Site menuChapter 6: Retirement on the Advise of Brahmâ and Uddhava Addressed in Private
(1)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Then [after
Nârada had left] did lord Brahmâ surrounded by his sons,
the gods and the lords of man, arrive [in Dvârakâ] together
with Lord Bhava
[S'iva], for all living beings the controller favorable, who was
accompanied by a host of ghostly beings. (2-4) Indra the powerful controller and his gods
[the Maruts], the sons
of Aditi, the good of clarity [the Vasus], the protectors of health [the As'vins], the artists [the Ribhus], the descendants of Angirâ, the expansions of S'iva [the Rudras], the gods
of the intellect [the Vis'vedevas], and the gods of commerce [the Sâdhyas], and other demigods; the singers and
dancing girls of heaven [Gandharvas and Apsaras], the ones of excel [the Nâgas], the perfected [Siddhas] and the venerable [Câranas], the treasure keepers [Guhyakas], the seers [the Rishis], the
forefathers [Pitas]
as also the scientists [Vidyâdharas] and the ones of special talents [the Kinnaras] all together arrived in Dvârakâ
eager to see Krishna, the Supreme Lord who removes the impurities
everywhere in the universe and who with His transcendental form
enchanting the entire human society spreads His fame throughout all the
worlds. (5) In that resplendent city rich with a great
abundance saw they with their hungry eyes Lord Krishna who is so
wonderful to behold.
(6) With covering Him, the best of the Yadus, with flower garlands brought from the gardens of heaven praised they Him, the Lord of the Living Being, expressing themselves in ideas and words of charm. (7) The gods said: 'We with our intelligence, senses, vital air, mind and words bow down to Your lotus feet, o Lord, which are meditated upon within the heart by those who united in the love of striving for liberation from the powerful bondage to karmic reactions. (8) You, who by the material energy consisting of three modes, protects and destroys the manifestation with the inconceivable of Yourself, are situated within the modes of that material nature, but You are by these modes not entangled in karmic activities at all, o You Unconquerable One, since You, the Unimpeded and Unimpeachable One, are always absorbed in Your happiness [see also B.G. 3: 22]. (9) O Worshipable One, the purification of those persons who have a contaminated consciousness is not as much brought about by incantations, respecting injunctions, study of the scriptures, charity, penances and rituals, as by the faithful listening to the greatest of souls who situated in goodness have fully matured in Your transcendental glories [see also 4.29: 36-38]. (10) May there for us be the lotus feet, the fire that annihilates our inauspicious mentality and by the sages desiring the real benefit is carried in their appeased hearts, the fire that by the truthful of self-control is carried for gaining a likewise opulence; it is by worshiping three times a day Your forms [of soul, ego, mind and intelligence, the catur-vyûha] that one reaches beyond the heavens [see also 11.5: 34]. (11) They [Your
feet] are meditated upon by the ones who,
having folded their hands, pour the ghee into the fire of sacrifice in
the [nirukta]
process of understanding the three Vedas; they are meditated upon by
the yogapracticioners who, inquisitive about Your [yoga-]mâyâ, are united in the realization of the True
Self and [even more] perfectly are they worshiped by the elderly,
exemplary devotees [see uttama and 11.2:
45-47]. (12) S'rî, Your Lordship's consort, is with
our withered flower garland for You, o Almighty One, in this feeling as
challenged as a jealous co-wife because You accept our offering as
being properly brought [see also B.G. 9:
26]; may there always be the
lotus feet, the fire of the destruction of our impure desires! (13) Your feet that like a flag decorating a
flagpole with three mighty steps [defeat the possessiveness and bring
down the water of the Ganges] in each of the three worlds [see 8.20] create fear and fearlessness among the
Asuras and the godly their respective armies. For the saintly are they
there for the attainment of heaven and for the envious are they there
for just the opposite, o Most Powerful One. May these feet, o Supreme
Lord, free us who worship You from our sins. (14) As oxen bound [by the rope] through the nose
do Brahmâ and all the other embodied beings have their existence,
in which they being controlled by the Time struggle with each other.
May the lotus feet of You, the Supreme Personality in the beyond of
both the material nature ànd the individual person, for us
spread the transcendental fortune [compare 1.13: 42, 6.3:
12]. (15) You are the cause of this creation,
maintenance and annihilation, the cause of the unseen, the individual
soul and the greater of the manifest reality. They say that You, this
very same personality, are the factor of time controlling all who
appears as a threefold wheel, that You are the Supreme Personality who
in the form of Time uninterrupted in Your flow effects the diminution
of everything [*]. (16)
The masculine [of Mahâ-Vishnu] that from You [as father Time]
acquires the potent seed of this creation, impregnates the greater of
matter [mahat-tattva]. Therefrom generates He whose semen is
never wasted, joined with that same nature from the Self - just as an
ordinary fetus is produced - the golden primeval egg of the universe
endowed with its [seven] outer layers [see kosha]. (17)
With that are
You of everything mobile and stationary the original Controller,
because You Yourself o Master of the Senses, in Your activities are
never affected by the objects of the senses that manifested because of
the operating modes of nature, while others, acting on their own
account, live in fear because of them [see also B.G. 16:
23-24]. (18)
The sixteen thousand [of Your wives] were so enchanting the moments
when they, showing their feelings with their eyebrows, smiles and
glances, launched the arrows of Cupid. But with their messages and
advances of conjugal love, were they by all their devices not able to
perplex Your senses [see also 1.11: 36]. (19) The full rivers of Your nectarean topics and
the rivers resulting from the bathing of Your feet are able to destroy
all contamination of the three worlds. Those who strive for
purification and want to find association approach [You therefore] in
two ways, namely by making their ears listen to the stories offered by
the tradition and by bringing their bodies in contact with [the waters]
that flow from Your feet.'(20) The honorable son of Vyâsa [S'uka] said: 'Along with S'iva and the demigods thus praising Govinda, the Lord, offered he who commands the hundreds [of sages, Brahmâ], from his position in the sky, his obeisances. (21) S'rî Brahmâ said: 'O Lord, we requested You previously to diminish the burden of the earth. O Unlimited Soul, You have fulfilled that request the way we asked it. (22) Having established the principles of dharma among the pious and among the seekers of truth is it indeed Your glory by You spread in all directions, which removes the contamination of all the worlds. (23) Descending in the Yadu dynasty have You, for the benefit of the universe assuming a form, with magnanimous deeds performed incomparable activities. (24) O Lord, those saintly souls who in the age of Kali hear and chant about Your activities, will easily cross over the darkness [see also 10.14]. (25) O Supreme Personality, since Your descent in the Yadu-vams'a have one hundred and twenty-five autumns passed, o Master. (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].'
(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. (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. (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. (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.'
(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. (33) Following, when the Supreme Lord observed the development of serious disturbances in the city of Dvârakâ, spoke He to the assembled Yadu elders. (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. (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 [**]. (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. (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.'
(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. (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. (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! (43) I'm not even capable to tolerate it but for half a moment to give up on Your lotus feet, o Kes'ava; please take me along to Your abode o Master [see also 3.29: 13]. (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. (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? (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. (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]. (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.'
(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.'
