Śrīmad Bhāgavatam | Canto 3 Chapter 4

Vidura Approaches Maitreya

VERSE 3.4.1

uddhava uvāca

atha te tad-anujñātā
bhuktvā pītvā ca vāruṇīm
tayā vibhraṁśita-jñānā
duruktair marma paspṛśuḥ

SYNONYMS

uddhavaḥ uvāca — Uddhava said; atha — thereafter; te — they (the Yādavas); tat — by the brāhmaṇas; anujñātāḥ — being permitted; bhuktvā — after partaking; pītvā — drinking; ca — and; vāruṇīm — liquor; tayā — by that; vibhraṁśita-jñānāḥ — being bereft of knowledge; duruktaiḥ — with harsh words; marma — the core of the heart; paspṛśuḥ — touched.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, all of them [the descendants of Vṛṣṇi and Bhoja], being permitted by the brāhmaṇas, partook of the remnants of prasāda and also drank liquor made of rice. By drinking they all became delirious, and, bereft of knowledge, they touched the cores of each other’s hearts with harsh words.

VERSE 3.4.2

teṣāṁ maireya-doṣeṇa
viṣamīkṛta-cetasām
nimlocati ravāv āsīd
veṇūnām iva mardanam

SYNONYMS

teṣām — of them; maireya — of intoxication; doṣeṇa — by the faults; viṣamīkṛta — became unbalanced; cetasām — of those of whom the minds; nimlocati — sets; ravau — the sun; āsīt — takes place; veṇūnām — of the bamboos; iva — as; mardanam — destruction.

TRANSLATION

As by the friction of bamboos destruction takes place, so also, at sunset, by the interaction of the faults of intoxication, all their minds became unbalanced, and destruction took place.

VERSE 3.4.3

bhagavān svātma-māyāyā
gatiṁ tām avalokya saḥ
sarasvatīm upaspṛśya
vṛkṣa-mūlam upāviśat

SYNONYMS

bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sva-ātma-māyāyā — by His internal potency; gatim — the end; tām — that; avalokya — foreseeing; saḥ — He (Kṛṣṇa); sarasvatīm — the river Sarasvatī; upaspṛśya — after sipping water; vṛkṣa-mūlam — at the foot of a tree; upāviśat — sat down.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, after foreseeing the end [of His family] by His internal potency, went to the bank of the river Sarasvatī, sipped water, and sat down underneath a tree.

VERSE 3.4.4

ahaṁ cokto bhagavatā
prapannārti-hareṇa ha
badarīṁ tvaṁ prayāhīti
sva-kulaṁ sañjihīrṣuṇā

SYNONYMS

aham — I; ca — and; uktaḥ — was told; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Lord; prapanna — of the surrendered; ārti-hareṇa — by He who is the vanquisher of the distresses; ha — indeed; badarīm — to Badarī; tvam — you; prayāhi — should go; iti — thus; sva-kulam — His own family; sañjihīrṣuṇā — who desired to destroy.

TRANSLATION

The Lord is the vanquisher of the distresses of one who is surrendered unto Him. Thus He who desired to destroy His family told me previously to go to Badarikāśrama.

VERSE 3.4.5

tathāpi tad-abhipretaṁ
jānann aham arindama
pṛṣṭhato ’nvagamaṁ bhartuḥ
pāda-viśleṣaṇākṣamaḥ

SYNONYMS

tathā api — yet, in spite of; tat-abhipretam — His desire; jānan — knowing; aham — I; arim-dama — O subduer of the enemy (Vidura); pṛṣṭhataḥ — behind; anvagamam — followed; bhartuḥ — of the master; pāda-viśleṣaṇa — separation from His lotus feet; akṣamaḥ — not being able.

TRANSLATION

Yet in spite of my knowing His desire [to destroy the dynasty], O Arindama [Vidura], I followed Him because it was impossible for me to bear separation from the lotus feet of the master.

VERSE 3.4.6

adrākṣam ekam āsīnaṁ
vicinvan dayitaṁ patim
śrī-niketaṁ sarasvatyāṁ
kṛta-ketam aketanam

SYNONYMS

adrākṣam — I saw; ekam — alone; āsīnam — sitting; vicinvan — deeply thinking; dayitam — patron; patim — master; śrī-niketam — the shelter of the goddess of fortune; sarasvatyām — on the bank of the Sarasvatī; kṛta-ketam — taking shelter; aketanam — being situated without a shelter.

