From hell to Vaikuntha with Srila Prabhupada

Candanacarya: One time, Srila Prabhupada, you said, “I will go to hell,” but
none of your disciples accepted that.
Prajapati: Actually, coming to this country, this is hell.
Prabhupada: No, I am not in hell. I am with the devotees, so how can I say I
am in hell? [break] Narottama dasa Thakura says, tandera carana sevi
bhakta-sane vas: “My duty is to serve my guru and live with the devotees.”
That is Krsna’s grace. “My mission is to serve my guru, but live with the
devotees.”
tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vas
janame janame hoy ei abhilas
“This is my desire life after life.” A guru or bhakta does not aspire that
he is going to Vaikuntha, Krsna. “Never mind.” But their only desire, his
only desire, is that to serve the predecessor acarya and live with devotee.
That’s all. This is the only ambition. [break] …says, tatra tisthami
narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Where, the place where the devotees are
glorifying the Lord, Krsna is there. So if Krsna is there with the devotees,
then wherever devotees are there, that is Vaikuntha. That is Vaikuntha. Just
like our temple. It is Vaikuntha. Because the devotees are chanting the
glories of the Lord, so that is Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha is not limited.
Vaikuntha, as Krsna can expand Himself, similarly, Vaikuntha can also be
expand, Vrndavana can expand. So wherever there is Krsna, that is Vai… And
where is not Krsna? And that is to be appreciated. Then if anyone
appreciates Krsna everywhere, then he is living in the Vaikuntha. He is not
living in hell or Los Angeles.
Svarupa Damodara: …where pure devotee goes, that place is immediately
purified as soon as he is there.
Prabhupada: Yes, because Krsna helps. As soon as the pure devotee sings,
Krsna immediately comes there. So it becomes Vaikuntha.
Prajapati: We are more fortunate than gopis, Srila Prabhupada. Walking with
you on the beach is better than dancing rasa dance in Vrndavana.
Prabhupada: (laughing) It is not like that, but we can say, wherever Krsna
topics are there, it is as good as Vaikuntha or Vrndavana.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk — December 15, 1973, Los Angeles