26 verses
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Then Lord Brahmā arrived at Prabhāsa along with Lord Śiva and his consort, the sages, the Prajāpatis and all the devatās headed by Indra.
draṣṭu-kāmā bhagavato niryāṇaṁ paramotsukāḥ gāyantaś ca gṛṇantaś ca śaureḥ karmāṇi janma ca The Pitṛs, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas and great serpents also came, along with the Cāraṇas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Kinnaras, Apsarās and relatives of Garuòa, greatly eager to witness the departure of the Lord. As they were coming, all these personalities variously chanted and glorified the birth and activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
O King, crowding the sky with their many airplanes, they showered flowers with great devotion.
Seeing Brahmā, the grandfather of the universe, along with the other devatās, who were his vibhūtis, the Lord fixed his mind within himself, and closed his eyes.
Without performing meditation to burn up his body, which was all-attractive to world and the object of all contemplation and meditation, Lord Kṛṣṇa entered into his abode.
The statements of the previous verse, this verse and later verses as well cannot be taken as being literally true. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the Lord rejected the erroneous process of dying at will which is practiced by yogīs. He did not burn up his body by meditating on fire, because his body was attractive to all people and was the object of contemplation and meditation. Others explain the verse as follows. Taking his body which was pure like gold, as if being taken from fire after heating it without being burned up, he entered his abode. The meaning is that the Lord showed doubtful persons that his body could not be burned. The nature of the Lords body may be explained by the following verse:
vahni-madhye smared rūpaṁ
mamaitad dhyāna-maḍgalam
samaṁ praśāntaṁ su-mukhaṁ
dīrgha-cāru-catur-bhujam
Placing my form within the fire, one should meditate upon that auspicious object of all meditation. That form has harmonious limbs, is gentle and cheerful. It possesses four beautiful long arms. SB 11.14.37
Truth, dharma, determination, fame and beauty immediately followed him. Kettledrums resounded in the heavens and flowers showered from the sky.
Truth and other qualities departed so that various bad qualities could become prominent in Kali-yuga.
The devatās, headed by Brahmā could not see Kṛṣṇa in his Nārāyaṇa expansion as he entered Vaikuṇṭha. 1 Some, however, saw this with amazement.
When the Lord disappeared, even those with all knowledge wondered where he went. Brahmā and other devatās did not see Kṛṣṇa going to his abode. Some persons however did see, and were amazed.
Just as ordinary men cannot ascertain the path of a lightning bolt as it leaves a cloud, the devatās could not trace out the destination of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
A few of the devatās, howevernotably Lord Brahmā and Lord Śivacould ascertain that the Lords mystic power was working, and thus they became astonished. All the devatās praised the Lords mystic power and then returned to their own planets.
An example is given to show that they could not see the Lords destination. Just as the destination of lightning cannot be seen by humans, the destination of Kṛṣṇa as he left the earth could not be perceived by the devatās. But his associates could see. This is Śrīdhara Svāmīs explanation. Having come from Vaikuṇṭha, from the Kāraṇa Ocean and the Milk Ocean, when Kṛṣṇa had appeared, the associates each now thought I am bringing my Lord to my abode! But each could not see the other, by the Lords yoga-māyā. Thus the Lord went to those abodes with those associates who were delighted. It should be understood that when the Lord appeared on earth, the associates of these Viṣṇu forms also appeared amongst the Yadus along with their masters, the Viṣṇu forms. These associates returned to their places along with the Viṣṇu forms when Kṛṣṇa departed from this world.
The devatās were astonished. We thought that we were masters of yoga but we cannot understand where he went. They praised Kṛṣṇa. Who can do such a thing? We are omniscient but cannot understand this. Though we are masters of yoga, we cannot see his destination achieved by his yoga. But his associate devotees know. They can see his destination, that he has entered his abode.
O King! You should understand that the Supreme Lords appearance and disappearance, which resemble those of embodied conditioned souls, are actually a show enacted by his illusory energy, just like the performance of an actor. After creating this illusion he entered into it, played within it for some time, and at last destroyed it, withdrawing from it by his own power. Thus he remains.
Parkṣīt was sad that all people saw the Lord and his associates in this superficial way. Śukadeva comforted him by explaining the true nature of the Lords pastimes. Understand that the birth and death activities of the Lord, which are like those of the jīva, are actually a resemblance to the jīvas life, produced by māyā. Those actions are not real. The birth and death of the jīva, who has a body made of semen, blood, is full of suffering. The appearance and disappearance of the Supreme Lord, who has a spiritual body, is full of bliss. It is said:
devakyāṁ deva-rūpiṇyāṁ viṣṇuḥ sarva-guhā-śayaḥ
āvirāsīd yathā prācyāṁ diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ
Supreme Lord, who is situated in the core of everyones heart, appeared from the heart of Devakī in the dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern horizon, because Devakī was of the same category as Kṛṣṇa. SB 10.3.8
sva-śānta-rūpeṣv itaraiḥ sva-rūpair
abhyardyamāneṣv anukampitātmā
parāvareśo mahad-aṁśa-yukto
hy ajo pi jāto bhagavān yathāgniḥ
Being compassionate in mind, when his devotees are afflicted by the demons, Svayam Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, though not having material birth, appears within this world along with all his Viṣṇu expansions, since he is the lord of all forms of God and devatās. SB 3.2.15
kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi nimloce
Kṛṣṇa has disappeared like the sun. SB 3.2.7
pradarśyātapta-tapasām avitṛpta-dṛśāṁ nṛṇām
ādāyāntaradhād yas tu sva-bimbaṁ loka-locanam
The Lord, having shown his form, the center of attraction for all eyes, then took that form and disappeared from the men, who had not performed austerities but had attained the Lords mercy, and were continually craving a vision of his form. SB 3.2.11
anādeyam aheyaṁ ca rūpaṁ bhagavato hareḥ |
āvirbhāva-tirobhāvāv asyokte graha-mocane ||
Nothing can be added to or subtracted from the Lords form. His appearance and disappearance are said to be simply coming into this world and leaving it.
