Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 1: “Creation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Ten
Departure of Lord Krsna for Dvaraka
SB1.10.1
TEXT 1
saunaka uvaca
hatva svariktha-sprdha atatayino
yudhisthiro dharma-bhrtam varisthah
sahanujaih pratyavaruddha-bhojanah
katham pravrttah kim akarasit tatah
SYNONYMS
saunakah uvaca—Saunaka inquired; hatva—after killing; svariktha—the legal inheritance; sprdhah—desiring to usurp; atatayinah—the aggressor; yudhisthirah—King Yudhisthira; dharma-bhrtam—of those who strictly follow religious principles; varisthah—greatest; saha-anujaih—with his younger brothers; pratyavaruddha—restricted; bhojanah—acceptance of necessities; katham—how; pravrttah—engaged; kim—what; akarasit—executed; tatah—thereafter.
TRANSLATION
Saunaka Muni asked: After killing his enemies who desired to usurp his rightful inheritance, how did the greatest of all religious men, Maharaja Yudhisthira, assisted by his brothers, rule his subjects? Surely he could not freely enjoy his kingdom with unrestricted consciousness.
PURPORT
Maharaja Yudhisthira was the greatest of all men of religion. Thus he was not at all inclined to fight with his cousins for the sake of enjoying the kingdom: he fought for the right cause because the kingdom of Hastinapura was his rightful inheritance and his cousins wanted to usurp it for themselves. He fought, therefore, for the right cause under the guidance of Lord Sri Krsna, but he could not enjoy the results of his victory because his cousins were all killed in the fight. He therefore ruled over the kingdom as a matter of duty, assisted by his younger brothers. The inquiry was important for Saunaka Rsi, who wanted to know about the behavior of Maharaja Yudhisthira when he was at ease to enjoy the kingdom. SB1.10.2 TEXT 2 suta uvaca vamsam kuror vamsa-davagni-nirhrtam samrohayitva bhava-bhavano harih nivesayitva nija-rajya isvaro yudhisthiram prita-mana babhuva ha SYNONYMS sutah uvaca—Suta Gosvami replied; vamsam—dynasty; kuroh—of King Kuru; vamsa-dava-agni—a forest fire set by the bamboos; nirhrtam—exhausted; samrohayitva—seedling of the dynasty; bhava-bhavanah—the maintainer of creation; harih—the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna; nivesayitva—having reestablished; nija-rajye—in his own kingdom; isvarah—the Supreme Lord; yudhisthiram—unto Maharaja Yudhisthira; prita-manah—pleased in His mind; babhuva ha—became. TRANSLATION Suta Gosvami said: Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the maintainer of the world, became pleased after reestablishing Maharaja Yudhisthira in his own kingdom and after restoring the Kuru dynasty, which had been exhausted by the bamboo fire of anger. PURPORT This world is compared to a forest fire caused by the cohesion of bamboo bushes. Such a forest fire takes place automatically, for bamboo cohesion occurs without external cause. Similarly, in the material world the wrath of those who want to lord it over material nature interacts, and the fire of war takes place, exhausting the unwanted population. Such fires or wars take place, and the Lord has nothing to do with them. But because He wants to maintain the creation, He desires the mass of people to follow the right path of self-realization, which enables the living beings to enter into the kingdom of God. The Lord wants the suffering human beings to come back home, back to Him, and cease to suffer the threefold material pangs. The whole plan of creation is made in that way, and one who does not come to his senses suffers in the material world by pangs inflicted by the illusory energy of the Lord. The Lord therefore wants His bona fide representative to rule the world. Lord Sri Krsna descended to establish this sort of regime and to kill the unwanted persons who have nothing to do with His plan. The Battle of Kuruksetra was fought according to the plan of the Lord so that undesirable persons could get out of the world and a peaceful kingdom under His devotee could be established. The Lord was therefore fully satisfied when King Yudhisthira was on the throne and the seedling of the dynasty of Kuru, in the person of Maharaja Pariksit, was saved. SB1.10.3 TEXT 3 nisamya bhismoktam athacyutoktam pravrtta-vijnana-vidhuta-vibhramah sasasa gam indra ivajitasrayah paridhyupantam anujanuvartitah SYNONYMS nisamya—after listening; bhisma-uktam—what was spoken by Bhismadeva; atha—as also; acyuta-uktam—what was spoken by the infallible Lord Krsna; pravrtta—being