Text 26: 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.
Text 27: 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.
Text 28: 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?
Text 29: 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.
Text 30: 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.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
This is the meaning. By mere remembrance of the Lord, the truth has already been mostly instructed to you. Now, only to remove doubts etc., some wise person should be worshipped, and that person to be worshipped by you is Maitreya, not me, as he has been instructed by me for your instruction. || 26 ||
Plāvita means removed. One whose great distress has been removed. On the bank of Yamunā, sister of Yama, he spent that night as if it were a moment. Aupagavi Uddhava. || 27 ||
When the three - Brahmā and others - met their end due to Brahmā's curse, even Hari, the Lord of the three, abandoned his human-like form. || 28 ||
For whom Brahmā's curse was a pretext, by whose time, in the form of his own power, his desire is unfailing - here the curse is not powerful, but it is only the Lord's will - this is the meaning. || 29 ||
When I depart, he becomes worthy of knowledge, becomes fit for knowledge. || 30 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
For truth, i.e. knowledge, to be worshipped by you indeed certainly. Here he explains the intention: "This is the meaning". Kauṣārava means Maitreya. Me means very close to me. || 26 ||
The irregularity in meter is poetic license. Or it is a gāthā meter. Upagu is also another name of Uddhava's father. In the Harivaṃśa, his name is given as Mahābhāga: "Uddhava was born as the son of Devabhāga's son Mahābhāga." Then at the end of night. || 27 ||
The true meaning is: When they had certainly reached the Lord's eternal abode, having gone near. If it is said that he remained without fighting, he says: Adhiratha. Adhiratha means powerful warriors, their leaders, and again their leaders, even among them the chief - by this it means there is no other warrior like him. Or this is a description of Hari. Ākṛti means earth, 'bhūmir avani ākṛtiḥ' according to the lexicon. Wishing to abandon the mortal world, as said "When I depart from this world" etc. Here abandoning the mortal world means abandoning the body. || 28 ||
"About to abandon the body" - here he explains the truth. Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa's eternal existence as the Supreme Lord himself is established, still for removing the confusion of the dull-minded it is explained thus. By the statement of worshipping the Lord it is established. In the absence of one to be worshipped, worship itself is not established. And without scripture that has attained supreme authority, its statement is not possible, as stating the impossible is purposeless. And superimposition is imagined only on an object with limited qualities, not on one with infinite qualities. We will explain this more clearly in the commentary on "This is meditation, concentration and auspiciousness" in the 11th canto. The eternality of the Lord's forms is described in the 5th canto: "Even after millions of years, Lord Nārāyaṇa, the great Puruṣa, for the sake of blessing great souls, is still present in his own various forms, and his presence is directly in his own form." Only by accepting eternality do the differences of Śālagrāma stones, Nṛsiṃha etc. make sense, as those differences are due to the presence of those respective incarnations. Regarding Kṛṣṇa, it is said in the Gopālatāpanī Upaniṣad: "Then he said: That Brahman, being constantly meditated on and praised, appeared before me in the dress of a cowherd." Also, "Thus I always worship Govinda, whose form is eternal existence, consciousness and bliss, seated at the foot of a desire tree" - thus say the Vedas. Similarly in Madhva's commentary: "The Vedas say: I am Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, I am Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, the Ancient One, Kalki, I am a hundred-fold, I am thousand-fold, I am immeasurable, I am endless. These are never born, these never die, these have no bondage of ignorance, no liberation. All these are indeed full, ageless, immortal, supreme, supremely blissful" - thus in the Caturvedaśikhā. Similarly in the Nṛsiṃha Purāṇa: "In every age, Viṣṇu, assuming his beginningless form, protects the universe, destroying the wicked." Likewise in the Śrī Nṛsiṃhatāpanī Upaniṣad, the commentators have explained: "This very Nṛsiṃha form is eternal" - and the Veda says: "The supreme truth, the supreme Brahman, has the form of a man-lion." Thus separate Vaikuṇṭha worlds for Śrī Matsya etc. are heard of in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Padma Purāṇa. In the same way, what is said in the Nārāyaṇavarma etc. - "May the fish form protect me in the waters" - also makes sense. Therefore Śrī Śukadeva has stated: "The Lord and protector of the Andhakas, Vṛṣṇis and Sātvatas." The details should be examined in the Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha. || 29 ||
