Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 11 · Chapter 6
श्रीशुक उवाच अथ ब्रह्मात्मजै: देवै: प्रजेशैरावृतोऽभ्यगात् । भवश्च भूतभव्येशो ययौ भूतगणैर्वृत: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca atha brahmātma-jaiḥ devaiḥ prajeśair āvṛto ’bhyagāt bhavaś ca bhūta-bhavyeśo yayau bhūta-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Brahmā then set off for Dvārakā, accompanied by his own sons as well as by the demigods and the great Prajāpatis. Lord Śiva, the bestower of auspiciousness to all living beings, also went, surrounded by many ghostly creatures.
इन्द्रो मरुद्भिर्भगवानादित्या वसवोऽश्विनौ । ऋभवोऽङ्गिरसो रुद्रा विश्वे साध्याश्च देवता: ॥ २ ॥ गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा: सिद्धचारणगुह्यका: । ऋषय: पितरश्चैव सविद्याधरकिन्नरा: ॥ ३ ॥ द्वारकामुपसञ्जग्मु: सर्वे कृष्णदिदृक्षव: । वपुषा येन भगवान् नरलोकमनोरम: । यशो वितेने लोकेषु सर्वलोकमलापहम् ॥ ४ ॥
indro marudbhir bhagavān ādityā vasavo ’śvinau ṛbhavo ’ṅgiraso rudrā viśve sādhyāś ca devatāḥ gandharvāpsaraso nāgāḥ siddha-cāraṇa-guhyakāḥ ṛṣayaḥ pitaraś caiva sa-vidyādhara-kinnarāḥ dvārakām upasañjagmuḥ sarve kṛṣṇa-didṛkṣavaḥ vapuṣā yena bhagavān nara-loka-manoramaḥ yaśo vitene lokeṣu sarva-loka-malāpaham
The powerful Lord Indra, along with the Maruts, Ādityas, Vasus, Aśvinīs, Ṛbhus, Aṅgirās, Rudras, Viśvedevas, Sādhyas, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Nāgas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Guhyakas, the great sages and forefathers and the Vidyādharas and Kinnaras, arrived at the city of Dvārakā, hoping to see Lord Kṛṣṇa. By His transcendental form, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, enchanted all human beings and spread His own fame throughout the worlds. The Lord’s glories destroy all contamination within the universe.
तस्यां विभ्राजमानायां समृद्धायां महर्द्धिभि: । व्यचक्षतावितृप्ताक्षा: कृष्णमद्भुतदर्शनम् ॥ ५ ॥
tasyāṁ vibhrājamānāyāṁ samṛddhāyāṁ maharddhibhiḥ vyacakṣatāvitṛptākṣāḥ kṛṣṇam adbhuta-darśanam
In that resplendent city of Dvārakā, rich with all superior opulences, the demigods beheld with unsatiated eyes the wonderful form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
स्वर्गोद्यानोपगैर्माल्यैश्छादयन्तो यदूत्तमम् । गीर्भिश्चित्रपदार्थाभिस्तुष्टुवुर्जगदीश्वरम् ॥ ६ ॥
svargodyānopagair mālyaiś chādayanto yudūttamam gīrbhiś citra-padārthābhis tuṣṭuvur jagad-īśvaram
The demigods covered the Supreme Lord of the universe with flower garlands brought from the gardens of heaven. Then they praised Him, the best of the Yadu dynasty, with statements containing charming words and ideas.
श्रीदेवा ऊचु: नता: स्म ते नाथ पदारविन्दं बुद्धीन्द्रियप्राणमनोवचोभि: । यच्चिन्त्यतेऽन्तर्हृदि भावयुक्तै- र्मुमुक्षुभि: कर्ममयोरुपाशात् ॥ ७ ॥
śrī-devā ūcuḥ natāḥ sma te nātha padāravindaṁ buddhīndriya-prāṇa-mano-vacobhiḥ yac cintyate ’ntar hṛdi bhāva-yuktair mumukṣubhiḥ karma-mayoru-pāśāt
The demigods began to speak: Our dear Lord, advanced mystic yogīs, striving for liberation from the severe bondage of material work, meditate with great devotion upon Your lotus feet within their hearts. Dedicating our intelligence, senses, vital air, mind and power of speech to Your Lordship, we demigods bow down at Your lotus feet.
