Chapter 2 - The Dialogue between Uddhava and Vidura

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. The great devotee of the Lord (Uddhava) who was thus asked by Vidura about the welfare pertaining to the dear one (i.e. of Lord Kṛṣṇa), could not reply as he was painfully reminded of the Lord and was overcome with sorrow at his bereavement.

2. 3. How could he (Uddhava) who, as a child of five years, when invited by his mother for breakfast, did not wish to partake of it while worshipping Kṛṣṇa as a part of his sports in childhood, break the news in reply, when he had spent the whole lifetime in his service, and attained old age, and was reminded (sorrowfully) of the feet of the master.

4. For the period of a muhūrta he remained silent (in meditation) highly satisfied by the nectar-like feet of Kṛṣṇa and deeply immersed in intense devotion of the Lord.

5. He, on whose body hair was standing on ends, and who was shedding tears from his closed eyes, and who was drowned in the flood of love for Kṛṣṇa, was seen (as if) his highest purpose was achieved.

6. Gradually, he returned from the abode of the Lord to the world of men. He wiped out his eyes. Uddhava who was wonḍerstruck (with the deeds of the Lord) replied to Vidura.

Uddhava said:

7. What good news can I give to you when the Sun in the form of Kṛṣṇa has set, and our homes, bereft of splendour, have been swallowed up by the boa-constriction (of Time)?

8. Alas! it is the misfortune of this world, and es serially of the Yādavas who lived with him intimately and yet did not know him, just as the fish (living in the sea along with the moon before the churning of the sea) did not recognize the Moon (as such but regarded him as an acquatic animal).

9.^[1] All the Sāttvatas, though capable of knowing intentions of others, and possessing deep understanding, and of singleness of devotion, regarded the Lord of all created beings^[2] as the leader of the Sāttvatas only.

10. Those who have sown (i.e. completely fixed) their intellect in Han, are not deluded by the words of those who are haunted by the Māyā of the Almighty (e.g. the Yādavas) or by those who entertained evil intention to him (like Śiśupāla and others).

11. He had exhibited his form to men who had not performed proper penance and who had not seen it to their satisfaction. He disappeared from the world taking with him his splendid form which was the centre (of attraction) to the eyes of the world.

12. It was a form which was useful for activities in imitation of human beings which he assumed, showing the power of his Yoga-māyā. It was the highest peak of perfect beauty and sublimity, parts of which beautified even the ornaments and a wonder to him also.

13. Seeing his form which gave great delight to the three worlds in the Rājasūya sacrifice of Yudhiṣṭhira, they (people of the three worlds) thought that in creating beautiful human form, the whole of creator’s skill is exhausted today.

14. The women of Vraja who got the honour of his smiles overflowing with love, sportive dances and longing looks, followed him with their eyes and minds, leaving their work unfinished.

15. The Lord of all, [Brahman with attributes and beyond attributes] with compassion for his own gentle forms being troubled by other (wicked) ones, and accompanied with Prakṛti of which Mahat is but a fraction, (or with Balarāma as his great part), though unborn, took birth like fire (which though ever present in the wood, sparks out after friction).

16. The apparent birth of the birthless Lord in the house of Vasudeva, (his) stay in a settlement of cowherds (Vraja) as if out of fear of the enemy (Kaṃsa), and the flight of the Lord of infinite power, from his own city—this (behaviour like ordinary human beings) distresses me.

17. It pains my heart to remember how he, bowing down to the feet of his parents, beseeched, “Oh father, mother kindly be gracious unto us who being in great fear of Kaṃsa,. could not render you any service.”

18. What man who having smelt (experienced the great joy in) even a particle of pollen in the lotus-like feet of the Lord, can forget him—the Lord, who with the movement of his creeper-like eyebrow, a veritable god of destruction, removed the load (of the wicked) from the earth.

19. Verily, you have witnessed how, during the Rājasūya Sacrifice, Śiśupāla, the arch-enemy of Kṛṣṇa, attained Liberation after which even yogins aspire by observing carefully yogic practices. How can one endure separation from (such a gracious Lord like) him?