From this mortal world, when departed, gone. || 30 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Now, if all seekers of liberation must worship some wise person, what is the fruit of the Lord's direct instruction? Expecting this, he says: This is the meaning. In your instruction means in the instruction meant for you, his, i.e. Maitreya's. || 26 ||
Then, from the bank of Yamunā. || 27 ||
Human form means formed as that form. But in reality, all those Yādavas were indeed divine beings. Wishing to abandon the universe, the mortal world - from the general sense of the preceding and following statements like "When I depart from this world". From the authority of statements like "O passionate one" etc., thoroughly wealth means the all-in-all of the Yadus, the place of eternal pastimes. || 28 ||
Here, in the destruction of the righteous Yadu dynasty, the body formed as the cosmic form is described by statements like "For this indeed the lotus feet are the netherworld". || 29 ||
And not another - this is the meaning of eva. My shelter means pertaining to the self-manifest form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Of those who possess the self means those for whom Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone is the highest goal. || 30 || || 31 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Asked by Kṣattā who desires to know the truth, Uddhava says "Now". Now, O Vidura! That sage who sees the truth, Kauṣārava Maitreya, is to be worshipped by you for instruction in the truth, to be honored for teaching the truth, not I. What kind of Kauṣārava? One who was directly instructed very near me by the Lord who wished to abandon the mortal world. Instructed means commanded: "Having bathed at holy places, instruct Kṣattā who has approached you" - this is the meaning. || 26 ||
Śuka concludes the dialogue of Vidura and Uddhava saying "Thus". Thus, flooded with the nectar of narrations about the qualities of the Lord whose body is the universe, whose great distress was removed, Aupagavi Uddhava spent that night on the bank of Yamunā, sister of Yama, as if it were a moment - having passed that night as if a moment through narrations of the Lord's qualities, then he went from the Yamunā towards Badarikāśrama - this is the completion. || 27 ||
Here the king asks something about Uddhava: "End". When the Vṛṣṇis and Bhojas met their end, were destroyed, by the Brāhmaṇa's curse, how did Uddhava alone remain? - as he too was subject to the Brāhmaṇa's curse - this is the intention. What more need be said - the Vṛṣṇis etc. met their end, as even Hari, the Lord of the three worlds, who was the chief among the leaders of the leaders of great warriors, concealed his human-like form. Here abandoning the body is meant. "All the associates of that great soul are eternal and have eternal bodies" - thus it is remembered. || 28 ||
As the Brāhmaṇa's curse etc. all follow the Lord's will, by his will this Uddhava, though subject to the curse, was kept here - giving this answer, Vaiśampāyana's son says "Brahmā" etc. By the pretext of Brahmā's curse means by the excuse of the Brāhmaṇa's curse. By time means by the time determined by his own will. Whose desire is unfailing means whose will is true - this is the meaning. The Lord of this nature, having destroyed his prosperous clan, about to abandon his body, i.e. about to conceal it, thought this. || 29 ||
He states the thought: "From this". When I depart, i.e. go to my own abode, from this world, i.e. the mortal world, knowledge that has me as its object, i.e. knowledge about me, at present Uddhava alone truly deserves to grasp himself and make others grasp - Uddhava alone is qualified, not another - this is the meaning. What kind of Uddhava? The best among those who possess the self, i.e. the foremost among those who know the true nature of the individual self and supreme self. || 30 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Indeed, after hearing this, Uddhava remained silent or said something; addressing this, it is said "nanu". The word "nanu" indicates a reason. Tattvasaṃrāddhaḥ (established in the knowledge of truth), the Kaurava Maitreya, this name of qualities is also said due to its fame in the world like Vaiśampāyana. Antike (near) me, situated close to you, instructed by the Lord. For the instruction of tattva-jñāna (knowledge of truth), this is implied. Jihāsatā (desiring to abandon), therefore I need not speak separately, this is implied || 26 || * Sūta narrates this story to Śaunaka, thus. Pluto (immersed) in the nectar of guṇa-kathā (stories of qualities), whose great distress has gone, he is thus. Pluṅ is the root. Yamasvasu (sister of Yama), of Yamunā, in whose previous evening Vidura was seen, having spent the night comfortably in that direction, Aupagavi (son of Upagu), Uddhava, then from Yamunā || 27 || * * Parīkṣit, having heard "You go to Badarī" etc., knowing the remaining story of Uddhava, asks with a desire to know more, "nidhana" (end). The word "tu" has the meaning of "indeed". Among those Vṛṣṇis and others, when they met their end, characterized by the abandonment of the body, how did that Uddhava alone remain? This is the connection. Being the