engaged in; vijnana—perfect knowledge; vidhuta—completely washed; vibhramah—all misgivings; sasasa—ruled over; gam—the earth; indra—the king of the heavenly planet; iva—like; ajita-asrayah—protected by the invincible Lord; paridhi-upantam—including the seas; anuja—the younger brothers; anuvartitah—being followed by them. TRANSLATION Maharaja Yudhisthira, after being enlightened by what was spoken by Bhismadeva and Lord Sri Krsna, the infallible, engaged himself in matters of perfect knowledge because all his misgivings were eradicated. Thus he ruled over the earth and seas and was followed by his younger brothers. PURPORT The modern English law of primogeniture, or the law of inheritance by the firstborn, was also prevalent in those days when Maharaja Yudhisthira ruled the earth and seas. In those days the King of Hastinapura (now part of New Delhi) was the emperor of the world, including the seas, up to the time of Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of Maharaja Yudhisthira. Maharaja Yudhisthira’s younger brothers were acting as his ministers and commanders of state, and there was full cooperation between the perfectly religious brothers of the King. Maharaja Yudhisthira was the ideal king or representative of Lord Sri Krsna to rule over the kingdom of earth and was comparable to King Indra, the representative ruler of the heavenly planets. The demigods like Indra, Candra, Surya, Varuna and Vayu are representative kings of different planets of the universe, and similarly Maharaja Yudhisthira was also one of them, ruling over the kingdom of the earth. Maharaja Yudhisthira was not a typically unenlightened political leader of modern democracy. Maharaja Yudhisthira was instructed by Bhismadeva and the infallible Lord also, and therefore he had full knowledge of everything in perfection. The modern elected executive head of a state is just like a puppet because he has no kingly power. Even if he is enlightened like Maharaja Yudhisthira, he cannot do anything out of his own good will due to his constitutional position. Therefore, there are so many states over the earth quarreling because of ideological differences or other selfish motives. But a king like Maharaja Yudhisthira had no ideology of his own. He had but to follow the instructions of the infallible Lord and the Lord’s representative and the authorized agent, Bhismadeva. It is instructed in the sastras that one should follow the great authority and the infallible Lord without any personal motive and manufactured ideology. Therefore, it was possible for Maharaja Yudhisthira to rule the whole world, including the seas, because the principles were infallible and universally applicable to everyone. The conception of one world state can only be fulfilled if we can follow the infallible authority. An imperfect human being cannot create an ideology acceptable to everyone. Only the perfect and the infallible can create a program which is applicable at every place and can be followed by all in the world. It is the person who rules, and not the impersonal government. If the person is perfect, the government is perfect. If the person is a fool, the government is a fool’s paradise. That is the law of nature. There are so many stories of imperfect kings or executive heads. Therefore, the executive head must be a trained person like Maharaja Yudhisthira, and he must have the full autocratic power to rule over the world. The conception of a world state can take shape only under the regime of a perfect king like Maharaja Yudhisthira. The world was happy in those days because there were kings like Maharaja Yudhisthira to rule over the world. SB1.10.4 TEXT 4 kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi sisicuh sma vrajan gavah payasodhasvatir muda SYNONYMS kamam—everything needed; vavarsa—was showered; parjanyah—rains; sarva—everything; kama—necessities; dugha—producer; mahi—the land; sisicuh sma—moisten; vrajan—pasturing grounds; gavah—the cow; payasa udhasvatih—due to swollen milk bags; muda—because of a joyful attitude. TRANSLATION During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk. PURPORT The basic principle of economic development is centered on land and cows. The necessities of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc. One requires all these items to fulfill the material needs of the body. Certainly one does not require flesh and fish or iron tools and machinery. During the regime of Maharaja Yudhisthira, all