VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
11.6.26-27
nādhunā te 'khilādhāra
deva-kāryāvaśeṣitam
(26-27) O You Foundation of Everything, for You there is no longer an obligation to the godly, and the remaining part of the dynasty has virtually been annihilated by this curse of the brahmins [see 11.1]. Therefore we ask You whether You intend to leave for Your Supreme Abode and if You please want to continue with us, the protectors of all worlds and their inhabitants, to protect the servants of Vaikunthha [of Lord Vishnu].'
11.6.28
avadhāritam etan me
bhūmer bhāro 'vatāritaḥ
(28) The Supreme Lord said: 'I understand what you've said, o controller of the demigods; in your favor has all the work been done to remove the burden of the earth.
11.6.29
velayeva mahārṇavaḥ
(29) This very Yadu family has, because it threatened to devour the entire world in having expanded in its power, courage and opulence, been checked by Me just as an ocean is by its shore.
The heroes of the Yadu dynasty were so powerful that even the demigods could not check them. The enthusiasm of the Yadus was unlimitedly increased by their victories in dangerous battles, and they could not be killed. Due to their martial spirit they naturally desired to establish their power over the whole world; therefore the Lord checked them and withdrew them from the earth.
11.6.30
yady asaḿhṛtya dṛptānāḿ
(30) If I were to leave without withdrawing the vast dynasty of overly proud Yadus, would for that reason the entire world be destroyed by this flood.
11.6.31
etad-ante tavānagha
(31) Right now has because of the brahmins' curse the annihilation of the family begun. After that has taken place will I, o sinless Brahmâ, pay a visit to your abode.'
11.6.32
(32) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed by the Lord of the World, fell the selfborn one down at His feet to offer Him his obeisances together with the different gods and returned the godhead to his abode.
11.6.33
(33) Following, when the Supreme Lord observed the development of serious disturbances in the city of Dvârakâ, spoke He to the assembled Yadu elders.
Muni-vāsa-nivase kiḿ ghaṭetāriṣṭa-darśanam: there is no possibility of actual disturbances or inauspicious events in holy places inhabited by saintly persons. Thus the so-called disturbances in Dvārakā were directly enacted by the Personality of Godhead for His own auspicious purpose.
11.6.34
vyuttiṣṭhantīha sarvataḥ
brāhmaṇebhyo duratyayaḥ
(34) The Supreme Lord said: 'These indeed very great disturbances appearing everywhere are a consequence of the curse that was expressed by the brahmins against our family; it is impossible to counteract.
11.6.35
jijīviṣubhir āryakāḥ
(35) We should not stay here if we want to continue with our lives, let's not delay and this very day go to Prabhâsa, that so very pious place [**].
11.6.36
gṛhīto yakṣmaṇodu-rāṭ
(36) The king of the stars [the moon god] seized by consumption because of a curse of Daksha, once took a bath there and was immediately freed from the reaction to his sin and resumed the waxing with his phases.
11.6.37-38
bhojayitvoṣijo viprān
nānā-guṇavatāndhasā
vṛjināni tariṣyāmo
dānair naubhir ivārṇavam
(37-38) When we also bathe over there to the satisfaction of the forefathers and offer different kinds of foodstuff to the demigods and the venerable ones of learning and as well distribute gifts with our faith in them as being suitable candidates for the charity, will we overcome the danger, just as one with boats crosses over the ocean.'
11.6.39
evaḿ bhagavatādiṣṭā
(39) S'rî S'uka said: 'O child of the Kurus, the Yâdavas, who thus by the Fortunate One were instructed, made up their minds and yoked their horses to their chariots to head for the holy site.
11.6.40-41
śrutvā bhagavatoditam
dṛṣṭvāriṣṭāni ghorāṇi
jagatām īśvareśvaram
(40-41) O King, Uddhava [see also 3.2 and 10.46 & 47], who as an ever faithful follower of Krishna came to hear what by the Lord was said, approached, in respect of the fearful evil omens [see also 1.14: 2-5], in private the Lord of the lords of the entire living universe and adressed Him with folded hands bowing down his head at His feet.
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī there cannot be any actual disturbance in the Lord's own abode. The great disasters apparently occurring in Dvārakā were an external show created by the Lord to facilitate His pastimes. We can understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa only by hearing from the recognized ācāryas. Lord Kṛṣṇa is not a mundane historical figure, and His activities cannot be confined within the tiny limits of material logic. Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are an exhibition of His acintya-śakti, or inconceivable potency, which functions according to higher, spiritual laws, unknown to the blind conditioned souls and their petty material logic.
11.6.42
deva-deveśa yogeśa
(42) S'rî Uddhava said: 'O Lord and God of Gods, o Master of Yoga, o Piety of Hearing and Singing, withdrawing this family from this world, You say that, even though You as the all-pervading, benevolent Controller are capable of revoking the curse of the brahmins, You're unable to do so!