Brahmāṇòa Purāṇa
Though sometimes the Lord appears and disapepars like a jīva, this is only an appearance produced by māyā. It is like the actions of a magician. Though it is false, the magician can show his or someone elses birth and death. Someone exhibits death as follows.
In front of a king, a magician approaches a stack of valuable garments, jewels, coins and so forth, given by the king. Taking a jeweled necklace, the magician tells the king, Now I am taking this necklace, and you cant have it. Now Im taking this gold coin, and you cant have it. I am taking seven thousand horses, and you cannot have them. Then the magician creates the illusion that the kings children, grandchildren, brothers and other family members have attacked each other with weapons and that nearly all are dead from the violent quarrel.
The king observes these things taking place before him as he sits in the great assembly hall. The magician says, O King! I no longer wish to live. Just as I have studied magic, so also, by the mercy of the lotus feet of my guru, I have learned the mystic meditation of yoga. One is supposed to give up ones body while meditating in a holy place, I will die in front of you, who are a holy place yourself.
Thus speaking, the magician sits down in svastika āsana, fixes himself in prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi in silence. A moment later, a strong fire generated by his trance blazes forth out of his body and burns it to ashes. Then all the wives of the magician, distraught with lamentation, enter into that fire.
Three or four days later, after the magician has returned to his own province, he sends a letter to the king. O King, invisibly taking all your sons, grandsons and brothers who are in good healthalong with all the jewels and other items given by you, I have come to my house in good health. Please, therefore, give me whatever you consider fitting remuneration for the wisdom of the magic that has been exhibited before you. In this way, even by ordinary magic one can simulate death.
This example is explained in the verse. I alone have created this confusion of quarrel and fighting with weapons arising from the sages curse, and following that, I have entered into that scene and played with mortals for a moment by taking up the reeds. Then I withdrew from that show by my own powers and now remain separate.
Lord Kṛṣṇa brought the son of his guru back from the planet of death in the boys selfsame body, and as the ultimate giver of protection he saved you also when you were burned by the weapon of Aśvatthāmā. He conquered in battle even Lord Śiva, who deals death to the agents of death, and he sent the hunter Jarā directly to Vaikuṇṭha in his human body. How could such a personality be unable to protect himself?
By remembering the Lords extraordinary activities one must completely give up misconceptions concerning his disappearance. The Lord brought the son of his guru who had gone to Yamaloka back to this world in his body born as son of his guru, which had been devoured by the Pañcajana demon. It was not a different body strong with power of Brahman. The Lord who gave you shelter (śaraṇadaḥ), rescued you, though your body had been burned by the brahmāstra. Actually you were destined to die by two brahmāstras---the curse of brāhmaṇa at birth (by Aśvatthāmā) and at death (by the brāhmaṇa boy). What more can be said? The Lord defeated Śiva, who is death to death givers, in the battle with Bāṇāsura. And the Lord let the hunter Jarā go to a special Vaikuṇṭha (svar) in his same body. How can the Lord not be capable of protecting the Yadus? You, the Lord, certainly can. You are fully capable of remaining eternally visible in this world along with your associates.
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable planets, he did not desire to remain with his manifested pastimes on earth. What is the use of this mortal world or its people? But he made known his destination to the devatās.
Even though the Lord has unlimited powers, still he has acted in this way. His unlimited power is described. He is the only cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of unlimited planets, but he is indifferent though he is the only cause, because he acts through his unlimited śaktis. Having dispatched the devatās to Svarga, he did not desire to remain visible on earth with his associates (praṇetum vapuḥ śeṣitam). In other words, he desired to disappear. Why? What is the use of this mortal world for the Lord? He did not care for the material world. But he cared for Svargaloka. By the request of those on Svarga, such as Brahmā, the Lord appeared in this mortal world, and at their request alone, he went to Vaikuṇṭha. This is the implication of the statement. He made known his going to Vaikuṇṭha (gatim) to Brahmā and others situated in Svarga and other planets (sva-stha). Other explanations are not accepted by the devotees since they are the opinions of demons and contradict Uddhavas statement:
pradarśyātapta-tapasām avitṛpta-dṛśāṁ nṛṇām
ādāyāntaradhād yas tu sva-bimbaṁ loka-locanam
The Lord, having shown his form, the center of attraction for all eyes, then took that form and disappeared from the men, who had not performed austerities but had attained the Lords mercy, and were continually craving a vision of his form. SB 3.2.11
Uddhava has also said that the opinions of demons should not be accepted by devotees.
