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Shreemad Bhagavatam

Canto 11

Chapter Thirty The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty

1. King Pariksit said: After the great devotee Uddhava left for the forest, what did the SupremePersonality of Godhead, the protector of all living beings, do in the city of Dvaraka?2. After His own dynasty met destruction from the curse of the brahmanas, how could the best ofthe Yadus give up His body, the dearmost object of all eyes?3. Once their eyes were fixed upon His transcendental form, women were unable to withdrawthem, and once that form had entered the ears of the sages and become fixed in their hearts, itwould never depart. What to speak of acquiring fame, the great poets who described the beautyof the Lords form would have their words invested with transcendentally pleasing attraction. Andby seeing that form on Arjunas chariot, all the warriors on the battlefield of Kuruksetra attainedthe liberation of gaining a spiritual body similar to the Lords.4. Sukadeva Gosvami said: Having observed many disturbing signs in the sky, on the earth andin outer space, Lord Krishna addressed the Yadus assembled in the Sudharma council hall as

follows.5. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O leaders of the Yadu dynasty, please note allthese terrible omens that have appeared in Dvaraka just like the flags of death. We should notremain here a moment longer.6. The women, children and old men should leave this city and go to Sankhoddhara. We shall goto Prabhasa-ksetra, where the river Sarasvati flows toward the west.7. There we should bathe for purification, fast, and fix our minds in meditation. We should thenworship the demigods by bathing their images, anointing them with sandalwood pulp, andpresenting them various offerings.8. After performing the expiatory rituals with the help of greatly fortunate brahmanas, we willworship those brahmanas by offering them cows, land, gold, clothing, elephants, horses, chariotsand dwelling places.9. This is indeed the appropriate process for counteracting our imminent adversity, and it is sure

to bring about the highest good fortune. Such worship of the demigods, brahmanas and cows canearn the highest birth for all living entities.10. Having heard these words from Lord Krishna, the enemy of Madhu, the elders of the Yadudynasty gave their assent, saying, So be it. After crossing over the ocean in boats, theyproceeded on chariots to Prabhasa.11. There, with great devotion, the Yadavas performed the religious ceremonies according to theinstructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their personal Lord. They also performedvarious other auspicious rituals.12. Then, their intelligence covered by Providence, they liberally indulged in drinking the sweetmaireya beverage, which can completely intoxicate the mind.13. The heroes of the Yadu dynasty became intoxicated from their extravagant drinking andbegan to feel arrogant. When they were thus bewildered by the personal potency of Lord Krishna,a terrible quarrel arose among them.14. Infuriated, they seized their bows and arrows, swords, bhallas, clubs, lances and spears andattacked one another on the shore of the ocean.15. Riding on elephants and chariots with flags flying, and also on donkeys, camels, bulls,buffalos, mules and even human beings, the extremely enraged warriors came together andviolently attacked one another with arrows, just as elephants in the forest attack one another withtheir tusks.16. Their mutual enmity aroused, Pradyumna fought fiercely against Samba, Akrura againstKuntibhoja, Aniruddha against Satyaki, Subhadra against Sangramajit, Sumitra against Suratha,and the two Gadas against each other.17. Others also, such as Nisatha, Ulmuka, Sahasrajit, Satajit and Bhanu, confronted and killed

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one another, being blinded by intoxication and thus completely bewildered by Lord MukundaHimself.18. Completely abandoning their natural friendship, the members of the various Yadu clanstheDasarhas, Vrsnis and Andhakas, the Bhojas, Satvatas, Madhus and Arbudas, the Mathuras,Surasenas, Visarjanas, Kukuras and Kuntisall slaughtered one another.19. Thus bewildered, sons fought with fathers, brothers with brothers, nephews with paternal andmaternal uncles, and grandsons with grandfathers. Friends fought with friends, and well-wisherswith well-wishers. In this way intimate friends and relatives all killed one another.20. When all their bows had been broken and their arrows and other missiles spent, they seizedthe tall stalks of cane with their bare hands.21. As soon as they took these cane stalks in their fists, the stalks changed into iron rods as hardas thunderbolts. With these weapons the warriors began attacking one another again and again,and when Lord Krishna tried to stop them they attacked Him as well.22. In their confused state, O King, they also mistook Lord Balarama for an enemy. Weapons inhand, they ran toward Him with the intention of killing Him.23. O son of the Kurus, Krishna and Balarama then became very angry. Picking up cane stalks,They moved about within the battle and began to kill with these clubs.24. The violent anger of these warriors, who were overcome by the brahmanas curse andbewildered by Lord Krishnas illusory potency, now led them to their annihilation, just as a fire thatstarts in a bamboo grove destroys the entire forest.