TRANSLATION

Thus following, I saw my patron and master [Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa] sitting alone and deeply thinking, taking shelter on the bank of the river Sarasvatī although He is the shelter of the goddess of fortune.

VERSE 3.4.7

śyāmāvadātaṁ virajaṁ
praśāntāruṇa-locanam
dorbhiś caturbhir viditaṁ
pīta-kauśāmbareṇa ca

SYNONYMS

śyāma-avadātam — beautiful with black color; virajam — formed of pure goodness; praśānta — peaceful; aruṇa — reddish; locanam — eyes; dorbhiḥ — by the arms; caturbhiḥ — four; viditam — being recognized; pīta — yellow; kauśa — silken; ambareṇa — with garments; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

The Lord’s body is blackish, but is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, and very, very beautiful. His eyes are always peaceful, and they are reddish like the rising morning sun. I could immediately recognize Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His four hands, different symbolic representations, and yellow silk garments.

VERSE 3.4.8

vāma ūrāv adhiśritya
dakṣiṇāṅghri-saroruham
apāśritārbhakāśvattham
akṛśaṁ tyakta-pippalam

SYNONYMS

vāme — on the left; ūrau — thigh; adhiśritya — placed on; dakṣiṇa-aṅghri-saroruham — the right lotus foot; apāśrita — taking rest against; arbhaka — young; aśvattham — banyan tree; akṛśam — cheerful; tyakta — having left; pippalam — household comforts.

TRANSLATION

The Lord was sitting, taking rest against a young banyan tree, with His right lotus foot on His left thigh, and although He had left all household comforts, He looked quite cheerful in that posture.

VERSE 3.4.9

tasmin mahā-bhāgavato
dvaipāyana-suhṛt-sakhā
lokān anucaran siddha
āsasāda yadṛcchayā

SYNONYMS

tasmin — then; mahā-bhāgavataḥ — a great devotee of the Lord; dvaipāyana — of Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa; suhṛt — a well-wisher; sakhā — a friend; lokān — the three worlds; anucaran — traveling; siddhe — in that āśrama; āsasāda — arrived; yadṛcchayā — by his own perfect accord.

TRANSLATION

At that time, after traveling in many parts of the world, Maitreya, a great devotee of the Lord and a friend and well-wisher of the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa, reached that spot out of his own perfect accord.

VERSE 3.4.10

tasyānuraktasya muner mukundaḥ
pramoda-bhāvānata-kandharasya
āśṛṇvato mām anurāga-hāsa-
samīkṣayā viśramayann uvāca

SYNONYMS

tasya — his (Maitreya’s); anuraktasya — although attached; muneḥ — of the sage; mukundaḥ — the Lord who awards salvation; pramoda-bhāva — in a pleasing attitude; ānata — lowered; kandharasya — of the shoulder; āśṛṇvataḥ — while thus hearing; mām — unto me; anurāga-hāsa — with kind smiling; samīkṣayā — particularly seeing me; viśra-mayan — allowing me complete rest; uvāca — said.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya Muni was greatly attached to Him [the Lord], and he was listening in a pleasing attitude, with his shoulder lowered. With a smile and a particular glance upon me, having allowed me to rest, the Lord spoke as follows.

VERSE 3.4.11

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

vedāham antar manasīpsitaṁ te
dadāmi yat tad duravāpam anyaiḥ
satre purā viśva-sṛjāṁ vasūnāṁ
mat-siddhi-kāmena vaso tvayeṣṭaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said; veda — know; aham — I; antaḥ — within; manasi — the mind; īpsitam — what you desired; te — your; dadāmi — I give you; yat — which is; tat — that; duravāpam — very difficult to achieve; anyaiḥ — by others; satre — in the sacrifice; purā — in the days of yore; viśva-sṛjām — of those who expanded this creation; vasūnām — of the Vasus; mat-siddhi-kāmena — with a desire to achieve My association; vaso — O Vasu; tvayā — by you; iṣṭaḥ — ultimate goal of life.

TRANSLATION

O Vasu, I know from within your mind what you desired in the days of yore when the Vasus and other demigods responsible for expanding the universal affairs performed sacrifices. You particularly desired to achieve My association. This is very difficult for others to obtain, but I award it unto you.