त्वं मायया त्रिगुणयात्मनि दुर्विभाव्यं व्यक्तं सृजस्यवसि लुम्पसि तद्गुणस्थ: । नैतैर्भवानजित कर्मभिरज्यते वै यत् स्वे सुखेऽव्यवहितेऽभिरतोऽनवद्य: ॥ ८ ॥
tvaṁ māyayā tri-guṇayātmani durvibhāvyaṁ vyaktaṁ sṛjasy avasi lumpasi tad-guṇa-sthaḥ naitair bhavān ajita karmabhir ajyate vai yat sve sukhe ’vyavahite ’bhirato ’navadyaḥ
O unconquerable Lord, You engage Your illusory energy, composed of three modes, to unleash, maintain and devastate the inconceivable manifest cosmos, all within Your own self. As the supreme superintendent of māyā, You appear to be situated in the interaction of the modes of nature; however, You are never affected by material activities. In fact, You are directly engaged in Your own eternal, spiritual bliss, and thus You cannot be accused of any material infection.
शुद्धिर्नृणां न तु तथेड्य दुराशयानां विद्याश्रुताध्ययनदानतप:क्रियाभि: । सत्त्वात्मनामृषभ ते यशसि प्रवृद्ध- सच्छ्रद्धया श्रवणसम्भृतया यथा स्यात् ॥ ९ ॥
śuddhir nṛṇāṁ na tu tatheḍya durāśayānāṁ vidyā-śrutādhyayana-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyābhiḥ sattvātmanām ṛṣabha te yaśasi pravṛddha- sac-chraddhayā śravaṇa-sambhṛtayā yathā syāt
O greatest of all, those whose consciousness is polluted by illusion cannot purify themselves merely by ordinary worship, study of the Vedas, charity, austerity and ritual activities. Our Lord, those pure souls who have developed a powerful transcendental faith in Your glories achieve a purified state of existence that can never be attained by those lacking such faith.
स्यान्नस्तवाङ्घ्रिरशुभाशयधूमकेतु: क्षेमाय यो मुनिभिरार्द्रहृदोह्यमान: । य: सात्वतै: समविभूतय आत्मवद्भि- र्व्यूहेऽर्चित: सवनश: स्वरतिक्रमाय ॥ १० ॥
syān nas tavāṅghrir aśubhāśaya-dhūmaketuḥ kṣemāya yo munibhir ārdra-hṛdohyamānaḥ yaḥ sātvataiḥ sama-vibhūtaya ātmavadbhir vyūhe ’rcitaḥ savanaśaḥ svar-atikramāya
Great sages, desiring the highest benefit in life, always cherish Your lotus feet within their hearts, which are melted by love for You. Similarly, Your self-controlled devotees, desiring to cross beyond the material kingdom of heaven to achieve opulence equal to Yours, worship Your lotus feet in the morning, at noon and in the evening. Thus, they meditate upon Your Lordship in Your quadruple expansion. Your lotus feet are just like a blazing fire that burns to ashes all the inauspicious desires for material sense gratification.
यश्चिन्त्यते प्रयतपाणिभिरध्वराग्नौ त्रय्या निरुक्तविधिनेश हविर्गृहीत्वा । अध्यात्मयोग उत योगिभिरात्ममायां जिज्ञासुभि: परमभागवतै: परीष्ट: ॥ ११ ॥
yaś cintyate prayata-pāṇibhir adhvarāgnau trayyā nirukta-vidhineśa havir gṛhītvā adhyātma-yoga uta yogibhir ātma-māyāṁ jijñāsubhiḥ parama-bhāgavataiḥ parīṣṭaḥ
Those about to offer oblations into the fire of sacrifice in accordance with the Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma Vedas meditate on Your lotus feet. Similarly, the practitioners of transcendental yoga meditate upon Your lotus feet, hoping for knowledge about Your divine mystic potency, and the most elevated pure devotees perfectly worship Your lotus feet, desiring to cross beyond Your illusory potency.