chief of those who could not be restrained, it is said "adhiratha". Adhirathayūthapāḥ (leaders of the chariot warriors), those who protect the group of chariot warriors, adhirathayūthapayūthapāḥ, among them the chief, the main warrior, remained due to Hari, in comparison to that. To that, it is said "yaddhari". Hari also abandoned ākṛti (form), the earth, this is the connection. Thus, even that expectation is far removed. Tryadhīśa (lord of the three worlds), even Indra has this, by this it means he went from the earth to the heavenly world. If the word ākṛti means earth, everything fits, how is this doubt resolved by "śarīramākṛtirdehaḥ kuḥ pṛthvī ca mahī tathā". Therefore, ākṛti is a synonym for earth, yet here the word "tat" refers to the body itself, this must be accepted. Even immediately after, seeing that form as unconscious, if it is said that logic should be stated, no, because being of the nature of eternal bliss, abandonment of the body is not possible. Therefore, abandonment of the body means abandonment of the earthly world only. Thus, seeing that form was done to delude the wicked people. It is said, "Abandonment of the earthly world is known as Hari's abandonment of the body. Due to being of the nature of eternal bliss, nothing else is observed." "Showing a similar form to delude people, like an actor, Lord Viṣṇu, whose nature is supreme knowledge, always." This is also said in "O King, understand the birth of the Supreme Person who embodies all as a play of illusion, like that of an actor." || 28 || * About to speak the resolution, Śuka says to the king, "brahma". By the pretext of Brahma's curse, by time, by death, whose body is the earth, as the scripture says "The earth is the body" || 29 || * * He resolves, "From this". From this earthly world, having departed, gone to the heavenly world, he is worthy to instruct, this is implied. Among the ātmavatām (self-realized ones), the knowers of Brahman, he is supreme || 30 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Of the universal form manifesting everywhere as if directly visible. Therefore even in separation, one should narrate His qualities, etc. || 27 || Death is truly the form of wealth, the eternal abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. How did He remain behind for those who departed to the vicinity without any separation? He alone remained in the shelter. Because Hari, the Lord of the three great creators Brahmā and others, abandoned the cosmic form. "Desiring to leave the mortal world" means "departed from this world" according to the context before and after. || 28 ||
Thus it should be understood as "He will abandon the body." This should be considered in light of the 93rd statement section of the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha. It is as follows: Although the status of Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord Himself is well-established, and His eternal existence in that form is proven, still this is being explained to remove the misconceptions of the less intelligent. First, this is established by the very statement of worship. Without the existence of the object of worship, the injunction to worship would be deceptive. This is not possible in the most reliable scripture. If it were possible, the scripture would be meaningless due to lack of human goal. And superimposition is imagined only on an object with limited qualities, not on one with infinite qualities. The venerable Svāmī also asked about this at the end of the 11th Canto: "In 'dhāraṇādhyānamaṅgalam', dhāraṇā and dhyāna have an auspicious, beautiful object. Otherwise they would be objectless. And even now the worshipers are seen to have direct perception and attain the results." This is the meaning.
It is also heard thus in the 5th Canto regarding the worship of various incarnations in the nine varṣas. As stated: "In all nine varṣas, even now Lord Nārāyaṇa, the great Personality, is present by His own expansions to show mercy to the people." This presence is directly in His own form. Because movement, pastimes etc. are described for Pradyumna and others. There it is said "by Himself". Thus the differences like the form of Nṛsiṁha etc. in śālagrāma stones are also consistent with eternality. Those differences are due to the presence of those incarnations. Similarly it is sung about Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma in the Viṣṇudharmottara: "Viṣṇu, surrounded by the cowherd boys and girls, with a delighted heart, having been praised, showed His form dark like tamarind leaves, with a peacock feather crown."
And later His words: "Know Me, O greatly fortunate one, best among those who know Kṛṣṇa's activities. I am pleased by your devotion. May your desires be fulfilled." Similarly in the Nirvāṇa section of the Padma Purāṇa. After the Lord's words "Look, I will show you My form hidden by the Vedas", Brahmā's words: "Then I saw, O king, a boy with the luster of dark clouds, a cowherd surrounded by cowherd girls, smiling with the cowherd boys. Seated at the base of a kadamba tree, wonderfully dressed in yellow, in the forest named Vṛndāvana decorated with fresh leaves" etc.