VERSE 3.4.12

sa eṣa sādho caramo bhavānām
āsāditas te mad-anugraho yat
yan māṁ nṛlokān raha utsṛjantaṁ
diṣṭyā dadṛśvān viśadānuvṛttyā

SYNONYMS

saḥ — that; eṣaḥ — of those; sādho — O honest one; caramaḥ — the ultimate; bhavānām — of all your incarnations (as Vasu); āsāditaḥ — now achieved; te — unto you; mat — My; anugrahaḥ — mercy; yat — as it is; yat — because; mām — Me; nṛ-lokān — the planets of the conditioned souls; rahaḥ — in seclusion; utsṛjantam — while quitting; diṣṭyā — by seeing; dadṛśvān — what you have seen; viśada-anuvṛttyā — by unflinching devotion.

TRANSLATION

O honest one, your present life is the last and the supermost because in this term of life you have been awarded My ultimate favor. Now you can go to My transcendental abode, Vaikuṇṭha, by leaving this universe of conditioned living entities. Your visit to Me in this lonely place because of your pure and unflinching devotional service is a great boon for you.

VERSE 3.4.13

purā mayā proktam ajāya nābhye
padme niṣaṇṇāya mamādi-sarge
jñānaṁ paraṁ man-mahimāvabhāsaṁ
yat sūrayo bhāgavataṁ vadanti

SYNONYMS

purā — in the days of yore; mayā — by Me; proktam — was said; ajāya — unto Brahmā; nābhye — out of the navel; padme — on the lotus; niṣaṇṇāya — unto the one situated on; mama — My; ādi-sarge — in the beginning of creation; jñānam — knowledge; param — sublime; mat-mahimā — My transcendental glories; avabhāsam — that which clarifies; yat — which; sūrayaḥ — the great learned sages; bhāgavatam — Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; vadanti — do say.

TRANSLATION

O Uddhava, in the lotus millennium in the days of yore, at the beginning of the creation, I spoke unto Brahmā, who is situated on the lotus that grows out of My navel, about My transcendental glories, which the great sages describe as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

VERSE 3.4.14

ity ādṛtoktaḥ paramasya puṁsaḥ
pratikṣaṇānugraha-bhājano ’ham
snehottha-romā skhalitākṣaras taṁ
muñcañ chucaḥ prāñjalir ābabhāṣe

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; ādṛta — being favored; uktaḥ — addressed; paramasya — of the Supreme; puṁsaḥ — Personality of Godhead; pratikṣaṇa — every moment; anugraha-bhājanaḥ — object of favor; aham — myself; sneha — affection; uttha — eruption; romā — hairs on the body; skhalita — slackened; akṣaraḥ — of the eyes; tam — that; muñcan — smearing; śucaḥ — tears; prāñjaliḥ — with folded hands; ābabhāṣe — said.

TRANSLATION

Uddhava said: O Vidura, when I was thus favored at every moment by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and addressed by Him with great affection, my words failed in tears, and the hairs on my body erupted. After smearing my tears, I, with folded hands, spoke like this.

VERSE 3.4.15

ko nv īśa te pāda-saroja-bhājāṁ
sudurlabho ’rtheṣu caturṣv apīha
tathāpi nāhaṁ pravṛṇomi bhūman
bhavat-padāmbhoja-niṣevaṇotsukaḥ

SYNONYMS

kaḥ nu īśa — O my Lord; te — Your; pāda-saroja-bhājām — of the devotees engaged in the transcendental loving service of Your lotus feet; su-durlabhaḥ — very difficult to obtain; artheṣu — in the matter of; caturṣu — in the four objectives; api — in spite of; iha — in this world; tathā api — yet; na — do not; aham — I; pravṛṇomi — prefer; bhūman — O great one; bhavat — Your; pada-ambhoja — lotus feet; niṣevaṇa-utsukaḥ — anxious to serve.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, devotees who engage in the transcendental loving service of Your lotus feet have no difficulty in achieving anything within the realm of the four principles of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. But, O great one, as far as I am concerned, I have preferred only to engage in the loving service of Your lotus feet.

