महानुभावो महतां महिष्ठः ।
प्रवृद्धभक्त्या ह्यनुभाविताशये
निवेश्य वैकुण्ठमिमं विहास्यति ॥४८॥
sa vai mahÄ-bhÄgavato mahÄtmÄ
mahÄnubhÄvo mahatÄá¹ mahiá¹£á¹haḥ
pravá¹›ddha-bhaktyÄ hy anubhÄvitÄÅ›aye
niveÅ›ya vaikuṇá¹ham imaá¹ vihÄsyati
saḥ - he; vai - certainly; mahÄ-bhÄgavataḥ - the topmost devotee; mahÄ-ÄtmÄ - expanded intelligence; mahÄ-anubhÄvaḥ - expanded influence; mahatÄm - of the great souls; mahiá¹£á¹haḥ - the greatest; pravá¹›ddha - well matured; bhaktyÄ - by devotional service; hi - certainly; anubhÄvita - being situated in the anubhÄva stage of ecstasy; ÄÅ›aye - in the mind; niveÅ›ya - entering; vaikuṇá¹ham - in the spiritual sky; imam - this (material world); vihÄsyati - will quit.
That topmost devotee of the Lord will have expanded intelligence and expanded influence and will be the greatest of the great souls. Due to matured devotional service, he will certainly be situated in transcendental ecstasy and will enter the spiritual sky after quitting this material world.
There are three stages of transcendental development in devotional service, which are technically called sthÄyi-bhÄva, anubhÄva and mahÄbhÄva. Continual perfect love of Godhead is called sthÄyi-bhÄva, and when it is performed in a particular type of transcendental relationship it is called anubhÄva. But the stage of mahÄbhÄva is visible amongst the personal pleasure potencies of the Lord. It is understood that the grandson of Diti, namely PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja, would constantly meditate on the Lord and reiterate His activities. Because he would constantly remain in meditation, he would easily transfer himself to the spiritual world after quitting his material body. Such meditation is still more conveniently performed by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord. This is especially recommended in this Age of Kali.
