvīpa, which is in the ocean of milk, is in this material world, it is paraṁ padam, transcendental.