In the Trailokya-sammohana Tantra, in the context of the glorious 18-syllable mantra: "The controlled-mind mantrin who chants the mantra day and night sees Hari in the form of a cowherd boy without doubt." And in the Gautamīya, in the context of proper conduct: "The controlled-mind mantrin who chants day and night sees Hari dressed as a cowherd without doubt." And the Gopāla Tāpanī Śruti says: "Then he (Brahmā) said: Praised by me constantly with pure mind, at the end of a parārdha He awakened. My cowherd form appeared before me." The declaration of the siddhas is also heard: "I worship Him seated in Vṛndāvana, the abode of Indirā's bliss."
At the beginning of the Bṛhannāradīya, the auspicious invocation: "In whose house resides the glorious destroyer of demons, the presence of Keśava arisen from Dvārakā. Kṛṣṇa together with Rukmiṇī always resides in the house." In the Dvārakā-māhātmya of the Skanda Purāṇa, Prahlāda's words to Bali: "O Hari with Rādhā, please accept this arghya offered by me, a vowed one properly bathed in the month of Kārttika." In the Kārttika-māhātmya of the Padma Purāṇa, the mantra for the morning bath offering.
Thus the 18-syllable and other mantras establish worship of Him as non-different from His associates, as do the mantras for worship of the surrounding deities. Moreover, it is heard even in the scripture on atonement for karmic reactions. As Baudhāyana says: "The homa should be performed as before for the pleasure of Govinda." Then: "O Govinda, beloved of the gopīs, Lord, slayer of Kaṁsa, worshiped by the gods, satisfied by gifts of cows, O merciful one, please destroy my hemorrhoids and annihilate my enemies."
And elsewhere: "O Govinda, beloved of the gopīs, Lord, destroyer of Kaṁsa, worshiped by the gods, expert protector who lifted Govardhana hill with one hand, please quickly remove my severe blindness and darkness." And clearly thus in the Gopāla Tāpanī: "I, along with the Rudra hosts, constantly please Govinda, whose form is eternal existence, knowledge and bliss, seated at the base of a desire tree." Therefore it is said "I am pleased by your devotion." Enough with this elaboration of such evidence.
Since even the limitations etc. manifested by the spiritual potency are thus eternally established, only their appearance and disappearance were proven in the second Sandarbha. Production and destruction in all ways are prohibited. What then of His avatāras, or what to speak of the Supreme Lord Himself, and what even more to speak of Him? And as explained by the teachers of truth on "He accepted the form of Puruṣa": "He accepted" means with reference to manifestation. Thus in the Mantra-bhāgavata: "That eternal, imperishable form which is neither to be rejected nor accepted - that very Janārdana, with reference to forms, only manifested the body of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma etc. It is said the Lord God, with reference to deluded intellects, as if covered by darkness, drank the darkness. This is declared to be the acceptance of the Puruṣa form. The forms of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma etc. are with reference to worldly manifestation."
Thus also in the 12th chapter of the 1st Canto, in the verse beginning "vidhūya", the Svāmī has explained: "Where He was seen, there He disappeared, not gone elsewhere, because He is all-pervading." Thus the Śruti authenticated by Madhva's commentary: "I am Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. I am Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṁha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, the two Rāmas, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, Kalki. I am a hundred-fold, thousand-fold, unlimited, infinite. These are never born, never die. They have no bondage of ignorance, no liberation. All these are indeed full, unaging, immortal, supreme, supremely blissful." Thus in the Caturveda-śikhā.
And thus in the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa: "In every age, Viṣṇu, assuming His beginningless form, protects the universe, destroying the wicked." And thus in the Nṛsiṁha-tāpanī, explained by the commentary writers: "This very Nṛsiṁha form is eternal." And the Śruti: "This is the supreme truth, the supreme Brahman, the Supreme Person in the form of the Man-lion." Thus also in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Brahma and Padma Purāṇas, separate Vaikuṇṭha worlds are heard for Śrī Matsya and other forms. Thus "May the fish form protect me in the waters" stated in the Nārāyaṇa-varma etc. is also consistent.
