Bhakti dissolves the subtle body of the living entity - aham tvam sarva papebhyo

SB 3.25.33

jarayaty āśu yā kośaṁ
nigīrṇam analo yathā

Word for word: 

jarayati — dissolves; āśu — quickly; yā — which; kośam — the subtle body; nigīrṇam — things eaten; analaḥ — fire; yathā — as.

Translation: 

Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat.

Purport: 

Bhakti is in a far higher position than mukti because a person’s endeavor to get liberation from the material encagement is automatically served in devotional service. The example is given here that the fire in the stomach can digest whatever we eat. If the digestive power is sufficient, then whatever we can eat will be digested by the fire in the stomach. Similarly, a devotee does not have to try separately to attain liberation. That very service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the process of his liberation because to engage oneself in the service of the Lord is to liberate oneself from material entanglement. Śrī Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura explained this position very nicely. He said, “If I have unflinching devotion unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, then mukti, or liberation, serves me as my maidservant. Mukti, the maidservant, is always ready to do whatever I ask.”

Other Similar Purports:

From SB 4.29.70

No living entity is free from the cycle of birth and death unless he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore, in this verse, it is clearly stated (sattvaika-niṣṭhe) that when one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in one stroke he is freed of past and future mental desires. Then, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, everything becomes simultaneously manifest within the mind. In this regard, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura cites the example of mother Yaśodā’s seeing the whole cosmic manifestation within the mouth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, mother Yaśodā saw all the universes and planets within the mouth of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can see all his dormant desires at one time and finish all his future transmigrations. This facility is especially given to the devotee to make his path clear for returning home, back to Godhead.

Why we see things not experienced in this life is explained herein. That which we see is the future expression of a gross body or is already stocked in our mental stockpile. Because a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not have to accept a future gross body, his recorded desires are fulfilled in a dream. We therefore sometimes find things in a dream never experienced in our present life.

SB 4.29.71 Purport
Because of our ignorance of the spiritual body, of which we have no experience, we do not know of the activities of the spiritual body, and in ignorance we jump from one false platform to another. We act sometimes in relation to the gross body and sometimes in relation to the subtle body. If, by Kṛṣṇa’s grace, we act in our spiritual body, we can transcend both the gross and subtle bodies. In other words, we can gradually train ourselves to act in terms of the spiritual body. As stated in the Nārada-pañcarātra, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate: devotional service means engaging the spiritual body and spiritual senses in the service of the Lord. When we are engaged in such activities, the actions and reactions of the gross and subtle bodies cease.

SB 4.29.77 Purport
After the mind is completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can enter the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. To enter the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one has to understand Kṛṣṇa. The process of understanding Kṛṣṇa is devotional service. After understanding Kṛṣṇa as He is, one can become eligible to enter Kṛṣṇaloka and associate with Him. The mind is the cause of such an exalted position. The mind can also get one a body like those of dogs and hogs. To absorb the mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is therefore the greatest perfection of human life.

One achieves a state of existence according to one's concentration

SB 11.9.22: If out of love, hate or fear an embodied soul fixes his mind with intelligence and complete concentration upon a particular bodily form, he will certainly attain the form that he is meditating upon.

SB 11.9.23: O King, once a wasp forced a weaker insect to enter his hive and kept him trapped there. In great fear the weak insect constantly meditated upon his captor, and without giving up his body, he gradually achieved the same state of existence as the wasp. Thus one achieves a state of existence according to one's constant concentration.

from the purport for 11.9.23:

Similarly, although we are conditioned souls, if we absorb our consciousness in Lord Kṛṣṇa we can become liberated even before giving up our present body. If our intelligence becomes steady on the spiritual platform by understanding that Lord Kṛṣṇa is everything, then we can give up unnecessary consciousness of the external body and absorb ourselves in the spiritual pastimes of Vaikuṇṭha. Thus even before death one can raise oneself to the spiritual platform and enjoy life as a liberated soul.