VERSE 3.4.16

karmāṇy anīhasya bhavo ’bhavasya te
durgāśrayo ’thāri-bhayāt palāyanam
kālātmano yat pramadā-yutāśramaḥ
svātman-rateḥ khidyati dhīr vidām iha

SYNONYMS

karmāṇi — activities; anīhasya — of one who has no desire; bhavaḥ — birth; abhavasya — of one who is never born; te — your; durga-āśrayaḥ — taking shelter of the fort; atha — thereafter; ari-bhayāt — out of fear of the enemies; palāyanam — flee; kāla-ātmanaḥ — of He who is the controller of eternal time; yat — that; pramadā-āyuta — in the association of women; āśramaḥ — household life; sva-ātman — in Your own Self; rateḥ — one who enjoys; khidyati — is disturbed; dhīḥ — intelligence; vidām — of the learned; iha — in this world.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, even the learned sages become disturbed in their intelligence when they see that Your Greatness engages in fruitive work although You are free from all desires, that You take birth although You are unborn, that You flee out of fear of the enemy and take shelter in a fort although You are the controller of invincible time, and that You enjoy householder life surrounded by many women although You enjoy in Your Self.

VERSE 3.4.17

mantreṣu māṁ vā upahūya yat tvam
akuṇṭhitākhaṇḍa-sadātma-bodhaḥ
pṛccheḥ prabho mugdha ivāpramattas
tan no mano mohayatīva deva

SYNONYMS

mantreṣu — in consultations; mām — unto me; vai — as either; upahūya — by calling; yat — as much as; tvam — Your Lordship; akuṇṭhita — without hesitation; akhaṇḍa — without being separated; sadā — eternally; ātma — self; bodhaḥ — intelligent; pṛccheḥ — asked; prabho — O my Lord; mugdhaḥ — bewildered; iva — as if it were so; apramattaḥ — although never bewildered; tat — that; naḥ — our; manaḥ — mind; mohayati — bewilders; iva — as it is so; deva — O my Lord.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, Your eternal Self is never divided by the influence of time, and there is no limitation to Your perfect knowledge. Thus You were sufficiently able to consult with Yourself, yet You called upon me for consultation, as if bewildered, although You are never bewildered. And this act of Yours bewilders me.

VERSE 3.4.18

jñānaṁ paraṁ svātma-rahaḥ-prakāśaṁ
provāca kasmai bhagavān samagram
api kṣamaṁ no grahaṇāya bhartar
vadāñjasā yad vṛjinaṁ tarema

SYNONYMS

jñānam — knowledge; param — supreme; sva-ātma — own self; rahaḥ — mystery; prakāśam — enlightening; provāca — said; kasmai — unto Ka (Brahmājī); bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; samagram — in sum total; api — if so; kṣamam — able; naḥ — unto me; grahaṇāya — acceptable; bhartaḥ — O my Lord; vada — say; añjasā — in detail; yat — that which; vṛjinam — miseries; tarema — can cross over.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, kindly explain to us, if You think us competent to receive it, that transcendental knowledge which gives enlightenment about Yourself and which You explained before to Brahmājī.

VERSE 3.4.19

ity āvedita-hārdāya
mahyaṁ sa bhagavān paraḥ
ādideśāravindākṣa
ātmanaḥ paramāṁ sthitim

SYNONYMS

iti āvedita — thus being prayed to by me; hārdāya — from the core of my heart; mahyam — unto me; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; paraḥ — Supreme; ādideśa — instructed; aravinda-akṣaḥ — the lotus-eyed; ātmanaḥ — of Himself; paramām — transcendental; sthitim — situation.

TRANSLATION

When I thus expressed my heartfelt desires unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the lotus-eyed Lord instructed me about His transcendental situation.

VERSE 3.4.20

sa evam ārādhita-pāda-tīrthād
adhīta-tattvātma-vibodha-mārgaḥ
praṇamya pādau parivṛtya devam
ihāgato ’haṁ virahāturātmā

SYNONYMS

saḥ — so myself; evam — thus; ārādhita — worshiped; pāda-tīrthāt — from the Personality of Godhead; adhīta — studied; tattva-ātma — self-knowledge; vibodha — understanding; mārgaḥ — path; praṇamya — after saluting; pādau — at His lotus feet; parivṛtya — after circumambulating; devam — the Lord; iha — at this place; āgataḥ — reached; aham — I; viraha — separation; ātura-ātmā — aggrieved in self.

TRANSLATION

I have studied the path of understanding self-knowledge from my spiritual master, the Personality of Godhead, and thus after circumambulating Him I have come to this place, very much aggrieved due to separation.