Therefore, imagining otherwise about the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself is only a disturbance from beginningless sin. Thus, intending this, to instruct even those of poor intellect, His status as the object of worship is established by Śrī Śukadeva: "May the Lord of the Andhaka, Vṛṣṇi and Sātvata clans, the Lord of the devotees, be pleased with me." If there is special inquiry here, the Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha should be seen. || 29 ||
The special nature of knowledge that "I am the shelter whose form is Śrī Kṛṣṇa" is stated: I alone exist as the highest goal for those self-realized souls. || 30 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Thinking to himself, "How can I make this venerable one my disciple?", he says "nanu". Indeed, what was understood from the Lord's mouth about him and his Yādavas residing in their respective abodes without giving up their bodies, that I have already stated. But if you wish to know the specific truths about his birth, activities, etc., then Ṛṣi Maitreya alone should be made the guru. The meaning is: Certainly Maitreya alone is to be worshipped as the guru for the sake of that instruction, not I, since he was directly instructed by the Lord in my presence for that purpose of teaching. [26]
Aupagava (uddhava), the son of Aupagava, having spent that night as if for a moment, then departed in the morning. [27]
Since even Hari, the lord of the three, completely abandoned his activities, i.e. pastimes - this is the apparent meaning. But the real meaning is: Although Kṛṣṇa, who is beyond the reach of the material world, had gone to those who had approached nearby, i.e. the Vṛṣṇis etc., how did Uddhava alone remain behind? The idea is that it was not appropriate for him to stay visibly even partially to experience the pain of separation from Him. And he should not be considered unknown among the Vṛṣṇis etc., because "adhiratha" etc. Now, how could he disobey the Lord's order "You go to Badarī"? To this he says - for whom even Hari, the remover of all sorrows, abandoned his gestures as the master. The Amara-kośa states: "ākāra, iṅga and iṅgita are synonyms". If he had made some gesture at the time of giving instructions like "O chaste wives, serve your husbands" to the Vraja goddesses when he was leaving for Mathurā, then that highly intelligent Uddhava would not have gone to Badarikāśrama but would have stayed near him only - this is the meaning. [28]
He replies: Using the pretext of Brahmā's curse to make himself imperceptible to the material world, having withdrawn his own dynasty, he thought - He whose desire is unfailing, impossible to be thwarted even by time. He thought of abandoning his expansive body. The expansiveness of that body is its being visible to the eyes of the material world. Here, according to the maxim "when there is both qualifier and qualified, prohibition and injunction apply to the qualifier, resulting in the negation of the qualified", the action of abandonment applies only to the qualifier, not to the qualified. For example, "Caitra becomes a king, abandoning his nourished body", "This chaste woman perished". Here, the application of the abandonment action to the body is negated because the Lord's body is eternal, being of the nature of sat-cit-ānanda. Thus it is stated in the Mahā-Varāha Purāṇa: "All the bodies of that Supreme Self are eternal and everlasting. They are free from acceptance and rejection, never born of material nature. They are full of supreme bliss and pure consciousness everywhere." Similarly, the śruti authenticated by Mādhva's commentary states: "Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Haṃsa, Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, Kalki - I am hundredfold, thousandfold, limitless, endless. These are never born, never die, have no bondage, no liberation. All these are indeed full, ageless, immortal, of the nature of sat-cit-ānanda, though all-pervading in their essential form, full of supreme bliss." The Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad states: "Govinda, whose form is sat-cit-ānanda, seated under the wish-fulfilling trees of Vṛndāvana." The Nṛsiṃha-tāpanī Upaniṣad states: "The supreme truth, the supreme Brahman, the Supreme Person in the form of the Man-lion." Similarly, "Here itself Kṛṣṇa-maṇi set" and "He who took away and concealed his own form from people's eyes" and "Increasing the love-god of the women of Vraja" - many such statements from śruti and smṛti should be seen. Here, by the apparent meaning of abandoning the body, and not considering the non-contradiction with previous and later statements, only those of demoniac nature are deprived of the nectar of loving devotion, as the illusory nature of the Lord has been and will be explained. In the reading "nyūnam", the meaning is: He thought of separating from his body and abandoning his determined lesser body, which is his partial form named Nārāyaṇa, which had come from Vaikuṇṭha and merged with him at the time of incarnation, now to send it back to Vaikuṇṭha, to give it to Brahmā and others who had come for protection, as "tyaj" has the sense of giving. Or, he thought of abandoning his cosmic form body, the earth - this is the context. [29]
When the showers of his own form, qualities, and sweet pastimes have ceased in relation to this material world, that which has me alone as its shelter, what I know, Uddhava also deserves to know - this is the meaning. The sages residing in Badarikāśrama who desire to see me, who seek knowledge from my mouth - to impart knowledge to them through my representative form - this is the idea. I alone am the self, the master, of whom he is the best among those who possess the self. [30]
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