devasya māyayā spṛṣṭā ye cānyad asad-āśritāḥ
bhrāmyate dhīr na tad-vākyair ātmany uptātmano harau
The intelligence of the devotee who is absorbed in Paramātmā is not bewildered by the words of those touched by the Lords māyā or those who take shelter of a demonic mentality. SB 3.2.10
Anyone who regularly rises early in the morning and carefully chants with devotion the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇas completely spiritual method of disappearance will certainly achieve that same supreme destination.
Padavīm means the path of disappearing. By using the words param and anuttamam it is indicted that the pastime of the Lords disappearance is completely composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. It suggests that intelligent people regard the opinion of common people that his disappearance was material to be insignificant.
As soon as Dāruka reached Dvārakā, he threw himself at the feet of Vasudeva and Ugrasena and drenched their feet with his tears, lamenting the loss of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
tatra sma tvaritā jagmuḥ kṛṣṇa-viśleṣa-vihvalāḥ vyasavaḥ śerate yatra jñātayo ghnanta ānanam O Parīkṣit! Dāruka delivered the full account of the destruction of the Vṛṣṇis, and upon hearing this, the people became deeply distraught in their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feeling the overwhelming pain of separation from Kṛṣṇa, beating their heads, they went to the place where their relatives lay dead.
The portions of the eternal associates Pradyumna, Aniruddha and others had previously gone from Dvārakā to Prabhāsa. Portions of Devakī, Rohinī and other eternal associates then went to Prabhāsa on hearing the news. The main portions of Devakī and others remained in Dvārakā, not visible to the eyes of common people.
When Devakī, Rohiṇī and Vasudeva could not find their sons, Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, they lost consciousness out of pain caused by their sorrow.
Tormented by separation from the Lord, his parents gave up their lives at that very spot. My dear Parīkṣit, the wives of the Yādavas then climbed onto the funeral pyres, embracing their dead husbands.
This description should be explained to be superficial and not actual fact.
The wives of Lord Balarāma embraced his body also entered the fire. Vasudevas wives, embracing his body, entered his fire. The daughters-in-law of Lord Hari entered the funeral fires of their respective husbands, headed by Pradyumna. And Rukmiṇī and the other wives of Lord Kṛṣṇawhose hearts were completely absorbed in himentered the fire.
Arjuna felt great distress over separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, his dear friend. But he consoled himself by remembering the pure words the Lord had sung to him.
Arjuna then saw to it that the funeral rites were properly carried out for the dead who had no remaining male family members according to the rules, one after another.
As soon as Dvārakā was abandoned by the Supreme Lord, the ocean flooded it on all sides, O King, sparing only his palace.
The Lords palace was spared. As the next verse states, the Lord is eternally present there. This statement is the view of the Lord (who is present in the palace in unmanifest pastimes), not the view of the common people. This is how some explain that the palace remained. Others explain that the ocean flooded Dvārakā but not the palaces of the Yādavas to show how everything except the Lord is temporary. .
Lord Madhusūdana, the Supreme Lord, is eternally present in Dvārakā. By remembering that most auspicious of all auspicious places, one destroys all contamination.
Arjuna took the survivors of the Yadu dynastythe women, children and old mento Indraprastha, and installed Vajra as ruler of the Yadus.
Hearing from Arjuna of the death of their friend, my dear King, your grandfathers established you as the maintainer of the dynasty and left to prepare for their departure from this world.
A person who with faith engages in chanting the glories of these various pastimes and birth of Kṛṣṇa, the lord of lords, will be free from all sins.
Two verses describe the result of chanting the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa from the beginning.
The auspicious exploits of the attractive incarnations of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, and also the pastimes he performed as a child in Vṛṇdāvana are described in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and in other scriptures. Anyone who clearly chants these descriptions of his pastimes will attain supreme bhakti to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the goal of perfect sages.
Bālaḥ is defined as the age up to sixteen according to many persons. Thus the pastimes in Vṛndāvana are the most blissful. These are described in the Bhāgavatam and in other Purāṇas. One will attain supreme (parām) bhakti (prema).
The commentary on Thirty-first Chapter of the Eleventh Canto called Sārārtha-darśinī written for bringing joy to the minds of the devotees, according to the previous authorities, has been completed on the Saptamī tithi of Agrahāyaṇa month at Govardhana. May this commentary make the Lord pleased with me! I have revealed my ignorance in explaining things. Though others may laugh, my goal is to please the devotees.
In the Thirty-first Chapter the disappearance of Kṛṣṇa is explained, as well as the disappearance of Devakī, Vasudeva, Rukmiṇī and others. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that after arranging for the devatās to enter into the Yadus when he took birth, Kṛṣṇa again had them return to their previous positions and then, by his own will, entered his spiritual abode with his spiritual body.