VERSE 3.4.21

so ’haṁ tad-darśanāhlāda-
viyogārti-yutaḥ prabho
gamiṣye dayitaṁ tasya
badaryāśrama-maṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

saḥ aham — thus myself; tat — His; darśana — audience; āhlāda — pleasure; viyoga — without that; ārti-yutaḥ — afflicted by distress; prabho — my dear sir; gamiṣye — shall go; dayitam — so instructed; tasya — His; badaryāśrama — Badarikāśrama, in the Himālayas; maṇḍalam — association.

TRANSLATION

My dear Vidura, now I am mad for want of the pleasure of seeing Him, and just to mitigate this I am now proceeding to Badarikāśrama in the Himālayas for association, as I have been instructed by Him.

VERSE 3.4.22

yatra nārāyaṇo devo
naraś ca bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
mṛdu tīvraṁ tapo dīrghaṁ
tepāte loka-bhāvanau

SYNONYMS

yatra — where; nārāyaṇaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; devaḥ — by incarnation; naraḥ — human being; ca — also; bhagavān — the Lord; ṛṣiḥ — great sage; mṛdu — amiable to everyone; tīvram — severe; tapaḥ — penance; dīrgham — very long; tepāte — performing; loka-bhāvanau — welfare of all living entities.

TRANSLATION

There in Badarikāśrama the Personality of Godhead, in His incarnation as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa, has been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all amiable living entities.

VERSE 3.4.23

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uddhavād upākarṇya
suhṛdāṁ duḥsahaṁ vadham
jñānenāśamayat kṣattā
śokam utpatitaṁ budhaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śuka Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; uddhavāt — from Uddhava; upākarṇya — hearing; suhṛdām — of friends and relatives; duḥsaham — unbearable; vadham — annihilation; jñānena — by transcendental knowledge; aśamayat — pacified himself; kṣattā — Vidura; śokam — bereavement; utpatitam — arisen; budhaḥ — the learned.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After hearing from Uddhava all about the annihilation of his friends and relatives, the learned Vidura pacified his overwhelming bereavement by dint of his transcendental knowledge.

VERSE 3.4.24

sa taṁ mahā-bhāgavataṁ
vrajantaṁ kauravarṣabhaḥ
viśrambhād abhyadhattedaṁ
mukhyaṁ kṛṣṇa-parigrahe

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Vidura; tam — unto Uddhava; mahā-bhāgavatam — the great devotee of the Lord; vrajantam — while going; kaurava-ṛṣabhaḥ — the best amongst the Kauravas; viśrambhāt — out of confidence; abhyadhatta — submitted; idam — this; mukhyam — unto the chief; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; parigrahe — in devotional service to the Lord.

TRANSLATION

While Uddhava, the chief and most confidential amongst the devotees of the Lord, was going away, Vidura, in affection and confidence, questioned him.

VERSE 3.4.25

vidura uvāca

jñānaṁ paraṁ svātma-rahaḥ-prakāśaṁ
yad āha yogeśvara īśvaras te
vaktuṁ bhavān no ’rhati yad dhi viṣṇor
bhṛtyāḥ sva-bhṛtyārtha-kṛtaś caranti

SYNONYMS

viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said; jñānam — knowledge; param — transcendental; sva-ātma — regarding the self; rahaḥ — mystery; prakāśam — enlightening; yat — that which; āha — said; yoga-īśvaraḥ — the master of all mystics; īśvaraḥ — the Lord; te — unto you; vaktum — to narrate; bhavān — your good self; naḥ — unto me; arhati — deserve; yat — for; hi — reason of; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; bhṛtyāḥ — servants; sva-bhṛtya-artha-kṛtaḥ — for the interest of their servants; caranti — do wander.

TRANSLATION

Vidura said: O Uddhava, because the servants of Viṣṇu, the Lord, wander in the interest of serving others, it is quite fit that you kindly describe the self-knowledge with which you have been enlightened by the Lord Himself.

