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Bhag3 4
Bhag3 4
Departure of Uddhava
| 3.4.1 ||
uddhava uvca
atha te tad-anujt
bhuktv ptv ca vrum
tay vibhraita-jn
duruktair marma paspu
Uddhava said: Then taking the permission of Ka, they ate
and drank wine. Losing their intelligence by the wine, they
touched each others vulnerable spots with harsh words.
In the Fourth Chapter, having heard from Uddhava of the
disappearance of Ka and his dynasty, Vidura, went to Maitreya to
receive instructions. Taking permission from Ka or the brhmaas,
the Yadus ate. They mutually insulted each other.
|| 3.4.2 ||
te maireya-doea
viamkta-cetasm
nimlocati ravv sd
venm iva mardanam
As the sun was setting, with consciousness distorted by
intoxication of liquor, they destroyed each other, just as
bamboos by mutual friction start a fire and destroy the whole
forest.
By the fault of liquor (maireya) they destroyed each other (mardanam)
as the sun was setting (nimlocati).
|| 3.4.3 ||
bhagavn svtma-myy
gati tm avalokya sa
sarasvatm upaspya
vka-mlam upviat
Seeing this action of his my, Ka, sipping the water of the
Sarasvat River, sat down under a tree.
How could the Lord, compassion to the elevated and fallen souls,
witness the killing of his servants, sons, grandsons, persons most dear
like Pradyumna, arranged by himself? This verse answers. This was
the action (gatim) of my. It was a convincing display by which
common people would think that the Ydavas were destroyed quickly
by killing each other. This my belonged to the Lord (svtm-my).
That my therefore could never bewilder him, since the nature of
my is that it does not bewilder its controller. Therefore it is said that
the Lord saw this action of my. The Ydavas such as Pradyumna,
eternal associates in his pastimes, actually remained in Dvrak. The
devats who had entered into various Ydavas separating themselves
from those Ydavas, came to Prabhsa in those separate forms, ate,
drank wine and, with the Lords permission, returned to Svarga. This is
they meaning of the tad-anujt, mentioned in the first verse: they
took his permission and returned to their abodes in Svarga.
Since Balarma, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are part of the caturvyha,
they are eternally with the Lord. Padma Pura makes the following
statements:
ete hi ydav sarve madga eva bhmini
These Ydavas are all my people, dear lady!
sarvad mat-priy devi mat-tulya-gua-lina
They are eternally dear to me and equal in qualities to me, O goddess!
yath saumitribharatau yath sakaradaya
tath tenaiva jyante nija-lokad-yadcchay
They appear on earth by their own will from their spiritual planet, as
Lakmaa, Bhrata and Sakarsaa.
In Hari-vaa Akrura says:
devnca hitrthya vaya prpt manuyatm
For helping the devats we have appeared as humans on earth.
Because the Ydavas are eternal associates of the Lord, they will never
be destroyed. And even the continuing posts of the devats such as
Guha (Krtikeya) who had entered into mba and others should not
be destroyed. Thus the whole mauala pastime is illusory. Though it is
illusory, since it is included in the pastimes of Ka, it is accepted by
the inconceivable yoga-my and is eternal, existing even in the
absence of the material creation.1
|| 3.4.4 ||
aha cokto bhagavat
prapannrti-harea ha
badar tva prayhti
sva-kula sajihru
It is eternal in the sense that when Ka appears in a universe, he then disappears
using this pastime.
1
Searching for my dear Lord, who has no abode, and who is the
abode of Lakm, I saw him alone, taking shelter of the bank
of the Sarasvat River.
Ka is addressed as having no shelter because he is the shelter of all
material and spiritual entities. Everything takes shelter of him.
|| 3.4.7 ||
ymvadta viraja
prantrua-locanam
dorbhi caturbhir vidita
pta-kaumbarea ca
He had a glowing dark complexion, and tranquil, red eyes. He
was pure, devoid of material qualities. I could recognize him by
his yellow silk cloth and four arms.
|| 3.4.8 ||
vma rv adhiritya
dakighri-saroruham
apritrbhakvattham
aka tyakta-pippalam
His right foot was placed on his left thigh and he was leaning
against a young avattha tree. Giving up his pastimes in this
world, he was blissful.