over the world there were regulated rainfalls. Rainfalls are not in the control of the human being. The heavenly King Indradeva is the controller of rains, and he is the servant of the Lord. When the Lord is obeyed by the king and the people under the king’s administration, there are regulated rains from the horizon, and these rains are the causes of all varieties of production on the land. Not only do regulated rains help ample production of grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people need cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and the war fields at the whims of a particular man? It is said here that the cows used to moisten the pasturing land with milk because their milk bags were fatty and the animals were joyful. Do they not require, therefore, proper protection for a joyful life by being fed with a sufficient quantity of grass in the field? Why should men kill cows for their selfish purposes? Why should man not be satisfied with grains, fruits and milk, which, combined together, can produce hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes. Why are there slaughterhouses all over the world to kill innocent animals? Maharaja Pariksit, grandson of Maharaja Yudhisthira, while touring his vast kingdom, saw a black man attempting to kill a cow. The King at once arrested the butcher and chastised him sufficiently. Should not a king or executive head protect the lives of the poor animals who are unable to defend themselves? Is this humanity? Are not the animals of a country citizens also? Then why are they allowed to be butchered in organized slaughterhouses? Are these the signs of equality, fraternity and nonviolence? Therefore, in contrast with the modern, advanced, civilized form of government, an autocracy like Maharaja Yudhisthira’s is by far superior to a so-called democracy in which animals are killed and a man less than an animal is allowed to cast votes for another less-than-animal man. We are all creatures of material nature. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Lord Himself is the seed-giving father and material nature is the mother of all living beings in all shapes. Thus mother material nature has enough foodstuff both for animals and for men, by the grace of the Father Almighty, Sri Krsna. The human being is the elder brother of all other living beings. He is endowed with intelligence more powerful than animals for realizing the course of nature and the indications of the Almighty Father. Human civilizations should depend on the production of material nature without artificially attempting economic development to turn the world into a chaos of artificial greed and power only for the purpose of artificial luxuries and sense gratification. This is but the life of dogs and hogs. SB1.10.5 TEXT 5 nadyah samudra girayah savanaspati-virudhah phalanty osadhayah sarvah kamam anvrtu tasya vai SYNONYMS nadyah—rivers; samudrah—oceans; girayah—hills and mountains; savanaspati—vegetables; virudhah—creepers; phalanti—active; osadhayah—drugs; sarvah—all; kamam—necessities; anvrtu—seasonal; tasya—for the King; vai—certainly. TRANSLATION The rivers, oceans, hills, mountains, forests, creepers and active drugs, in every season, paid their tax quota to the King in profusion. PURPORT Since Maharaja Yudhisthira was under the protection of the ajita, the infallible Lord, as above mentioned, the properties of the Lord, namely the rivers, oceans, hills, forests, etc., were all pleased, and they used to supply their respective quota of taxes to the King. The secret to success is to take refuge under the protection of the Supreme Lord. Without His sanction, nothing can be possible. To make economic development by our own endeavors on the strength of tools and machinery is not all. The sanction of the Supreme Lord must be there, otherwise despite all instrumental arrangements everything will be unsuccessful. The ultimate cause of success is the daiva, the Supreme. Kings like Maharaja Yudhisthira knew perfectly well that the king is the agent of the Supreme Lord to look after the welfare of the mass of people. Actually the state belongs to the Supreme Lord. The rivers, oceans, forests, hills, drugs, etc., are not creations of man. They are all creations of the Supreme Lord, and the living being is allowed to make use of the property of the Lord for the service of the Lord. Today’s slogan is that everything is for the people, and therefore the government is for the people