पर्युष्टया तव विभो वनमालयेयं संस्पार्धिनी भगवती प्रतिपत्नीवच्छ्री: । य: सुप्रणीतममुयार्हणमाददन्नो भूयात् सदाङ्घ्रिरशुभाशयधूमकेतु: ॥ १२ ॥
paryuṣṭayā tava vibho vana-mālayeyaṁ saṁspārdhinī bhagavatī pratipatnī-vac chrīḥ yaḥ su-praṇītam amuyārhaṇam ādadan no bhūyāt sadāṅghrir aśubhāśaya-dhūmaketuḥ
O almighty Lord, You are so kind to Your servants that You have accepted the withered flower garland that we have placed on Your chest. Since the goddess of fortune makes her abode on Your transcendental chest, she will undoubtedly become agitated, like a jealous co-wife, upon seeing our offering also dwelling there. Yet You are so merciful that You neglect Your eternal consort Lakṣmī and accept our offering as most excellent worship. O merciful Lord, may Your lotus feet always act as a blazing fire to consume the inauspicious desires within our hearts.
केतुस्त्रिविक्रमयुतस्त्रिपतत्पताको यस्ते भयाभयकरोऽसुरदेवचम्वो: । स्वर्गाय साधुषु खलेष्वितराय भूमन् पाद: पुनातु भगवन् भजतामघं न: ॥ १३ ॥
ketus tri-vikrama-yutas tri-patat-patāko yas te bhayābhaya-karo ’sura-deva-camvoḥ svargāya sādhuṣu khaleṣv itarāya bhūman padaḥ punātu bhagavan bhajatām aghaṁ naḥ
O omnipotent Lord, in Your incarnation as Trivikrama, You raised Your leg like a flagpole to break the shell of the universe, allowing the holy Ganges to flow down, like a banner of victory, in three branches throughout the three planetary systems. By three mighty steps of Your lotus feet, Your Lordship captured Bali Mahārāja, along with his universal kingdom. Your lotus feet inspire fear in the demons by driving them down to hell and fearlessness among Your devotees by elevating them to the perfection of heavenly life. We are sincerely trying to worship You, our Lord; therefore may Your lotus feet kindly free us from all of our sinful reactions.
नस्योतगाव इव यस्य वशे भवन्ति ब्रह्मादयस्तनुभृतो मिथुरर्द्यमाना: । कालस्य ते प्रकृतिपूरुषयो: परस्य शं नस्तनोतु चरण: पुरुषोत्तमस्य ॥ १४ ॥
nasy ota-gāva iva yasya vaśe bhavanti brahmādayas tanu-bhṛto mithur ardyamānāḥ kālasya te prakṛti-pūruṣayoḥ parasya śaṁ nas tanotu caraṇaḥ puruṣottamasya
You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the transcendental entity who is superior to both material nature and the enjoyer of nature. May Your lotus feet bestow transcendental pleasure upon us. All of the great demigods, beginning with Brahmā, are embodied living entities. Struggling painfully with one another under the strict control of Your time factor, they are just like bulls dragged by ropes tied through their pierced noses.
अस्यासि हेतुरुदयस्थितिसंयमाना- मव्यक्तजीवमहतामपि कालमाहु: । सोऽयं त्रिणाभिरखिलापचये प्रवृत्त: कालो गभीररय उत्तमपूरुषस्त्वम् ॥ १५ ॥
asyāsi hetur udaya-sthiti-saṁyamānām avyakta-jīva-mahatām api kālam āhuḥ so ’yaṁ tri-ṇābhir akhilāpacaye pravṛttaḥ kālo gabhīra-raya uttama-pūruṣas tvam
You are the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe. As time, You regulate the subtle and manifest states of material nature and control every living being. As the threefold wheel of time You diminish all things by Your imperceptible actions, and thus You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
त्वत्त: पुमान् समधिगम्य ययास्य वीर्यं धत्ते महान्तमिव गर्भममोघवीर्य: । सोऽयं तयानुगत आत्मन आण्डकोशं हैमं ससर्ज बहिरावरणैरुपेतम् ॥ १६ ॥
tvattaḥ pumān samadhigamya yayāsya vīryaṁ dhatte mahāntam iva garbham amogha-vīryaḥ so ’yaṁ tayānugata ātmana āṇḍa-kośaṁ haimaṁ sasarja bahir āvaraṇair upetam
My dear Lord, the original puruṣa-avatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu, acquires His creative potency from You. Thus with infallible energy He impregnates material nature, producing the mahat-tattva. Then the mahat-tattva, the amalgamated material energy, endowed with the potency of the Lord, produces from itself the primeval golden egg of the universe, which is covered by various layers of material elements.
