Chapter 4 - Destruction of the Yādavas and Kṛṣṇa’s Message

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: The Dialogue between Vidura and Uddhava—Destruction of the Yādavas and Kṛṣṇa’s Message]

Uddhava said:

1. Then, having been permitted by them (Brāhmaṇas), they (Yādavas etc.) drank (the flour-made) liquor. They lost their knowledge (sobriety), and cut each other to the quick by bitter words.

2. When their minds became unbalanced and vehement by the evil effect of the wine, the destruction (as a result of fight) among them, after sunset, was like that of bamboos (friction between which creates forest conflagration consuming the forest of bamboos).

3. Seeing that course of events brought about by his māyā, the Lord sipped water of the Sarasvatī, and sat down at the foot of a tree.

4. And (while we were already at Dvārakā), I was asked to go to Badarī by the Lord who removes afflictions of his devotees, (but) who desired to destroy his own clan.

5. Oh conquerer of the enemies! Though I understood his intention, I followed him, as I could not bear the separation from the feet of the Master.

6. Searching for the most beloved Master (who protects by granting the knowledge of the Soul), I found him, the abode of the goddess Lakṣmī, sitting alone on the bank of the Sarasvatī, without any shelter (as he is the shelter of all).

7. (I saw the Lord) of beautiful blue complexion, composed of pure sattva, with calm, reddish eyes, recognisable by his four arms and by yellow silken garments.

8. He was sitting with his lotus-like right foot on the left thigh, leaning against a young Aśvattha tree, with all pleasures of the senses renounced, (yet) in perfect bliss.

9. In the course of his wandering over the world, there came by chance a siddha (Maitreya), the great devotee of the Lord, and a friend and well wisher ofDvaipāyana (Vyāsa).

10. While the devoted sage, with his neck (head) bending with joy and devotion, was listening, Mukunda (Kṛṣṇa) removing my fatigue with a long smiling look full of love (compassion), said to me:

The Lord said:

11. Being an antaryāmin (dweller in the hearts of all) I know what you wish. What I give to you is difficult for others to obtain; (for) in days gone by, in the long sacrificial session performed by Prajāpatis and Vasus, Oh (former) Vasu, you performed the sacrifice with a desire to attaining me.

12. Oh virtuous one! This is the last of your births, as my grace has been secured by you in the present birth. How glad I am! that you have come with singleminded devotion to see me when I am about to leave this mortal world (to go to Vaikuṇṭha), in this solitary place.

13. Formerly (in Pādma Kalpa), at the beginning of creation, the highest knowledge throwing light on my greatness (majesty)—which the learned ones designated as the Bhāgavata—was imparted by me to the unborn god (Brahmā) seated in the lotus sprouting forth from my navel.

14. I, who was thus respectfully addressed, and who was the recipient of the favour of a long look of the Supreme Man, with my hair standing on their ends due to my affection (to him), with flowing tears, and bowing with folded hands, addressed to him in faltering words.

15. “Oh Lord! Out of the four goals of life (viz. dharma, artha, kāma and Mokṣa), which goal is difficult to be achieved by those who resort to your lotus-like feet? But, Oh Almighty, I do not request you for any one of them, as I am eager to serve your lotus-like feet.

16. That you performed actions, though you are devoid of actions and desire to do them, that you have taken a birth though you are birthless, that you resorted to a castle or fled away through the fear of the enemy, even though the god of Death is your form^[1], that you married with ten thousand young women despite your enjoyment of your self-blissfulness—by these the intellect of the learned ones gets confused and fatigued.

17. Or, Oh Almighty Lord! It throws our mind in confusion that you, whose power of self-knowledge is unobstructed and continuous, should invite me for consultations like an ignorant person, though you are never ignorant or careless.

18. You have completely disclosed to Brahmā, the supreme knowledge throwing light on your own (essential) mysterious nature. Oh Lord, if it be within our capacity to receive it, explain it, to us so that we may easily cross the misery (of the worldly existence).”

19. To me who have thus expressed the cherished desire of my heart, the Supreme Lord of lotus-like eyes instructed me (gave me insight) into his Supreme Nature.

20. I, who have thus learnt the path of the special knowledge of the real Soul from Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose holy feet have been worshipped by me, bowed to his feet, circumambulated the Lord and have come here with my heart afflicted with separation (from him).

21. 22. I, who am full of delight at the sight of the Lord, and distressed at my separation from him, shall go to the site of the Badarī—hermitage which was liked by him, and where Lord Nārāyaṇa and venerable sage Nara, both of whom confer blessings on the world, perform a mild (non-troubling) but severe penance fora long period (up to the end of Kalpa).

Śrī Śuka said:

23. Having thus heard from Uddhava, the unbearable (report of the) death of his friends and relatives, the learned Vidura controlled the explosion of grief by his knowledge.

24. The prominent Kaurava (Vidura), due to his confidence in (Uddhava), the great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, prominent among Kṛṣṇa’s circle of friends and kinsmen, spoke thus to him while he was about to depart.

Vidura said:

25. Your honour deserves to convey to me the supreme knowledge shedding light on the mysterious nature of the Lord—the knowledge which the Lord of Yoga, the ruler (of the universe) imparted to you. For, the servants of Viṣṇu move about to serve the needs of their devotees.

Uddhava said:

26. The sage Maitreya is to be propitiated by you for this knowledge, as it was in my presence that the Lord himself directed him to do so (i.e. to instruct you) at the time of his departure from the world of mortals.

Śrī Śuka said:

27. In this way, in the company of Vidura, Uddhava got his anguish (at the separation of Hari) subsided by the nectar-like conversation about the excellent qualities of the Omnipresent Lord, and spent like a moment the night, on the bank of the Yamunā, and then left (for Badarikāśrama).

The King said:

28. How did Uddhava remain (safe from the Brāhmaṇa’s curse) when Hari who was the chief of the Vṛṣṇis and Bhojas, leaders of the commanders of warriors joined the majority, and who (Hari) was the Lord of the three (gods, e.g. Brahmā and others) gave up his mortal coil?

Śrī Śuka said:

29-30. The Lord whose will is always supreme (lit. never futile), began to think when he annihilated his own race by the Time (god of death) in the form of a Brāhmaṇa’s curse, and was about to cast off his body.

“Now when I am no more in this world, only Uddhava, the best among those who have realised the soul, deserves to receive the knowledge that is within me (or which relates tome).

31. Uddhava is not a jot inferior to me. He is the master (of himself) unpurturbed by worldly objects (guṇas). Hence let him remain (after the annihilation of the Yāḍavas) to make people receive knowledge about me.

32. Thus directed by the lord of the three worlds, the source of the Vedas, (Uddhava) went to the Badarī hermitage and worshipped Hari by deep meditation.

33-35. Having heard from Uddhava praiseworthy acts of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Souḥ who out of sport assumed the human body, and of his laying down the body (death) which increased the courage of the wise, and which is more difficult to understand on the part of beasts (beastlike persons) of unsteady minds and of his being seen mentally by Kṛṣṇa, Oh great Kuru, Vidura meditated upon him, but after the departure of Uddhava, became overcome with feelings of love and wept.

36. From the bank of the Yamunā, Vidura, the Siddha, reached the heavenly river (the Gaṅgā) after some (several days, where Maitreya (the son of Mitrā) was met by him.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

kālātmanaḥ [kālātman]—You are the destroyer of all—Padaratnāvalī.