O Vidura! Tattvasaṃrādhya means to be worshipped for the purpose of instruction in truth. He was directly ordered by the Lord in my presence for the purpose of instructing you. [26]
Aupagavi Uddhava, drenched in the nectar of discussions about the Lord's qualities, whose great austerity was removed, having spent that night as if for a moment on the bank of Yamunā, the sister of Yama, then departed from that bank. [27]
Ākṛti means the world manifested by the three modes. Tryadhīśa means the controller of the three modes. [28]
The Lord, whose desire is unfailing, using the pretext of Brahmā's curse, having withdrawn his own dynasty through time which is his own power, thought of abandoning his body which is the abode of his pastimes, the universe. [29]
Madāśrayaṃ means concerning me. [30]
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
Accepting Vidura's intention and considering this to be a general principle, in order to uphold the Lord's words that there is something special about Vidura done by the Lord, He instructs in a different way - "nanu te" etc. The instruction on truth was indeed given by the Lord, but merely to fulfill the injunction "One who has a teacher knows", if some guru is to be served, then Kauṣārava Maitreya, who was designated by the Lord Himself, should be propitiated by you for the knowledge of truth. Because he is a ṛṣi (sage), even though he belongs to the Lord, his status as a sage is superior in this case. And since he was designated by the Lord, he will certainly speak to you. He says this - "Directly instructed by the Lord". At such a time he was commanded, where no doubt or further question arises at all. He says this - "When desiring to leave the mortal world". Therefore, if he, while situated in that world, would not carry out that command, he too would have to be abandoned like ordinary people. Therefore, the Lord, abandoning all others, accepted him and said "Vidura should be instructed". Hence he will certainly instruct in all ways. And the Lord's command should be carried out again by you and by me as well, therefore the meaning is "Go there". (26)
Having thus spoken to Vidura, in order to say that he departed, he narrates another story as a pretext for conclusion - "iti" etc. Seen at twilight on the bank of the Yamunā, Uddhava narrated only stories of the Lord to you until morning, how at each occasion He showed grace to Himself through līlās (divine play) of nourishment etc. Thus Vidura also narrated stories of the Lord's grace to Uddhava. He says this - "Together with Vidura". "Iti" is the conclusion. Anticipating the objection that they may have been narrating other incidental stories as well, he says to refute that - "Of the one whose form is the universe". The one whose form is the universe itself. Or the Lord of infinite forms. Therefore even incidental stories are only about the Lord. Hence all afflictions like hunger, thirst, fatigue etc. of both were removed just by narrating those qualities that establish His supreme excellence, who has infinite qualities.
If it is objected: How are hunger, thirst etc. removed by narration, since defects are natural; and since narration is not known in the world to remove them, it is unnatural, so how can it be a remover? To this he says - "Like nectar". For it is indeed in the form of amṛta (nectar of immortality). It is well-known in the world that nectar acts in that way. It removes even that which is created by time, like old age and death etc., what to speak of removing that which is created by karma and nature dependent on time. Moreover, even a little narration as nectar makes people immortal, but here there was a great flood of nectar; by which he was thoroughly drenched in great bliss. Therefore he did not even notice the passage of time, as he says - "As if for a moment". The defect created by place also did not occur to him, as he says - "On the bank of Yama's sister". For Kālindī, the sister of Yama, is inhabited by all vicious creatures like crocodiles etc., on her bank at night all defects are possible, but even those did not occur. Therefore he spent that night well. If it is asked how he conversed when afflicted by sleep, to that he says - "Aupagavi". The son of Upagu is Aupagava, his son is Aupagavi. Or, according to the rule "One in a lineage", it is formed with ibha. One near whom are cows is Upagu, being a cowherd he was habituated to staying awake at night. This is his son, so it is his very nature. Therefore he spent that night just in conversation. The meaning is that in the morning he went from that bank to Badarikāśrama. Even in separation from the Lord, he remained engaged in narration about the Lord, so he spent the night well. That residence alone is proper, which passes with narration of the Lord alone, without any other subject - this is the conclusion. (27)
Considering erroneous understanding and māyā (illusion) as one, he explains in the form of question and answer - "When those who had met death" etc. in six verses - The error is just the question, māyā is in concealing the conclusion. Even in stating the conclusion, his understanding reaches the end. (1) From the conclusion that Śuka will narrate only the story to the king, the king did not understand the seven purposes. Nor are these the exact words, but the story was heard with other words and these as appropriate. Therefore his question is indeed appropriate due to ignorance of the Lord's true nature. For he thinks everything happened just due to the curse, like his own Takṣaka. Therefore he asks - "When those who had met death" - When those who had attained death, i.e. died. "Among the Vṛṣṇis and Bhojas" - Two plural words are used for six Yādavas, to indicate the sixfold nature of sāttvika etc. When the Vṛṣṇis and Bhojas had met death, how was Uddhava left remaining? This is the question.