तत्तस्थूषश्च जगतश्च भवानधीशो यन्माययोत्थगुणविक्रिययोपनीतान् । अर्थाञ्जुषन्नपि हृषीकपते न लिप्तो येऽन्ये स्वत: परिहृतादपि बिभ्यति स्म ॥ १७ ॥
tat tasthūṣaś ca jagataś ca bhavān adhīśo yan māyayottha-guṇa-vikriyayopanītān arthāñ juṣann api hṛṣīka-pate na lipto ye ’nye svataḥ parihṛtād api bibhyati sma
O Lord, You are the supreme creator of this universe and the ultimate controller of all moving and nonmoving living entities. You are Hṛṣīkeśa, the supreme controller of all sensory activity, and thus You never become contaminated or entangled in the course of Your supervision of the infinite sensory activities within the material creation. On the other hand, other living entities, even yogīs and philosophers, are disturbed and frightened simply by remembering the material objects that they have supposedly renounced in their pursuit of enlightenment.
स्मायावलोकलवदर्शितभावहारि- भ्रूमण्डलप्रहितसौरतमन्त्रशौण्डै: । पत्न्यस्तु षोडशसहस्रमनङ्गबाणै- र्यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं करणैर्न विभ्व्य: ॥ १८ ॥
smāyāvaloka-lava-darśita-bhāva-hāri- bhrū-maṇḍala-prahita-saurata-mantra-śauṇḍaiḥ patnyas tu ṣoḍaśa-sahasram anaṅga-bāṇair yasyendriyaṁ vimathituṁ karaṇair na vibhvyaḥ
My Lord, You are living with sixteen thousand exquisitely beautiful, aristocratic wives. By their irresistible coy and smiling glances and by their lovely arching eyebrows, they send You messages of eager conjugal love. But they are completely unable to disturb the mind and senses of Your Lordship.
विभ्व्यस्तवामृतकथोदवहास्त्रिलोक्या: पादावनेजसरित: शमलानि हन्तुम् । आनुश्रवं श्रुतिभिरङ्घ्रिजमङ्गसङ्गै- स्तीर्थद्वयं शुचिषदस्त उपस्पृशन्ति ॥ १९ ॥
vibhvyas tavāmṛta-kathoda-vahās tri-lokyāḥ pādāvane-ja-saritaḥ śamalāni hantum ānuśravaṁ śrutibhir aṅghri-jam aṅga-saṅgais tīrtha-dvayaṁ śuci-ṣadas ta upaspṛśanti
The nectar-bearing rivers of discussions about You, and also the holy rivers generated from the bathing of Your lotus feet, are able to destroy all contamination within the three worlds. Those who are striving for purification associate with the holy narrations of Your glories by hearing them with their ears, and they associate with the holy rivers flowing from Your lotus feet by physically bathing in them.
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच इत्यभिष्टूय विबुधै: सेश: शतधृतिर्हरिम् । अभ्यभाषत गोविन्दं प्रणम्याम्बरमाश्रित: ॥ २० ॥
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca ity abhiṣṭūya vibudhaiḥ seśaḥ śata-dhṛtir harim abhyabhāṣata govindaṁ praṇamyāmbaram āśritaḥ
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After Brahmā, along with Lord Śiva and the other demigods, thus offered prayers to the Supreme Lord, Govinda, Lord Brahmā situated himself in the sky and addressed the Lord as follows.
