॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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The next 150 pages of the Srimad Bhagavatam Vol.IV of Swami Tapasyananda's translation occupy themselves with Sri Krishna's detailed spiritual instruction to Uddhava and others. This can perhaps replace all other spiritual texts of India. I shall cover each chapter by chapter, day after day. by Bhagavan's grace.
Today's chapter is the opening. I share the audio of the recitation here.
श्रीशुक उवाच
अथ ब्रह्मात्मजै: देवै: प्रजेशैरावृतोऽभ्यगात् । भवश्च भूतभव्येशो ययौ भूतगणैर्वृत: ॥
ऋषय: पितरश्चैव सविद्याधरकिन्नरा: ॥ द्वारकामुपसञ्जग्मु: सर्वे कृष्णदिदृक्षव: ।
वपुषा येन भगवान् नरलोकमनोरम: । यशो वितेने लोकेषु सर्वलोकमलापहम् ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, Prajapatis, all the celestials and sages arrived at the city of Dwaraka, hoping to see Bhagavan Sri Krishna. The city was splendid and befitted the Lord's grandeur. In his divine and yet human form, Sri Krishna enchanted all human beings and spread his own fame throughout the worlds. The Lord’s glories always destroy all contamination within the universe.
The gods and sages made a fervent prayer to Sri Krishna:
श्रीदेवा ऊचु:
नता: स्म ते नाथ पदारविन्दं बुद्धीन्द्रियप्राणमनोवचोभि: ।
यच्चिन्त्यतेऽन्तर्हृदि भावयुक्तैर्मुमुक्षुभि: कर्ममयोरुपाशात् ॥
स्मायावलोकलवदर्शितभावहारिभ्रूमण्डलप्रहितसौरतमन्त्रशौण्डै: ।
पत्न्यस्तु षोडशसहस्रमनङ्गबाणैर्यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं करणैर्न विभ्व्य: ॥
विभ्व्यस्तवामृतकथोदवहास्त्रिलोक्या: पादावनेजसरित: शमलानि हन्तुम् ।
आनुश्रवं श्रुतिभिरङ्घ्रिजमङ्गसङ्गैस्तीर्थद्वयं शुचिषदस्त उपस्पृशन्ति ॥
T: They all spoke: "Our dear Lord, just as advanced Yogis, striving for liberation from the severe material bondage of Karma, meditate with great devotion upon your lotus feet within their hearts, we too, dedicating our intelligence, senses, vital air, mind and power of speech to your Lordship, bow down at your lotus feet."
"Dear Lord, you have created everything, and through your Maya are present in everything, and perform all your Leelas. All Yajnas, all Yogic practices, and all devotion, ultimately lead to you alone. Unlike you, everyone else, bar none, can come within the influence of Maya!"
"Dear 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!"
"That is why the nectarine streams 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, and they associate with the holy rivers flowing from your lotus feet by physically bathing in them."
Now Lord Brahma had something very significant to say.
श्रीब्रह्मोवाच
भूमेर्भारावताराय पुरा विज्ञापित: प्रभो । त्वमस्माभिरशेषात्मन्तत्तथैवोपपादितम् ॥
धर्मश्च स्थापित: सत्सु सत्यसन्धेषु वै त्वया । कीर्तिश्च दिक्षु विक्षिप्ता सर्वलोकमलापहा ॥
अवतीर्य यदोर्वंशे बिभ्रद् रूपमनुत्तमम् । कर्माण्युद्दामवृत्तानि हिताय जगतोऽकृथा: ॥
यानि ते चरितानीश मनुष्या: साधव: कलौ । शृण्वन्त: कीर्तयन्तश्च तरिष्यन्त्यञ्जसा तम: ॥
यदुवंशेऽवतीर्णस्य भवत: पुरुषोत्तम । शरच्छतं व्यतीयाय पञ्चविंशाधिकं प्रभो ॥
नाधुना तेऽखिलाधार देवकार्यावशेषितम् । कुलं च विप्रशापेन नष्टप्रायमभूदिदम् ॥
तत: स्वधाम परमं विशस्व यदि मन्यसे । सलोकाँल्लोकपालान् न: पाहि वैकुण्ठकिङ्करान् ॥
T: "In the past, we requested you, oh, Bhagavan, to come and remove the troubles besetting this world. You have fulfilled our wish. My lord, You have re-established the principles of Dharma among pious men who are always firmly bound to the truth. You have also spread your glories all over the world, and thus the whole world can be purified by hearing about your Leelas."
"Born in the line of Yadus, you have assumed this Avatara, and have performed extraordinary, divine deeds for the benefit of the entire universe. My dear lord, those pious and saintly persons who in the Age of Kali hear about your Leelas and also glorify them will easily cross over the darkness of the age."
"Bhagavan, you have descended into the Yadu dynasty, and you have spent one hundred twenty-five years now in this Sri Krishna Avatara."
"My dear lord, there is nothing remaining at this time for you to do on behalf of the gods. You have already set in motion the end of the Yadu dynasty on account of the curse of the Rishis. Oh lord, you are the basis of everything, and if you so desire, kindly return now to your own abode Vaikuntha. 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 universe's functioning. We, along with our planets and followers, require Your constant protection."
Bhagavan now replied.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
अवधारितमेतन्मे यदात्थ विबुधेश्वर । कृतं व: कार्यमखिलं भूमेर्भारोऽवतारित: ॥
T: " Dear Brahma, the chief of divinities here, I understand your prayers and request. Having removed the burden of the earth, I have executed everything that was required on your behalf.
That very Yadava dynasty in which I appeared has now become too strong for their own good or for the good of the world, and it is I who have held them in check just as the shore holds back the great ocean. If I were to leave this world now without addressing the issue of Yadus, they will destroy the world. So tarry a little longer, all will be well. The Rishis' curse will soon take effect, and I promise to visit your abode en route to Vaikuntha on my return!"
The gods and sages, having secured this assurance from Bhagavan, departed.
There were ominous signs everywhere soon, and all seemed doomed. Bhagavan called all the Yadu leaders and told them that the portents were not to be ignored. Everyone should leave Dwaraka and proceed to Prabhasa, the place of the sanctified lake where even Lord Chandra had bathed to overcome his misfortune. By bathing at Prabhasa and performing unstinting acts of charity, everyone would earn great Punya.
Heeding Sri Krishna's advice, the Yadus yoked their horses to their chariots.
Uddhava, Bhagavan's constant companion and great devotee, was most disturbed. He sensed that Bhagavan was about to end his Avatara. He pleaded most tearfully in private with Sri Krishna.
श्रीउद्धव उवाच
देवदेवेश योगेश पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन । संहृत्यैतत् कुलं नूनं लोकं सन्त्यक्ष्यते भवान् ।
विप्रशापं समर्थोऽपि प्रत्यहन्न यदीश्वर: ॥
T: "Oh my lord, O supreme God among all the gods, 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 will finally give up this Avatara Leela. You are the supreme controller and the master of all Yoga. But although you are fully capable of counteracting the Rishis' curse against your dynasty, you are not doing so, and your departure is imminent. I cannot leave your lotus feet even for a second. So kindly take me with you! How can your devotees be without you? Whether we are lying down, sitting, walking, standing, bathing, enjoying recreation, eating or doing anything else, we are constantly engaged in your service. Everything we get from you, including the flowers you have worn, helps us to conquer Maya. We are not those extremely austere ascetics who have controlled all their senses and found a way to raise their vital energy to merge into Brahman. But our path is one of devotion and surrender. So we need to be with you, dear lord!"
Bhagavan Sri Krishna now began to answer Uddhava. This forms a big discourse spanning many chapters.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