and by the people. But to produce a new species of humanity at the present moment on the basis of God consciousness and perfection of human life, the ideology of godly communism, the world has to again follow in the footsteps of kings like Maharaja Yudhisthira or Pariksit. There is enough of everything by the will of the Lord, and we can make proper use of things to live comfortably without enmity between men, or animal and man or nature. The control of the Lord is everywhere, and if the Lord is pleased, every part of nature will be pleased. The river will flow profusely to fertilize the land; the oceans will supply sufficient quantities of minerals, pearls and jewels; the forest will supply sufficient wood, drugs and vegetables, and the seasonal changes will effectively help produce fruits and flowers in profuse quantity. The artificial way of living depending on factories and tools can render so-called happiness only to a limited number at the cost of millions. Since the energy of the mass of people is engaged in factory production, the natural products are being hampered, and for this the mass is unhappy. Without being educated properly, the mass of people are following in the footsteps of the vested interests by exploiting natural reserves, and therefore there is acute competition between individual and individual and nation and nation. There is no control by the trained agent of the Lord. We must look into the defects of modern civilization by comparison here, and should follow in the footsteps of Maharaja Yudhisthira to cleanse man and wipe out anachronisms. SB1.10.6 TEXT 6 nadhayo vyadhayah klesa daiva-bhutatma-hetavah ajata-satrav abhavan jantunam rajni karhicit SYNONYMS na—never; adhayah—anxieties; vyadhayah—diseases; klesah—trouble due to excessive heat and cold; daiva-bhuta-atma—all due to the body, supernatural power and other living beings; hetavah—due to the cause of; ajata-satrau—unto one who has no enemy; abhavan—happened; jantunam—of the living beings; rajni—unto the King; karhicit—at any time. TRANSLATION Because of the King’s having no enemy, the living beings were not at any time disturbed by mental agonies, diseases, or excessive heat or cold. PURPORT To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan’s philosophy. In this age there is enmity toward poor animals, and therefore the poor creatures are always anxious. The reaction of the poor animals is being forced on human society, and therefore there is always the strain of cold or hot war between men, individually, collectively or nationally. At the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira, there were no different nations, although there were different subordinate states. The whole world was united, and the supreme head, being a trained king like Yudhisthira, kept all the inhabitants free from anxiety, diseases and excessive heat and cold. They were not only economically well-to-do, but also physically fit and undisturbed by supernatural power, by enmity from other living beings and by disturbance of bodily and mental agonies. There is a proverb in Bengali that a bad king spoils the kingdom and a bad housewife spoils the family. This truth is applicable here also. Because the King was pious and obedient to the Lord and sages, because he was no one’s enemy and because he was a recognized agent of the Lord and therefore protected by Him, all the citizens under the King’s protection were, so to speak, directly protected by the Lord and His authorized agents. Unless one is pious and recognized by the Lord, he cannot make others happy who are under his care. There is full cooperation between man and God and man and nature, and this conscious cooperation between man and God and man and nature, as exemplified by King Yudhisthira, can bring about happiness, peace and prosperity in the world. The attitude of exploiting one another, the custom of the day, will only bring misery. SB1.10.7 TEXT 7 usitva hastinapure masan katipayan harih suhrdam ca visokaya svasus ca priya-kamyaya SYNONYMS usitva—staying; hastinapure—in the city of Hastinapura; masan—months; katipayan—a few; harih—Lord Sri Krsna; suhrdam—relatives; ca—also; visokaya—for pacifying them; svasuh—the sister; ca—and; priya-kamyaya—for pleasing. TRANSLATION Sri Hari, Lord Sri Krsna, resided at Hastinapura for a few months to pacify His relatives and please His own sister [Subhadra]. PURPORT Krsna was to start for Dvaraka, His own kingdom, after the Battle of Kuruksetra and