श्रीब्रह्मोवाच भूमेर्भारावताराय पुरा विज्ञापित: प्रभो । त्वमस्माभिरशेषात्मन्तत्तथैवोपपादितम् ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-brahmovāca bhūmer bhārāvatārāya purā vijñāpitaḥ prabho tvam asmābhir aśeṣātman tat tathaivopapāditam
Lord Brahmā said: My dear Lord, previously we requested You to remove the burden of the earth. O unlimited Personality of Godhead, that request has certainly been fulfilled.
धर्मश्च स्थापित: सत्सु सत्यसन्धेषु वै त्वया । कीर्तिश्च दिक्षु विक्षिप्ता सर्वलोकमलापहा ॥ २२ ॥
dharmaś ca sthāpitaḥ satsu satya-sandheṣu vai tvayā kīrtiś ca dikṣu vikṣiptā sarva-loka-malāpahā
My Lord, You have reestablished the principles of religion among pious men who are always firmly bound to the truth. You have also distributed Your glories all over the world, and thus the whole world can be purified by hearing about You.
अवतीर्य यदोर्वंशे बिभ्रद् रूपमनुत्तमम् । कर्माण्युद्दामवृत्तानि हिताय जगतोऽकृथा: ॥ २३ ॥
avatīrya yador vaṁśe bibhrad rūpam anuttamam karmāṇy uddāma-vṛttāni hitāya jagato ’kṛthāḥ
Descending into the dynasty of King Yadu, You have manifested Your unique transcendental form, and for the benefit of the entire universe You have executed magnanimous transcendental activities.
यानि ते चरितानीश मनुष्या: साधव: कलौ । शृण्वन्त: कीर्तयन्तश्च तरिष्यन्त्यञ्जसा तम: ॥ २४ ॥
yāni te caritānīśa manuṣyāḥ sādhavaḥ kalau śṛṇvantaḥ kīrtayantaś ca tariṣyanty añjasā tamaḥ
My dear Lord, those pious and saintly persons who in the Age of Kali hear about Your transcendental activities and also glorify them will easily cross over the darkness of the age.
यदुवंशेऽवतीर्णस्य भवत: पुरुषोत्तम । शरच्छतं व्यतीयाय पञ्चविंशाधिकं प्रभो ॥ २५ ॥
yadu-vaṁśe ’vatīrṇasya bhavataḥ puruṣottama śarac-chataṁ vyatīyāya pañca-viṁśādhikaṁ prabho
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O my Lord, You have descended into the Yadu dynasty, and thus You have spent one hundred twenty-five autumns with Your devotees.
नाधुना तेऽखिलाधार देवकार्यावशेषितम् । कुलं च विप्रशापेन नष्टप्रायमभूदिदम् ॥ २६ ॥ तत: स्वधाम परमं विशस्व यदि मन्यसे । सलोकाँल्लोकपालान् न: पाहि वैकुण्ठकिङ्करान् ॥ २७ ॥
nādhunā te ’khilādhāra deva-kāryāvaśeṣitam kulaṁ ca vipra-śāpena naṣṭa-prāyam abhūd idam tataḥ sva-dhāma paramaṁ viśasva yadi manyase sa-lokāl loka-pālān naḥ pāhi vaikuṇṭha-kiṅkarān
My dear Lord, there is nothing remaining at this time for Your Lordship to do on behalf of the demigods. You have already withdrawn Your dynasty by the curse of the brāhmaṇas. O Lord, You are the basis of everything, and if You so desire, kindly return now to Your own abode in the spiritual world. At the same time, we humbly beg that You always protect us. We are Your humble servants, and on Your behalf we are managing the universal situation. We, along with our planets and followers, require Your constant protection.
श्रीभगवानुवाच अवधारितमेतन्मे यदात्थ विबुधेश्वर । कृतं व: कार्यमखिलं भूमेर्भारोऽवतारित: ॥ २८ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca avadhāritam etan me yad āttha vibudheśvara kṛtaṁ vaḥ kāryam akhilaṁ bhūmer bhāro ’vatāritaḥ
The Supreme Lord said: O lord of the demigods, Brahmā, I understand your prayers and request. Having removed the burden of the earth, I have executed everything that was required on your behalf.