He had his right foot placed over (adhiritya) his left thigh. His back
was leaning against (aprita) a young avattha tree. The derivation of
avattha is na va tihati: what does not last till tomorrow (vas
means tomorrow). This refers to the material world made of five
elements, which is temporary. My stands behind the Lord. May
materialistic people not see me! This is the intention of Kas action
of leaning against the avattha tree. The tree is described as young to
indicate that among all the universes, this universe is very small.
Tyakta-pippalam means that Lord had given up his pastimes in this
world, since the word pippala refers to the material happiness in the
rutis.2
dv supar sayuj sakhy
samna vka pariasvajte
tayor anya pippala svdv atty
ananann anyo bhickati
2
Two companion birds sit together in the shelter of the same pippala tree. One of them
is relishing the taste of the trees berries, while the other refrains from eating and
instead watches over His friend. vetvatara Upaniad 4.6
|| 3.4.9 ||
tasmin mah-bhgavato
dvaipyana-suht-sakh
lokn anucaran siddha
sasda yadcchay
The great devotee Maitreya, friend of Vyasadeva, while
walking the earth, suddenly appeared at that famous place.
Maitreya is called a close friend of Dvaipyana because he was like a
son to his guru, Parara, who was Vysadevas father. Yadcchay
means suddenly.
|| 3.4.10 ||
tasynuraktasya muner mukunda
pramoda-bhvnata-kandharasya
vato mm anurga-hsasamkay viramayann uvca
Ka spoke to the sage Maitreya, who was attached to the
Lord, and attentive to listening, whose head was bowed out of
love and joy, while glancing at me with affection and smiling.
This relieved me of fatigue.
Though Maitreya is described by Uddhava with many pleasing words,
Ka actually spoke to Uddhava, since he had more prema than
Maitreya. Thus the words describing Maitreya are in the genitive case,
to show less respect to him. Ka glanced, showing (hsa) his
affection (anurga). Or Ka glanced with smiling and affection.
|| 3.4.11 ||
r-bhagavn uvca
vedham antar manaspsita te
dadmi yat tad duravpam anyai
satre pur viva-sj vasn
mat-siddhi-kmena vaso tvayea
The Lord said: I know the desire in your heart. I will give you
what is rarely attained by others. At a sacrifice performed by
Brahm and the Vasus, you worshipped me with a desire to
attain me.
Veda stands from vedmi (I know). I will give you what is difficult for
others to attain (duravpam anyai), because you were previously
See SB 2.8.28.
pratikanugraha-bhjano ham
snehottha-rom skhalitkaras ta
muca chuca prjalir babhe
When the Lord respected and spoke to me in this way, I
became the recipient of the Supreme Lords mercy at every
moment. My hairs stood on end in prema and my voice choked
up. Tears flowing from my eyes, I spoke with folded hands.
In this way the Lord respected and spoke to me. Pratkaa means
consideration. The Lord had previously considered, No one except
Uddhava knows about counseling. He should come to me. This will
happen in the future. If the version is pratikaa it means at every
moment. I was the recipient of his mercy at every moment, or I was
the recipient of his mercy after he considered that I should get the
instructions. uca means tears.
|| 3.4.15 ||
ko nv a te pda-saroja-bhj
sudurlabho rtheu caturv apha
tathpi nha pravomi bhman
bhavat-padmbhoja-nievaotsuka
What among the four goals of artha, dharma, kma and moka
is difficult to achieve for one who worships your lotus feet? O
Lord! I therefore do not accept these things, since I am
enthusiastically engaged in serving your lotus feet.
Do you desire to give knowledge of yourself so that I, your servant, can
attain srpya or liberation from the material world? Certainly not!
Among the four goals of dharma, artha, kma and moka which of
these is rare for those who worship your lotus feet? And jna without
these desires will bring about the result of liberation only by worship of
your lotus feet. I do not accept these things which are attained
automatically, since I am enthusiastically engaged in serving your lotus
feet. What use do I have for jna?
|| 3.4.16 ||
karmy anhasya bhavo bhavasya te
durgrayo thri-bhayt palyanam
kltmano yat pramad-yutrama
svtman-rate khidyati dhr vidm iha
You are without action but you perform action. You are without
birth, but you take birth. You are the form of time, but you
flee in fear of enemies and take shelter in a fort. You are self-
If contradiction was not a fact, then those wise sages would not have
been bewildered. Thus the inconceivable energy is the cause of the
pastimes of the Lord. Whenever the Lord desires, his inconceivable
energy makes its appearance and acts.
|| 3.4.20 ||
sa evam rdhita-pda-trthd
adhta-tattvtma-vibodha-mrga
praamya pdau parivtya devam
ihgato ha virahturtm
Having attained knowledge by learning the truth from the guru
in the form of the worshipable Lord, I offered respects to his
feet, circumambulated him and arrived here, my heart pained
by separation from him.