11.6.43
nāhaḿ tavāńghri-kamalaḿ
(43) I'm not even capable to tolerate it but for half a moment to give up on Your lotusfeet, o Kes'ava; please take me along to Your abode o Master [see also 3.29: 13].
11.6.44
(44) Your pastimes supremely auspicious, o Krishna, are nectar to the human ear. Once they have the taste will people relinquish their desires for other things.
Anya-spṛhām, or "desire for things other than Kṛṣṇa," indicates the material desire to enjoy wife, children, money, and so on. Ultimately, the materialist may desire religious salvation for his personal comfort and satisfaction, but all such desires are mundane, because on the spiritual platform the pure soul thinks only of the Lord's pleasure and the Lord's service. Therefore, a pure devotee can never give up Kṛṣṇa, even for a moment, although for Kṛṣṇa's pleasure he can give up the entire universe.
11.6.45
śayyāsanāṭana-sthāna-
snāna-krīḍāśanādiṣu
(45) How can we, who were always devoted to You when we were laying down, sitting, walking, standing, bathing, recreating and eating and such, ever abandon You, our dear most Self?
One should be constantly engaged in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By hearing about Kṛṣṇa and by serving Him, we can give up the illusion of trying to enjoy something separately from the Supreme Lord. If we neglect such hearing and serving, our minds will become bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord, and seeing the world as separate from Kṛṣṇa, we will take it as a place meant for our own sense gratification. This gross ignorance brings nothing but trouble to the living entity.
11.6.46
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-
ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās
(46) Eating the food remnants and adorned with the garlands, fragrances, garments and ornaments that You enjoyed, will we, Your servants, for sure conquer the illusory energy.
It is clear from this verse that Uddhava is not approaching the Lord for liberation from the illusory energy. As a personal, confidential associate of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava was undoubtedly a completely liberated soul. He is praying to the Lord because he cannot bear the thought of living without Kṛṣṇa even for a moment. This feeling is called love of God. Uddhava is addressing the Lord as follows: "Even if Your illusory energy tries to attack us, my Lord, we will very easily conquer her by our powerful weapons, which are the remnants of Your foodstuffs, clothes, ornaments, and so on. In other words, we will easily conquer over māyā by kṛṣṇa-prasādam, and not by useless speculation and mental concoction."
11.6.47
śramaṇā ūrdhra-manthinaḥ
(47) The but in air clad sinless members of the renounced order who as sages of strict observance keep their seed going upwards, go to the abode known as Brahman [see ûrdhva retah and also 10.2: 32].
11.6.48-49
tvad-vārtayā tariṣyāmas
smarantaḥ kīrtayantas te
gaty-utsmitekṣaṇa-kṣveli
(48-49) We on the other hand, o Greatest of Yogis, who in this world wander on the paths of fruitive labor will, along with Your devotees, cross beyond the hard to conquer darkness by discussing the topics with which we remember and glorify Your deeds, words, movements, broad smiles, glances and the amorous sports You have in imitation of the human world.'
In this verse Uddhava, by stating bhramantaḥ karma-vartmasu, humbly presents himself as one of the conditioned souls entangled in fruitive activities. Still, Uddhava is confident that he will certainly cross over the illusory energy because he is addicted to chanting and remembering the glorious activities and words of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Rūpa Gosvāmī has stated:
īhā yasya harer dāsye
nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu
Although one may outwardly appear to be involved in this material world, if one is always engaged, twenty-four hours a day, in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, then one is considered to be a liberated soul. Uddhava states here that hearing and chanting the holy name and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa is infinitely more effective than becoming a naked yogī in the forest and running the constant risk of becoming, due to lusty desires and sex indulgence, a naked monkey in the forest. Uddhava is begging the Lord for the mercy of His Sudarśana cakra, whose effulgence is represented by the process of remembering and chanting the pastimes of the Lord. One who absorbs himself in the incomparable bliss of thinking of the Lord's abode easily becomes free from all lamentation, illusion and fear. That is the recommendation of Śrī Uddhava.11.6.50
(50) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being informed, o King, spoke the Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî, privately for a long time with His dear servant Uddhava.'
Thus end of the Eleventh Canto, Sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhāsa.
Footnotes:
*: Time in three can be regarded as the three types of seasons, summer winter and spring/autumn or as the three to the order, the cakra, of the sun, moon and the stars or the past, the present and the future and as the time of nature, culture and the psychological experience [see also tri-kâlika, 5.22: 2, time-quotes and B.G. 10: 30 & 33, 11: 32].
**: Prabhâsa is a famous holy place located near the Veraval railway station, within the region of Junagarah. At the base of the same pippala tree under which Lord Krishna was reported to have reposed there is now a temple. One mile away from the tree, on the seashore, is the Vîra-prabhañjana Mathha, and it is said that from this point the hunter Jarâ fired the arrow which marked the end of His earthly presence [as described in the last two chapters of this Canto
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