25. When all the members of His own dynasty were thus destroyed, Lord Krishna thought toHimself that at last the burden of the earth had been removed.26. Lord Balarama then sat down on the shore of the ocean and fixed Himself in meditation uponthe Supreme Personality of Godhead. Merging Himself within Himself, He gave up this mortalworld.27. Lord Krishna, the son of Devaki, having seen the departure of Lord Rama, sat down silentlyon the ground under a nearby pippala tree.28-32. The Lord was exhibiting His brilliantly effulgent four-armed form, the radiance of which, justlike a smokeless fire, dissipated the darkness in all directions. His complexion was the color of adark blue cloud and His effulgence the color of molten gold, and His all-auspicious form bore themark of Srivatsa. A beautiful smile graced His lotus face, locks of dark blue hair adorned Hishead, His lotus eyes were very attractive, and His shark-shaped earrings glittered. He wore a pairof silken garments, an ornamental belt, the sacred thread, bracelets and arm ornaments, along

with a helmet, the Kaustubha jewel, necklaces, anklets and other royal emblems. Encircling Hisbody were flower garlands and His personal weapons in their embodied forms. As He sat He heldHis left foot, with its lotus-red sole, upon His right thigh.33. Just then a hunter named Jara, who had approached the place, mistook the Lords foot for adeers face. Thinking he had found his prey, Jara pierced the foot with his arrow, which he hadfashioned from the remaining iron fragment of Sambas club.34. Then, seeing that four-armed personality, the hunter became terrified of the offense he hadcommitted, and he fell down, placing his head upon the feet of the enemy of the demons.35. Jara said: O Lord Madhusudana, I am a most sinful person. I have committed this act out ofignorance. O purest Lord, O Uttamahsloka, please forgive this sinner.36. O Lord Visnu, the learned say that for any man, constant remembrance of You will destroy thedarkness of ignorance. O master, I have wronged You!37. Therefore, O Lord of Vaikuntha, please kill this sinful hunter of animals immediately so he may

not again commit such offenses against saintly persons.38. Neither Brahma nor his sons, headed by Rudra, nor any of the great sages who are mastersof the Vedic mantras can understand the function of Your mystic power. Because Your illusorypotency has covered their sight, they remain ignorant of how Your mystic power works. Therefore,what can I, such a low-born person, possibly say?39. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Jara, do not fear. Please get up. Whathas been done is actually My own desire. With My permission, go now to the abode of the pious,the spiritual world.40. So instructed by the Supreme Lord Krishna, who assumes His transcendental body by Hisown will, the hunter circumambulated the Lord three times and bowed down to Him. Then the

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hunter departed in an airplane that had appeared just to carry him to the spiritual sky.41. At that time Daruka was searching for his master, Krishna. As he neared the place where theLord was sitting, he perceived the aroma of tulasi flowers in the breeze and went in its direction.42. Upon seeing Lord Krishna resting at the foot of a banyan tree, surrounded by His shiningweapons, Daruka could not control the affection he felt in his heart. His eyes filled with tears ashe rushed down from the chariot and fell at the Lords feet.43. Daruka said: Just as on a moonless night people are merged into darkness and cannot findtheir way, now that I have lost sight of Your lotus feet, my Lord, I have lost my vision and amwandering blindly in darkness. I cannot tell my direction, nor can I find any peace.44. [Sukadeva Gosvami continued:] O foremost of kings, while the chariot driver was stillspeaking, before his very eyes the Lords chariot rose up into the sky along with its horses and itsflag, which was marked with the emblem of Garuda.45. All the divine weapons of Visnu rose up and followed the chariot. The Lord, Janardana, thenspoke to His chariot driver, who was most astonished to see all this.46. O driver, go to Dvaraka and tell Our family members how their loved ones destroyed oneanother. Also tell them of the disappearance of Lord Sankarsana and of My present condition.47. You and your relatives should not remain in Dvaraka, the capital of the Yadus, because once Ihave abandoned that city it will be inundated by the ocean.48. You should all take your own families, together with My parents, and under Arjunas protectiongo to Indraprastha.

49. You, Daruka, should be firmly situated in devotion to Me, remaining fixed in spiritualknowledge and unattached to material considerations. Understanding these pastimes to be adisplay of My illusory potency, you should remain peaceful.50. Thus ordered, Daruka circumambulated the Lord and offered obeisances to Him again andagain. He placed Lord Krishnas lotus feet upon his head and then with a sad heart went back tothe city.