I (sa), having the path of knowledge of the Lord after studying it from
the guru (trtha) who was the worshipable Lord (rdhita-pda),
circumambulating him, I left. I did not see what the Lord did later.
|| 3.4.21 ||
so ha tad-daranhldaviyogrti-yuta prabho
gamiye dayita tasya
badaryrama-maalam
O Vidura! Joyous because of seeing Ka, and pained by
separation from him, I will now go to Badarikrama, his dear
place.
How will you live in pain of separation? At every moment I experience
joy from having met him, and sorrow because of separation from him.
Going to Badarikrama was the order of the Lord.
|| 3.4.22 ||
yatra nryao devo
nara ca bhagavn i
mdu tvra tapo drgha
tepte loka-bhvanau
There the Supreme Lord in the form of the sages Naranryaa, merciful to all, who give happiness to all people,
have been performing austerities difficult for others for a long
time.
There the Lords aa, Nryaa, dwells. They give happiness to all
(mdu) and have performed for a long time (drgham) austerity
difficult for others (tvram). They are the protectors of the world (lokabhvanau) or the producers of the world.
|| 3.4.23 ||
r-uka uvca
ity uddhavd upkarya
suhd dusaha vadham
jnenamayat katt
okam utpatita budha
ukadeva said: Hearing in this way from Uddhava about the
disappearance of his friends the Yadus, which was difficult to
bear, intelligent Vidura subdued his rising grief by knowledge.
Vidura heard in this way (iti) from Uddhava the intolerable destruction
of his friends. He was pacified by the knowledge arising from reviewing
what Uddhava said, starting from SB 3.2.7.
|| 3.4.24 ||
sa ta mah-bhgavata
vrajanta kauravarabha
virambhd abhyadhatteda
mukhya ka-parigrahe
The best of the Kurus, Vidura, then spoke out of great trust the
following words to the great devotee Uddhava, principle
recipient of Kas mercy, as Uddhava was about to leave.
Vivrambht means out of trust. Though Uddhava was younger than
himself, Uddhava controlled Ka (ka-parigrahe), and thus was
superior to him (mukhyam). Thus a younger person, superior in
bhakti, should be the guru for someone elder. Viduras words are the
proof of this.
|| 3.4.25 ||
vidura uvca
jna para svtma-raha-praka
yad ha yogevara varas te
vaktu bhavn no rhati yad dhi vior
bhty sva-bhtyrtha-kta caranti
You should tell to us that supreme knowledge revealing the
secrets about himself, which the master of yoga, the Supreme
from his Nryaas form, which had merged into him when he
appeared on earth.
Here is the answer. The contrivance of the brhmaas curse was only
a pretext for causing the disappearance of the Yadus from the material
world. The Lord, whose desire cannot be made useless (amogha) by
time, thought of withdrawing his clan by that means. He thought of
giving up a body which was spread beyond its limits (sphtam).
Though his eternity, knowledge and bliss is confined to his svarpa, it
was now overextended in the sense of being visible to the eyes of the
people in the material world.
There is the following rule. sa-vieae vidhi-niedhau viesaam
upasakrmata sati vieye bdhe: statements of affirmation and
denial change the meaning of their particular descriptive elements if
there is a contradiction to the principal subject.4 The word tyaksan
should follow this rule, acting as a descriptive, not as the main
subject.5 For example one can say, Caitra was the king. Giving up the
body, he burned it. The body refers to that of his wife who has died,
since it is impossible that he die and burn his own body. In the present
verse, tyakan deham cannot mean that the Lord gave up his body
and died, since his body is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Thus
Mah-varha Pura says:
sarve nity vat ca dehs tasya partmana
hnopdna-rahit naiva praktij kvacit
paramnanda sandoh jna-mtra ca sarvata
All the forms of the Lord are eternal, appearing constantly within the
material world with bodies of Paramtm, without any destructible
elements made of prakti.