If it is said that many unimportant ones also remain, and the curse is directed at the prominent ones; hence the Lord's words "Women, children and the elderly"; and this one too is a sannyāsī so he remained - to that he says - "Chief among the leaders of leaders of charioteers". The leaders of charioteers are commanders like great ministers, their leaders are great kings like Jarāsandha etc., due to superiority of strength among kṣatriyas; among them too he was prominent and mighty. Therefore how was he left remaining? Since by name itself he is such, he says - "Uddhava of the Yadus". Because he is Uddhava, whose sound is upward. His battle cry is louder than all others. Even if festivity is meant, for kṣatriyas battle itself is a festival. If this is generally the case, then the curse becomes pointless. If it means arrogant, to that he says - "Even Hari". Where there is not even a suspicion of arrogance. "Form of a Yādava" - Just as in the case of men and monkeys etc. even though there is one less seed, due to the fall of the previous seed lineage, there is difference by birth itself, so too for brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, and Yādavas and non-Yādavas. Therefore there is some quality in the Yādavas by which they are known as such, for the removal of that alone was the curse. Therefore to indicate Yādava-ness, the Lord showed that characteristic in His own form, that itself is meant by the word "form"; He abandoned that - this is his understanding. "Lord of the three" means master of the three guṇas, capable of doing everything otherwise. Even though such, He did not alter the curse - this is the meaning. (28)
Śuka, following that understanding itself, like the Lord establishing that understanding in the world, gives the solution in another way - "On the pretext of Brahmā's curse" etc. "Brahmā's curse" is just a pretext, but having His command carried out by Time, He had the entire clan destroyed and even the command was carried out by His own will. Afterwards, Himself abandoning the entire world, entering as the seed, He thought thus. He says this - "From this world". I must certainly abandon this world. There, since the effect of the five qualities has occurred, the effect of knowledge remains. But that does not happen by scripture alone, since fresh doubts are not removed there. Therefore some person must remain as the promulgator of that. In that case, even though I have infinite qualities, when knowledge is being propagated, either I or Uddhava is capable of propagating. Because that knowledge is only about Me, no one else knows Me. Either I know, or one with knowledge-filled devotion, as stated "He knows Me through devotion". Therefore knowing Uddhava to be filled with knowledge and devotion, He established him in His own place. Moreover, that knowledge is dependent on Me, it remains resorting to Me alone, being included among the qualities denoted by the word bhaga. But knowledge dependent on words becomes available to every qualified person from hearing statements, while this comes only through association with Me when I am situated in the heart. Even Nārada and others resorted to knowledge dependent on scripture, but this is of the nature of puṣṭi (divine grace). I remain either in Myself or in a devotee, therefore due to being the best devotee, Uddhava alone is worthy directly. If it is asked, are there not other knowers and devotees, what is special about him? Anticipating this, he says - "At present the best among those who possess the self". At present there is no one else who can hold My knowledge. Three components are required here - knowledge, loving devotion, and control of the senses. No one has all three, with one or two this knowledge does not remain. And this time makes everyone uncontrolled in their senses, therefore Uddhava alone is at present the best among those who possess the self. (29-30)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
Regarding "nidhane". In consideration of the meaning of the skandha, what intellect is spoken of in the next text? In response to this expectation, they say - "viparyayabuddhi" etc. "Ca" is in the sense of "api". They explain the kārikā ending with "sakāraṇāntāṃ" - "viparyaya" etc. In the absence of such authority, when the conclusion is concealed by māyā, even when Śuka states the conclusion, for this king, in Vidura's question about the Lord's character, there is only confusion, it is said that confused intellect arises. There, the indicator is "paryavasānage". It grasps the visible end-form. This is the conclusion. This conclusion should be understood from the composition of the first skandha. The king's intellect is not seven-fold. Previously, the king was not of confused intellect, being characterized by non-action, non-existence, timelessness, self-satisfaction, unimpeded and complete self-knowledge, alertness and divinity. To determine the form, they say - "yādavākṛtim". They explain this meaning as "yathā" etc. "Bheda" means difference in form. "Kaścana" means generally indicative, fixed revealer. "Svabuddhi" means the king's confused intellect. || 28 ||