Yudhisthira’s being enthroned, but to oblige the request of Maharaja Yudhisthira and to show special mercy to Bhismadeva, Lord Krsna stopped at Hastinapura, the capital of the Pandavas. The Lord decided to stay especially to pacify the aggrieved King as well as to please Subhadra, sister of Lord Sri Krsna. Subhadra was especially to be pacified because she lost her only son, Abhimanyu, who was just married. The boy left his wife, Uttara, mother of Maharaja Pariksit. The Lord is always pleased to satisfy His devotees in any capacity. Only His devotees can play the parts of His relatives. The Lord is absolute. SB1.10.8 TEXT 8 amantrya cabhyanujnatah parisvajyabhivadya tam aruroha ratham kaiscit parisvakto ’bhivaditah SYNONYMS amantrya—taking permission; ca—and; abhyanujnatah—being permitted; parisvajya—embracing; abhivadya—bowing down at the feet; tam—unto Maharaja Yudhisthira; aruroha—ascended; ratham—the chariot; kaiscit—by someone; parisvaktah—being embraced; abhivaditah—being offered obeisances. TRANSLATION Afterwards, when the Lord asked permission to depart and the King gave it, the Lord offered His respects to Maharaja Yudhisthira by bowing down at his feet, and the King embraced Him. After this the Lord, being embraced by others and receiving their obeisances, got into His chariot. PURPORT Maharaja Yudhisthira was the elder cousin of Lord Krsna, and therefore while departing from him the Lord bowed down at the King’s feet. The King embraced Him as a younger brother, although the King knew perfectly well that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord takes pleasure when some of His devotees accept Him as less important in terms of love. No one is greater than or equal to the Lord, but He takes pleasure in being treated as younger than His devotees. These are all transcendental pastimes of the Lord. The impersonalist cannot enter into the supernatural roles played by the devotee of the Lord. Thereafter Bhima and Arjuna embraced the Lord because they were of the same age, but Nakula and Sahadeva bowed down before the Lord because they were younger than He. SB1.10.9-10 TEXTS 9–10 subhadra draupadi kunti virata-tanaya tatha gandhari dhrtarastras ca yuyutsur gautamo yamau vrkodaras ca dhaumyas ca striyo matsya-sutadayah na sehire vimuhyanto viraham sarnga-dhanvanah SYNONYMS subhadra—the sister of Krsna; draupadi—the wife of the Pandavas; kunti—the mother of the Pandavas; virata-tanaya—the daughter of Virata (Uttara); tatha—also; gandhari—the mother of Duryodhana; dhrtarastrah—the father of Duryodhana; ca—and; yuyutsuh—the son of Dhrtarastra by his vaisya wife; gautamah—Krpacarya; yamau—the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva; vrkodarah—Bhima; ca—and; dhaumyah—Dhaumya; ca—and; striyah—also other ladies of the palace; matsya-suta-adayah—the daughter of a fisherman (Satyavati, Bhisma’s stepmother); na—could not; sehire—tolerate; vimuhyantah—almost fainting; viraham—separation; sarnga-dhanvanah—of Sri Krsna, who bears a conch in His hand. TRANSLATION At that time Subhadra, Draupadi, Kunti, Uttara, Gandhari, Dhrtarastra, Yuyutsu, Krpacarya, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhimasena, Dhaumya and Satyavati all nearly fainted because it was impossible for them to bear separation from Lord Krsna. PURPORT Lord Sri Krsna is so attractive for the living beings, especially for the devotees, that it is impossible for them to tolerate separation. The conditioned soul under the spell of illusory energy forgets the Lord, otherwise he cannot. The feeling of such separation cannot be described, but it can simply be imagined by devotees only. After His separation from Vrndavana and the innocent rural cowherd boys, girls, ladies and others, they all felt shock throughout their lives, and the separation of Radharani, the most beloved cowherd girl, is beyond expression. Once they met at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse, and the feeling which was expressed by them is heartrending. There is, of course, a difference in the qualities of the transcendental devotees of the Lord, but none of them who have ever contacted the Lord by direct communion or otherwise can leave Him for a moment. That is the attitude of the pure devotee. SB1.10.11-12 TEXTS 11–12 sat-sangan mukta-duhsango hatum notsahate budhah kirtyamanam yaso yasya sakrd akarnya rocanam tasmin nyasta-dhiyah parthah saheran viraham katham darsana-sparsa-samlapa- sayanasana-bhojanaih SYNONYMS sat-sangat—by