तदिदं यादवकुलं वीर्यशौर्यश्रियोद्धतम् । लोकं जिघृक्षद् रुद्धं मे वेलयेव महार्णव: ॥ २९ ॥
tad idaṁ yādava-kulaṁ vīrya-śaurya-śriyoddhatam lokaṁ jighṛkṣad ruddhaṁ me velayeva mahārṇavaḥ
That very Yādava dynasty in which I appeared became greatly magnified in opulence, especially in their physical strength and courage, to the extent that they threatened to devour the whole world. Therefore I have stopped them, just as the shore holds back the great ocean.
यद्यसंहृत्य दृप्तानां यदूनां विपुलं कुलम् । गन्तास्म्यनेन लोकोऽयमुद्वेलेन विनङ्क्ष्यति ॥ ३० ॥
yady asaṁhṛtya dṛptānāṁ yadūnāṁ vipulaṁ kulam gantāsmy anena loko ’yam udvelena vinaṅkṣyati
If I were to leave this world without withdrawing the overly proud members of the Yadu dynasty, the whole world would be destroyed by the deluge of their unlimited expansion.
इदानीं नाश आरब्ध: कुलस्य द्विजशापज: । यास्यामि भवनं ब्रह्मन्नेतदन्ते तवानघ ॥ ३१ ॥
idānīṁ nāśa ārabdhaḥ kulasya dvija-śāpa-jaḥ yāsyāmi bhavanaṁ brahmann etad-ante tavānagha
Now due to the brāhmaṇas’ curse, the annihilation of My family has already begun. O sinless Brahmā, when this annihilation is finished and I am enroute to Vaikuṇṭha, I will pay a small visit to your abode.
श्रीशुक उवाच इत्युक्तो लोकनाथेन स्वयम्भू: प्रणिपत्य तम् । सह देवगणैर्देव: स्वधाम समपद्यत ॥ ३२ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca ity ukto loka-nāthena svayam-bhūḥ praṇipatya tam saha deva-gaṇair devaḥ sva-dhāma samapadyata
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus addressed by the Lord of the universe, the self-born Brahmā fell down in obeisances at the lotus feet of the Lord. Surrounded by all the demigods, the great Brahmā then returned to his personal abode.
अथ तस्यां महोत्पातान् द्वारवत्यां समुत्थितान् । विलोक्य भगवानाह यदुवृद्धान् समागतान् ॥ ३३ ॥
atha tasyāṁ mahotpātān dvāravatyāṁ samutthitān vilokya bhagavān āha yadu-vṛddhān samāgatān
Thereafter, the Personality of Godhead observed that tremendous disturbances were taking place in the holy city of Dvārakā. Thus the Lord spoke to the assembled senior members of the Yadu dynasty as follows.
श्रीभगवानुवाच एते वै सुमहोत्पाता व्युत्तिष्ठन्तीह सर्वत: । शापश्च न: कुलस्यासीद् ब्राह्मणेभ्यो दुरत्यय: ॥ ३४ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca ete vai su-mahotpātā vyuttiṣṭhantīha sarvataḥ śāpaś ca naḥ kulasyāsīd brāhmaṇebhyo duratyayaḥ
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Our dynasty has been cursed by the brāhmaṇas. Such a curse is impossible to counteract, and thus great disturbances are appearing everywhere around us.
न वस्तव्यमिहास्माभिर्जिजीविषुभिरार्यका: । प्रभासं सुमहत्पुण्यं यास्यामोऽद्यैव मा चिरम् ॥ ३५ ॥
na vastavyam ihāsmābhir jijīviṣubhir āryakāḥ prabhāsaṁ su-mahat-puṇyaṁ yāsyāmo ’dyaiva mā ciram
My dear respected elders, we must not remain any longer in this place if we wish to keep our lives intact. Let us go this very day to the most pious place Prabhāsa. We have no time to delay.