Regarding "asmād". "Praveśaṃ kurvan" means entering into the intellect of the qualified person. Due to being indirect speech and the literal meaning of "utsṛja", there is no fault of indication here. || 30 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Thus requested by Vidura, Uddhava said - "nanv" etc. It is certain that for your knowledge of truth, the sage Kauṣārava Maitreya alone is to be worshipped, because near me, for instructing you, he was directly ordered by the Lord himself, saying "After wandering the holy places, this should be taught to Vidura who has approached you." Then why did the Lord himself not instruct me directly after calling me? Anticipating this doubt, with the intention of saying there was no opportunity, he says - "martyalokaṃ jihāsatā", meaning desiring to abandon. || 26 ||
He concludes the dialogue between Vidura and Uddhava - "iti" etc. Thus, flooded by the narration of the qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose form is the universe, with Vidura, his great threefold suffering - spiritual, divine and material - was removed. Aupagavi, born of Yama's sister, spent that night on the bank of the Yamunā as if it were a moment, thoroughly narrating about the Lord. In the morning, he then went from there towards Badarikāśrama - this is the connection. How was suffering removed merely by narration, or how was the night like just a moment? Expecting this, with the intention of saying that one immersed in supreme bliss through the narration has no awareness of that, he qualifies the narration - "sudhayā". The removal of suffering and causing forgetfulness of everything by nectar is indeed well-known in the world - this is the idea. || 27 ||
Here, doubtful about Uddhava, the king asks - "nidhanam upagate" etc. When the Vṛṣṇis and Bhojas had met their end due to the brāhmaṇa's curse, how did one remain? - this is the connection. The idea is that he too was subject to the curse. If one thinks "He remained because the curse was primarily for others", he qualifies him. "Yat" means because of which curse even Hari, the Lord of the three worlds, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, abandoned his human-like form - what to speak of another? This is the meaning. || 28 ||
Thus asked, Śrī Śuka says that here not only the brāhmaṇa's curse is the cause, but that is just the means - the main cause is the Lord's will alone. Just as by His will the Yādavas were destroyed, similarly by His will Uddhava remained - with this intention he says - "brahmaśāpa" etc. Using the brāhmaṇa's curse as a pretext, by Time in the form of His own activity, having destroyed His own clan and about to abandon His own body as well, He thought this which will be stated. How was the goal achieved even by that thinking? Expecting this, he says - "amoghavāñchita". He whose desire is unfailing, meaning whose resolve is true. There is no doubt in this, he says - "nūnam". || 29 ||
He shows the Lord's thought - "asmād" etc. "From this mortal world, when I have departed, disappeared, the knowledge dependent on Me, now Udbhava alone truly deserves to grasp directly and cause others to grasp, not another. Because among those of controlled inner faculties, he is the best." || 30 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Uddhava said—For that tattva-jñāna (knowledge of truth), you should serve the great sage Maitreya. When leaving this martyaloka (mortal world), the Lord himself instructed him to teach you, right in front of me || 26 || * * Śrī Śukadeva said - Thus, by discussing the qualities of the universal form of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa with Vidura, Uddhava's great distress caused by separation was pacified through that kathāmṛta (nectar of stories). The night on the bank of Yamunā passed for him like a moment. Then, as soon as it was dawn, he departed from there || 27 || * King Parīkṣit asked - Bhagavan! All the charioteers and leaders of groups of the Vṛṣṇi clan and Bhoja dynasty were destroyed. Even Trilokīnātha (Lord of the three worlds) Śrī Hari had to abandon his form. Then how did their chief, Uddhava alone, survive? || 28 || Śrī Śukadeva said - Śrī Hari, whose wish is never in vain, under the pretext of the brāhmaṇas' curse as time, destroying his clan, while abandoning his Śrīvigraha (divine form), considered || 29 || * * 'Now after my departure from this world, saṃyamiśiromaṇi (crown jewel among the self-controlled) Uddhava alone is the true recipient worthy of receiving my knowledge || 30 ||
SB 3.4.26-30