This is confirmed in Madhvas commentary in which he quotes ruti:
vsudeva sakaraa pradumno niruddho haso matsya kurmo
varho narasiho vmano rmo rmo rma ko buddha kalki
raha
atadh ha sahasradh ham ito aham ananto ha naivete jyante
naite mriyante nai bandho na mukti sarve eva hyete pr ajar
amt paramnand
I am Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Hasa, Matsya
,Krma, Varha, Narasiha, Vmana, Rma, Paraurma, Balarma,
4
If the meaning of tyakyan deham contradicts the main subject Ka who has an
eternal body, the statement must have another meaning.
5
There are many statements in the ruti and smti showing that the
Lord has an eternal form. Thus if we take this verse to mean that
Ka gave up his body, it does not recognize the contradiction to
previous and later statements. Persons who take such a meaning have
a demonic mentality and are cheated of the nectar of prema-bhakti. If
the reading is nnam (instead of sphtam), it means certainly (nu)
lesser (nam), and modifies body (deham). This refers to an aa of
Ka, Nryaa. When Ka appeared, Nryaa appeared from
Vaikuha and entered into Kas form. Now to have Nryaa
again return to Vaikuha, he separated (tyakan) Nryaa from his
own body. According to the Sandarbha, the phrase means giving the
body of the earth (deham) to the devats like Brahm for protecting.
|| 3.4.30 ||
asml lokd uparate
mayi jna mad-rayam
arhaty uddhava evddh
sampraty tmavat vara
When I leave this planet, Uddhava, the best among those who
take me as their master, will be qualified to impart knowledge
about me.
When I disappear from this planet with my shower of sweet form,
qualities and pastimes, Uddhava will be qualified to know what I know
(mad-rayam). He is qualified, as my duplicate, to give knowledge to
the sages of Badarikrama who want to receive knowledge from my
mouth and want to see me. tmavatm means of those who take me,
tm, as their master.
|| 3.4.31 ||
noddhavo v api man-nyno
yad guair nrdita prabhu
ato mad-vayuna loka
grhayann iha tihatu
Uddhava is not less than me, because he is master of my
and not at all lacking in any spiritual quality. He should remain
on this earth, giving knowledge of me to the world.
This verse describes Uddhavas qualification as a replica of the Lord.
Uddhava is not all (anu) less than me, because (yad) he is not
disturbed by the guas like sattva. There are many jvan-muktas in
this world who are undisturbed by the guas. Are they not also equal to
the Lord? That is true. Therefore the following is the real meaning.
He is not at all pained by spiritual qualities of strength, intelligence
|| 3.4.33-35 ||
viduro py uddhavc chrutv
kasya paramtmana
krayoptta-dehasya
karmi lghitni ca
deha-nysa ca tasyaiva
dhr dhairya-vardhanam
anye dukaratara
pan viklavtmanm
tmna ca kuru-reha
kena manasekitam
dhyyan gate bhgavate
ruroda prema-vihvala
O Parkit! Hearing from Uddhava the glorious activities of
Ka, Paramtm, who has a body for pastimes, and hearing
of disappearance of the Yadus which increases the faith of the
intelligent and is incomprehensible to unintelligent person who
are like animals, Vidura, overcome with love for the Lord,
thinking that he was remembered by the Ka, began to
weep when Uddhava had departed.
Ka has permanently accepted (upa tta) a body because of his
pastimes. He is dependent on his ll-akti. By that akti his body
appears and disappears. By means of this akti, the bodies of the
Yadus (dhrnm) were offered (nysam) to the unmanifest form of
Dvrak. And also hearing about giving up bodies in Prabhsa
(indicated by the word ca), Vidura became firm in heart (dhairyavardhanam). Or dhairya-vardhanam can mean the disappearance
caused him to lose self-control, since vardha means to cut. These
disappearances are difficult to understand for others who are not
devotees, such as yogs. The yogs cannot understand how the Lord
can disappear in one place and a giving up his bodies in another place
as a show for the common people. Because those people are not
devotees they are called animals. Viklavtmanm means those with
disturbed minds.
|| 3.4.36 ||
klindy katibhi siddha
ahobhir bharatarabha
prpadyata sva-sarita
yatra mitr-suto muni