यत्र स्नात्वा दक्षशापाद् गृहीतो यक्ष्मणोडुराट् । विमुक्त: किल्बिषात् सद्यो भेजे भूय: कलोदयम् ॥ ३६ ॥
yatra snātvā dakṣa-śāpād gṛhīto yakṣmaṇodu-rāṭ vimuktaḥ kilbiṣāt sadyo bheje bhūyaḥ kalodayam
Once, the moon was afflicted with consumption because of the curse of Dakṣa, but just by taking bath at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, the moon was immediately freed from his sinful reaction and again resumed the waxing of his phases.
वयं च तस्मिन्नाप्लुत्य तर्पयित्वा पितृन् सुरान् । भोजयित्वोषिजो विप्रान् नानागुणवतान्धसा ॥ ३७ ॥ तेषु दानानि पात्रेषु श्रद्धयोप्त्वा महान्ति वै । वृजिनानि तरिष्यामो दानैर्नौभिरिवार्णवम् ॥ ३८ ॥
vayaṁ ca tasminn āplutya tarpayitvā pitṝn surān bhojayitvoṣijo viprān nānā-guṇavatāndhasā teṣu dānāni pātreṣu śraddhayoptvā mahānti vai vṛjināni tariṣyāmo dānair naubhir ivārṇavam
By bathing at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, by offering sacrifice there to placate the forefathers and demigods, by feeding the worshipable brāhmaṇas with various delicious foodstuffs and by bestowing opulent gifts upon them as the most suitable candidates for charity, we will certainly cross over these terrible dangers through such acts of charity, just as one can cross over a great ocean in a suitable boat.
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं भगवतादिष्टा यादवा: कुरुनन्दन । गन्तुं कृतधियस्तीर्थं स्यन्दनान् समयूयुजन् ॥ ३९ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ bhagavatādiṣṭā yādavāḥ kuru-nandana gantuṁ kṛta-dhiyas tīrthaṁ syandanān samayūyujan
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O favorite son of the Kurus, thus advised by the Personality of Godhead, the Yādavas made up their minds to go to that holy place, Prabhāsa-kṣetra, and thus yoked their horses to their chariots.
तन्निरीक्ष्योद्धवो राजन् श्रुत्वा भगवतोदितम् । दृष्ट्वारिष्टानि घोराणि नित्यं कृष्णमनुव्रत: ॥ ४० ॥ विविक्त उपसङ्गम्य जगतामीश्वरेश्वरम् । प्रणम्य शिरसा पादौ प्राञ्जलिस्तमभाषत ॥ ४१ ॥
tan nirīkṣyoddhavo rājan śrutvā bhagavatoditam dṛṣṭvāriṣṭāni ghorāṇi nityaṁ kṛṣṇam anuvrataḥ vivikta upasaṅgamya jagatām īśvareśvaram praṇamya śirasā pādau prāñjalis tam abhāṣata
My dear King, Uddhava was a constantly faithful follower of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Upon seeing the imminent departure of the Yādavas, hearing from them of the Lord’s instructions and taking note of the fearful omens, he approached the Personality of Godhead in a private place. He bowed down with his head at the lotus feet of the supreme controller of the universe and with folded hands addressed Him as follows.
श्रीउद्धव उवाच देवदेवेश योगेश पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन । संहृत्यैतत् कुलं नूनं लोकं सन्त्यक्ष्यते भवान् । विप्रशापं समर्थोऽपि प्रत्यहन्न यदीश्वर: ॥ ४२ ॥
śrī-uddhava uvāca deva-deveśa yogeśa puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana saṁhṛtyaitat kulaṁ nūnaṁ lokaṁ santyakṣyate bhavān vipra-śāpaṁ samartho ’pi pratyahan na yad īśvaraḥ
Śrī Uddhava said: O my Lord, O supreme God among all the demigods, real piety is invoked simply by hearing and chanting Your transcendental glories. My Lord, it appears that You will now withdraw Your dynasty, and thus You Yourself will finally give up Your pastimes within this universe. You are the supreme controller and the master of all mystic power. But although You are fully capable of counteracting the brāhmaṇas’ curse against Your dynasty, You are not doing so, and Your disappearance is imminent.