VERSE 3.4.26

uddhava uvāca

nanu te tattva-saṁrādhya
ṛṣiḥ kauṣāravo ’ntike
sākṣād bhagavatādiṣṭo
martya-lokaṁ jihāsatā

SYNONYMS

uddhavaḥ uvāca — Uddhava said; nanu — however; te — of yourself; tattva-saṁrādhyaḥ — one who is worshipable for reception of transcendental knowledge; ṛṣiḥ — learned scholar; kauṣāravaḥ — unto the son of Kuṣāru (Maitreya); antike — staying nearby; sākṣāt — directly; bhagavatā — by the Personality of Godhead; ādiṣṭaḥ — instructed; martya-lokam — mortal world; jihāsatā — while quitting.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Uddhava said: You may take lessons from the great learned sage Maitreya, who is nearby and who is worshipable for reception of transcendental knowledge. He was directly instructed by the Personality of Godhead while He was about to quit this mortal world.

VERSE 3.4.27

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti saha vidureṇa viśva-mūrter
guṇa-kathayā sudhayā plāvitoru-tāpaḥ
kṣaṇam iva puline yamasvasus tāṁ
samuṣita aupagavir niśāṁ tato ’gāt

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; saha — along with; vidureṇa — Vidura; viśva-mūrteḥ — of the Universal Person; guṇa-kathayā — in the discourse of transcendental qualities; sudhayā — nectarean; plāvita-uru-tāpaḥ — overwhelmed by great affliction; kṣaṇam — moment; iva — like that; puline — on the bank of; yamasvasuḥ tām — river Yamunā; samuṣitaḥ — passed on; aupagaviḥ — the son of Aupagava (Uddhava); niśām — the night; tataḥ — thereafter; agāt — went away.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, after thus discussing with Vidura the transcendental name, fame, qualities, etc., on the bank of the Yamunā, Uddhava was overwhelmed with great affliction. He passed the night as if it were a moment, and thereafter he went away.

VERSE 3.4.28

rājovāca

nidhanam upagateṣu vṛṣṇi-bhojeṣv
adhiratha-yūthapa-yūthapeṣu mukhyaḥ
sa tu katham avaśiṣṭa uddhavo yad
dharir api tatyaja ākṛtiṁ tryadhīśaḥ

SYNONYMS

rājā uvāca — the King inquired; nidhanam — destruction; upagateṣu — having overtaken; vṛṣṇi — of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty; bhojeṣu — the Bhoja dynasty; adhiratha — great commander; yūtha-pa — commander in chief; yūtha-peṣu — amongst them; mukhyaḥ — prominent; saḥ — he; tu — only; katham — how; avaśiṣṭaḥ — remained; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; yat — whereas; hariḥ — the Personality of Godhead; api — also; tatyaje — finished; ākṛtim — complete pastimes; tri-adhīśaḥ — the Lord of the three worlds.

TRANSLATION

The King inquired: At the end of the pastimes of the Lord of the three worlds, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and after the disappearance of the members of the Vṛṣṇi and Bhoja dynasties, who were the best of the great commanders, why did Uddhava alone remain?

VERSE 3.4.29

śrī-śuka uvāca

brahma-śāpāpadeśena
kālenāmogha-vāñchitaḥ
saṁhṛtya sva-kulaṁ sphītaṁ
tyakṣyan deham acintayat

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; brahma-śāpa — cursing by the brāhmaṇas; apadeśena — on the plea, by such a show; kālena — by the eternal time; amogha — unfailing; vāñchitaḥ — one who so desires; saṁhṛtya — closing; sva-kulam — own family; sphītam — excessively numerous; tyakṣyan — after giving up; deham — the universal form; acintayat — thought to Himself.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear King, the cursing of the brāhmaṇas was only a plea, but the actual fact was the supreme desire of the Lord. He wanted to disappear from the face of the earth after dispatching His excessively numerous family members. He thought to Himself as follows.

VERSE 3.4.30

asmāl lokād uparate
mayi jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam
arhaty uddhava evāddhā
sampraty ātmavatāṁ varaḥ

SYNONYMS

asmāt — from this (universe); lokāt — earth; uparate — having disappeared; mayi — of Myself; jñānam — knowledge; mat-āśrayam — concerning Myself; arhati — deserves; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; eva — certainly; addhā — directly; samprati — at the present moment; ātmavatām — of the devotees; varaḥ — foremost.

TRANSLATION

Now I shall leave the vision of this mundane world, and I see that Uddhava, the foremost of My devotees, is the only one who can be directly entrusted with knowledge about Me.