20. Similarly, other warriors who, on the field of battle, drank with their eyes the beautiful lotus-like face of Kṛṣṇa, and attained to his feet after purification (death) from the missiles of Arjuna.

21-22. The Lord, who himself is unsurpassed in excellence (lit. without an equal or superior), and is a ruler of the three (worlds or attributes—guṇas), and who due to his intrinsic highest blissfulness, is in enjoyment of all (types of) happiness, whose foot-stool is (as if) eulogised by (the sound on the foot-stool made by) the crests of the crowṇs of the eternal guardians of the world who bring tributes to him—Such a Lord should stand before Ugrasena who is occupying a high seat (on the throne), and should request him, “Your Majesty, kindly pay attention (to us)Oh Viḍura, the servant-like behaviour of the Lord greatly troubles us, his servants.

23. What mercifulness! The wicked Pūtanā who with a desire to kill him, made him suck her breast smeared with deadly poison, (and for this she) attained the place worthy for his nurse (Yaśodā) Is there any other god so merciful like this, to whom we should resort (for salvation or protection?

24. I regard Asuras as the devotees of the Supreme Lord as their minds are fixed on the Lord of the three worlds, through anger and who on the battlefield visualized him armed with the Sudarśana disc and seated on the shoulder of Garuḍa, attacking them.

25. The Lord took birth from Vasudeva and Devakī, in the prison of Kaṃsa, the chief of the Bhojas, as he was so requested by god Brahmā and desired to restore happiness to the earth.

26. Then, by his father who was afraid of Kaṃsa, he was taken to the settlement of cowherds headed by Nanda. He stayed there with Balarāma with his power unmanifested, for eleven years.

27. Surrounded by cowboys and himself tending the calves, the All-pervading Lord sported on the (banks of the) Yamunā in parks, dense with trees full of warbling birds.

28. He who looked like an innocent young one of a lion, displayed his boyish pranks of (apparent) laughing and crying, to the residents of Vraja.

29. The same Lord tended their wealth in the from of cattle with white bulls (prominent in them) and which was (as if), the abode of the goddess of wealth. He entertained the cowherds accompanying him, by playing upon the flute.

30. Like a boy breaking down his toys, he sportively killed those wiley conjuring demons who could assume any form at will and who were deputed by Kaṃsa (to kill him).

31. He brought back to life the cowherds and cows who died of poisonous water of the Yamunā. Subduing (and expelling) Kāliya, the king of serpents, he made them drink the water again which was restored to its original condition, of purity.

32. The omnipresent Lord made the chief of cowherds (Nanda) to perform a sacrifice in honour of cows (in which cows were worshipped) with the help of the best of Brāhmaṇas, as he wished to spend the great wealth in a good way. (In. this way, he subdued the pride of Indra).

33. Oh Vidura! When Indra, incensed at the discontinuation of his own (traditional) worship, showered heavily, the settlement of the cowherds which became extremely distressed (by the downpour of rain), was protected (by the Lord) with the umbrella in the form of the hill (Govardhana) which he sportively wielded and showed thereby his grace.

34. Respecting (as it were) the evenings bright with autumnal moon, he enjoyed himself singing sweet songs and became an ornament of the circle of ladies (performing Rāsa dance).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Siddhāntapradīpa this verse praises the Yādavas and Pauravas who knew the real Lord. “The leaders of the Puru-clan (like Yudhiṣṭhira) and Sāttvatas (like Vasudeva) realised the chief of Sāttvatas, namely, Śrī Kṛṣṇa as being the Brahman, the support of all created beings (bhūtas) and resting completely on the Lord, were happy thereby.”

[2]:

bhūtāvāsam [bhūtāvāsa]: (i) A jīva, resident in a physical and inner (kāraṇa) body—Subodhinī

(ii) A leader of a few men—Padaratnāvalī