नाहं तवाङ्घ्रिकमलं क्षणार्धमपि केशव । त्यक्तुं समुत्सहे नाथ स्वधाम नय मामपि ॥ ४३ ॥
nāhaṁ tavāṅghri-kamalaṁ kṣaṇārdham api keśava tyaktuṁ samutsahe nātha sva-dhāma naya mām api
O Lord Keśava, my dear master, I cannot tolerate giving up Your lotus feet even for a fraction of a moment. I urge You to take me along with You to Your own abode.
तव विक्रीडितं कृष्ण नृणां परममङ्गलम् । कर्णपीयूषमासाद्य त्यजन्त्यन्यस्पृहां जना: ॥ ४४ ॥
tava vikrīḍitaṁ kṛṣṇa nṛṇāṁ parama-maṅgalam karṇa-pīyūṣam āsādya tyajanty anya-spṛhāṁ janāḥ
O my dear Kṛṣṇa, Your pastimes are supremely auspicious for mankind and are an intoxicating beverage for the ears. Tasting such pastimes, people forget their desires for other things.
शय्यासनाटनस्थानस्नानक्रीडाशनादिषु । कथं त्वां प्रियमात्मानं वयं भक्तास्त्यजेमहि ॥ ४५ ॥
śayyāsanāṭana-sthāna- snāna-krīḍāśanādiṣu kathaṁ tvāṁ priyam ātmānaṁ vayaṁ bhaktās tyajema hi
My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Soul, and thus You are most dear to us. We are Your devotees, and how can we possibly reject You or live without You even for a moment? Whether we are lying down, sitting, walking, standing, bathing, enjoying recreation, eating or doing anything else, we are constantly engaged in Your service.
त्वयोपभुक्तस्रग्गन्धवासोऽलङ्कारचर्चिता: । उच्छिष्टभोजिनो दासास्तव मायां जयेमहि ॥ ४६ ॥
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha- vāso-’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayema hi
Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy.
वातवसना य ऋषय: श्रमणा ऊर्ध्वमन्थिन: । ब्रह्माख्यं धाम ते यान्ति शान्ता: सन्न्यासीनोऽमला: ॥ ४७ ॥
vāta-vasanā ya ṛṣayaḥ śramaṇā ūrdhra-manthinaḥ brahmākhyaṁ dhāma te yānti śāntāḥ sannyāsino ’malāḥ
Naked sages who seriously endeavor in spiritual practice, who have raised their semen upward, who are peaceful and sinless members of the renounced order, attain the spiritual abode called Brahman.
वयं त्विह महायोगिन् भ्रमन्त: कर्मवर्त्मसु । त्वद्वार्तया तरिष्यामस्तावकैर्दुस्तरं तम: ॥ ४८ ॥ स्मरन्त: कीर्तयन्तस्ते कृतानि गदितानि च । गत्युत्स्मितेक्षणक्ष्वेलि यन्नृलोकविडम्बनम् ॥ ४९ ॥
vayaṁ tv iha mahā-yogin bhramantaḥ karma-vartmasu tvad-vārtayā tariṣyāmas tāvakair dustaraṁ tamaḥ smarantaḥ kīrtayantas te kṛtāni gaditāni ca gaty-utsmitekṣaṇa-kṣveli yan nṛ-loka-viḍambanam
O greatest of mystics, although we are conditioned souls wandering on the path of fruitive work, we will certainly cross beyond the darkness of this material world simply by hearing about Your Lordship in the association of Your devotees. Thus we are always remembering and glorifying the wonderful things You do and the wonderful things You say. We ecstatically recall Your amorous pastimes with Your confidential conjugal devotees and how You boldly smile and move about while engaged in such youthful pastimes. My dear Lord, Your loving pastimes are bewilderingly similar to the activities of ordinary people within this material world.
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं विज्ञापितो राजन् भगवान् देवकीसुत: । एकान्तिनं प्रियं भृत्यमुद्धवं समभाषत ॥ ५० ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ vijñāpito rājan bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ ekāntinaṁ priyaṁ bhṛtyam uddhavaṁ samabhāṣata
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, thus addressed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, began to reply confidentially to His dear, unalloyed servant Uddhava.