Bharata Maharaj : Past karma carried in the subtle body can deviate us

Sukadeva Goswami states in SB 5.8.26 : "..........Due to the fruitive results of his past deeds, he fell down from mystic yoga, austerity and worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If it were not due to his past fruitive activity, how could he have been attracted to the deer after giving up the association of his own son and family, considering them stumbling blocks on the path of spiritual life? How could he show such uncontrollable affection for a deer? This was definitely due to his past karma."

When King Pracinabarhi inquires from Narada Muni about the transmigration of the soul Narada Muni explains how karma is carried by the subtle body during transmigration. In the new body the living entity gets a chance to fulfill his plans by the grace of the Supreme Lord. The living entity also suffers the good and bad reactions of his past life in the new body. The sinful reactions may also manifest in the form of desires not conducive for progress. This has been explained in great detail in this post:Liberation means getting out of the clutches of the subtle body..4.29.61 purport

If past karma could affect Bharat Maharaj in this way, causing him to deviate rom his practices what about all the past karma and desires we have. How powerful can they be? We are not even as pure as Bharata Maharaj who had left his family and kingdom to engage himself in achieveing the Ultimate goal.

• We need to be extremely careful of how we allow our desires to guide us. Association of devotees and sadhana is the safety net for this.
• We should also be extremely careful of what we expose ourselves now as that will manifest in the form of fesires or reactions in the future blocking our progress.

Liberation means getting out of the clutches of the subtle body..4.29.61 purport

In 4.29 King Pracinabarhisat inquires from Narada Muni about the transmigration of the soul.
Narada Muni replies to this question:

1. Karma is carried in the subtle body, and as the soul transfers to a new body along with the subtle body and the soul's karma , the living entity feels a sense of continuity
2. Although the gross bodies apparently change, the real root of the gross body — the subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego — is always there
3. When the gross body is finished, the plans of the living entity are taken by the mind, and by the grace of the Lord, the living entity gets a chance to give these plans shape in the next life.
4. By the grace of the Supersoul, the living entity gets remembrance and begins to execute plans begun in the previous life

Srila Prabhupada states in SB 4.29.61 " Liberation means getting out of the clutches of the subtle body...If we train the subtle body in this life by always thinking of Krsna, we will transfer to Krsna Loka after leaving the gross body."

My Notes:

One must train the subtle body to be constantly engaged in thoughts about Krishna.This is possible by constant devotional service and chanting the Holy Names of the Lord with full attention.Service on the bodily platform increases identification with matter. True service is anyabhilasita sunyam.... Thus one must be constantly watchful of their consciousness throughout the day in order that the subtle body does not carry material impressions and does not force the gross body to act on the material platform.Cultivation of an attitude of accountability towards Guru in every action will be very helpful in this regard.

References:

1. It is far easier to engage the gross body in service than to control the mind,and therefore the early stages of learning to practice devotional service are centered on engaging the body. Yet aspiring devotees should note that they must ultimately shift their service from merely physical engagement to deep , mental,intellectual and emotional involvement.True devotion means to replace self centeredness with Krsna centeredness. When desire to please Krishna becomes natural, continuous and full of love, one is no longer a part of this world. - Excerpt "Unveiling His Lotus Feet" Pg 946
2. When one is fully absorbed in Krishna Consciousness, in one stroke he is freed of past and future mental desires.By the grace of Lord Krishna motther Yashoda saw all the universes and planets within the mouth of Krishna .Similarly by the grace of Krsna, a Krsna Conscious person can see all his dormant desires at one one time and finish all his future transmigrations. This facility is especially given to the devotee to make his path clear for returning home, BTG.SB 4.29.69
3. One of the goals of Krsna Consciousness is to break the connection between the soul and both the gross and subtle bodies. Pure devotional service effects the break.-Excerpt "Unveiling His Lotus Feet" Pg 949
4. After understanding Krsna as He is, one can become eligible to enter Kṛṣṇaloka and associate with Him. The mind is the cause of such an exalted position. The mind can also get one a body like those of dogs and hogs. To absorb the mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is therefore the greatest perfection of human life.SB 4.29.76-77