the association of pure devotees; mukta-duhsangah—freed from bad materialistic association; hatum—to give up; na utsahate—never attempts; budhah—one who has understood the Lord; kirtyamanam—glorifying; yasah—fame; yasya—whose; sakrt—once only; akarnya—hearing only; rocanam—pleasing; tasmin—unto Him; nyasta-dhiyah—one who has given his mind unto Him; parthah—the sons of Prtha; saheran—can tolerate; viraham—separation; katham—how; darsana—seeing face to face; sparsa—touching; samlapa—conversing; sayana—sleeping; asana—sitting; bhojanaih—dining together. TRANSLATION The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and have become freed from bad materialistic association, can never avoid hearing the glories of the Lord, even though they have heard them only once. How, then, could the Pandavas tolerate His separation, for they had been intimately associated with His person, seeing Him face to face, touching Him, conversing with Him, and sleeping, sitting and dining with Him? PURPORT The living being’s constitutional position is one of serving a superior. He is obliged to serve by force the dictates of illusory material energy in different phases of sense gratification. And in serving the senses he is never tired. Even though he may be tired, the illusory energy perpetually forces him to do so without being satisfied. There is no end to such sense gratificatory business, and the conditioned soul becomes entangled in such servitude without hope of release. The release is only effected by association with pure devotees. By such association one is gradually promoted to his transcendental consciousness. Thus he can know that his eternal position is to render service unto the Lord and not to the perverted senses in the capacity of lust, anger, desire to lord it over, etc. Material society, friendship and love are all different phases of lust. Home, country, family, society, wealth and all sorts of corollaries are all causes of bondage in the material world, where the threefold miseries of life are concomitant factors. By associating with pure devotees and by hearing them submissively, attachment for material enjoyment becomes slackened, and attraction for hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord becomes prominent. Once they are, they will go on progressively without stoppage, like fire in gunpowder. It is said that Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is so transcendentally attractive that even those who are self-satisfied by self-realization and are factually liberated from all material bondage also become devotees of the Lord. Under the circumstances it is easily understood what must have been the position of the Pandavas, who were constant companions of the Lord. They could not even think of separation from Sri Krsna, since the attraction was more intense for them because of continuous personal contact. His remembrance by His form, quality, name, fame, pastimes, etc., is also attractive for the pure devotee, so much so that he forgets all forms, quality, name, fame and activities of the mundane world, and due to his mature association with pure devotees he is not out of contact with the Lord for a moment. SB1.10.13 TEXT 13 sarve te ’nimisair aksais tam anu druta-cetasah viksantah sneha-sambaddha vicelus tatra tatra ha SYNONYMS sarve—all; te—they; animisaih—without twinkling of the eyes; aksaih—by the eye; tam anu—after Him; druta-cetasah—melted heart; viksantah—looking upon Him; sneha-sambaddhah—bound by pure affection; viceluh—began to move; tatra tatra—here and there; ha—so they did. TRANSLATION All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and thither in perplexity. PURPORT Krsna is naturally attractive for all living beings because He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals. He alone is the maintainer of the many eternals. This is stated in the Katha Upanisad, and thus one can obtain permanent peace and prosperity by revival of one’s eternal relation with Him, now forgotten under the spell of maya, the illusory energy of the Lord. Once this relation is slightly revived, the conditioned soul at once becomes freed from the illusion of material energy and becomes mad after the association of the Lord. This association is made possible not only by personal contact with the Lord, but also by association with His name, fame, form and quality. Srimad-Bhagavatam trains the conditioned soul to this stage of perfection by submissive hearing from the pure devotee.