VERSE 3.4.31

noddhavo ’ṇv api man-nyūno
yad guṇair nārditaḥ prabhuḥ
ato mad-vayunaṁ lokaṁ
grāhayann iha tiṣṭhatu

SYNONYMS

na — not; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; aṇu — slightly; api — also; mat — to Myself; nyūnaḥ — inferior; yat — because; guṇaiḥ — by the modes of material nature; na — nor; arditaḥ — affected; prabhuḥ — master; ataḥ — therefore; mat-vayunam — knowledge of Me (the Personality of Godhead); lokam — the world; grāhayan — just to disseminate; iha — in this world; tiṣṭhatu — may remain.

TRANSLATION

Uddhava is not inferior to Me in any way because he is never affected by the modes of material nature. Therefore he may remain in this world in order to disseminate specific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.4.32

evaṁ tri-loka-guruṇā
sandiṣṭaḥ śabda-yoninā
badaryāśramam āsādya
harim īje samādhinā

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; tri-loka — three worlds; guruṇā — by the spiritual master; sandiṣṭaḥ — being perfectly taught; śabda-yoninā — by one who is the source of all Vedic knowledge; badaryāśramam — in the pilgrimage site of Badarikāśrama; āsādya — reaching; harim — unto the Lord; īje — satisfied; samādhinā — by trance.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī informed the King that Uddhava, being thus instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of all Vedic knowledge and the spiritual master of the three worlds, reached the pilgrimage site of Badarikāśrama and engaged himself there in trance to satisfy the Lord.

VERSE 3.4.33

viduro ’py uddhavāc chrutvā
kṛṣṇasya paramātmanaḥ
krīḍayopātta-dehasya
karmāṇi ślāghitāni ca

SYNONYMS

viduraḥ — Vidura; api — also; uddhavāt — from the source of Uddhava; śrutvā — having heard; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; parama-ātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul; krīḍayā — for the sake of pastimes in the mortal world; upātta — extraordinarily accepted; dehasya — of the body; karmāṇi — transcendental activities; ślāghitāni — most glorious; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

Vidura also heard from Uddhava about the appearance and disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supersoul, in the mortal world, which is a subject matter sought after with great perseverance by the great sages.

VERSE 3.4.34

deha-nyāsaṁ ca tasyaivaṁ
dhīrāṇāṁ dhairya-vardhanam
anyeṣāṁ duṣkarataraṁ
paśūnāṁ viklavātmanām

SYNONYMS

deha-nyāsam — entering the body; ca — also; tasya — His; evam — also; dhīrāṇām — of great sages; dhairya — perseverance; vardhanam — increasing; anyeṣām — for others; duṣkara-taram — very difficult to ascertain; paśūnām — of the beasts; viklava — disturbed; ātmanām — of such a mind.

TRANSLATION

The Lord’s glorious acts and His acceptance of various transcendental forms for the performance of extraordinary pastimes in the mortal world are very difficult for anyone other than His devotees to understand, and for the beasts they are simply a mental disturbance.

VERSE 3.4.35

ātmānaṁ ca kuru-śreṣṭha
kṛṣṇena manasekṣitam
dhyāyan gate bhāgavate
ruroda prema-vihvalaḥ

SYNONYMS

ātmānam — himself; ca — also; kuru-śreṣṭha — O best amongst the Kurus; kṛṣṇena — by Kṛṣṇa; manasā — by the mind; īkṣitam — remembered; dhyāyan — thus thinking of; gate — having gone; bhāgavate — of the devotee; ruroda — cried loudly; prema-vihvalaḥ — overwhelmed by the ecstasy of love.

TRANSLATION

Understanding that he was remembered by Lord Kṛṣṇa [while quitting this world], Vidura began to cry loudly, overwhelmed by the ecstasy of love.

VERSE 3.4.36

kālindyāḥ katibhiḥ siddha
ahobhir bharatarṣabha
prāpadyata svaḥ-saritaṁ
yatra mitrā-suto muniḥ

SYNONYMS

kālindyāḥ — on the bank of the Yamunā; katibhiḥ — a few; siddhe — being so passed; ahobhiḥ — days; bharata-ṛṣabha — O best of the Bharata dynasty; prāpadyata — reached; svaḥ-saritam — the celestial water of the Ganges; yatra — where; mitrā-sutaḥ — the son of Mitrā; muniḥ — sage.

TRANSLATION

After passing a few days on the bank of the river Yamunā, Vidura, the self-realized soul, reached the bank of the Ganges, where the great sage Maitreya was situated.