Chapter Thirty-One The Disappearance of Lord Sri Krishna1. Sukadeva Gosvami said: Then Lord Brahma arrived at Prabhasa along with Lord Siva and hisconsort, the sages, the Prajapatis and all the demigods, headed by Indra.2-3. The forefathers, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas and great serpents also came, alongwith the Caranas, Yaksas, Raksasas, Kinnaras, Apsaras and relatives of Garuda, greatly eager towitness the departure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As they were coming, all these

personalities variously chanted and glorified the birth and activities of Lord Sauri [Krishna].4. O King, crowding the sky with their many airplanes, they showered down flowers with greatdevotion.5. Seeing before Him Brahma, the grandfather of the universe, along with the other demigods,who are all His personal and powerful expansions, the Almighty Lord closed His lotus eyes, fixingHis mind within Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.6. Without employing the mystic agneyi meditation to burn up His transcendental body, which isthe all-attractive resting place of all the worlds and the object of all contemplation and meditation,Lord Krishna entered into His own abode.7. As soon as Lord Sri Krishna left the earth, Truth, Religion, Faithfulness, Glory and Beautyimmediately followed Him. Kettledrums resounded in the heavens and flowers showered from thesky.8. Most of the demigods and other higher beings led by Brahma could not see Lord Krishna as

He was entering His own abode, since He did not reveal His movements. But some of them didcatch sight of Him, and they were extremely amazed.9. Just as ordinary men cannot ascertain the path of a lightning bolt as it leaves a cloud, thedemigods could not trace out the movements of Lord Krishna as He returned to His abode.10. A few of the demigods, howevernotably Lord Brahma and Lord Sivacould ascertain howthe Lords mystic power was working, and thus they became astonished. All the demigodspraised the Lords mystic power and then returned to their own planets.11. My dear King, you should understand that the Supreme Lords appearance anddisappearance, which resemble those of embodied conditioned souls, are actually a showenacted by His illusory energy, just like the performance of an actor. After creating this universe

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He enters into it, plays within it for some time, and at last winds it up. Then the Lord remainssituated in His own transcendental glory, having ceased from the functions of cosmicmanifestation.12. Lord Krishna brought the son of His guru back from the planet of the lord of death in the boysselfsame body, and as the ultimate giver of protection He saved you also when you were burnedby the brahmastra of Asvatthama. He conquered in battle even Lord Siva, who deals death to theagents of death, and He sent the hunter Jara directly to Vaikuntha in his human body. How couldsuch a personality be unable to protect His own Self?13. Although Lord Krishna, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of thecreation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable living beings, He simply did not desire tokeep His body in this world any longer. Thus He revealed the destination of those fixed in the selfand demonstrated that this mortal world is of no intrinsic value.14. Anyone who regularly rises early in the morning and carefully chants with devotion the gloriesof Lord Sri Krishnas transcendental disappearance and His return to His own abode will certainlyachieve that same supreme destination.15. As soon as Daruka reached Dvaraka, he threw himself at the feet of Vasudeva and Ugrasenaand drenched their feet with his tears, lamenting the loss of Lord Krishna.16-17. Daruka delivered the account of the total destruction of the Vrsnis, and upon hearing this,O Pariksit, the people became deeply distraught in their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feelingthe overwhelming pain of separation from Krishna, they struck their own faces while hurrying to

the place where their relatives lay dead.18. When Devaki, Rohini and Vasudeva could not find their sons, Krishna and Rama, they lostconsciousness out of anguish.19. Tormented by separation from the Lord, His parents gave up their lives at that very spot. Mydear Pariksit, the wives of the Yadavas then climbed onto the funeral pyres, embracing their deadhusbands.20. The wives of Lord Balarama also entered the fire and embraced His body, and Vasudevaswives entered his fire and embraced his body. The daughters-in-law of Lord Hari entered thefuneral fires of their respective husbands, headed by Pradyumna. And Rukmini and the otherwives of Lord Krishnawhose hearts were completely absorbed in Himentered His fire.21. Arjuna felt great distress over separation from Lord Krishna, his dearmost friend. But heconsoled himself by remembering the transcendental words the Lord had sung to him.22. Arjuna then saw to it that the funeral rites were properly carried out for the dead, who had no

remaining male family members. He executed the required ceremonies for each of the Yadus,one after another.23. As soon as Dvaraka was abandoned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the oceanflooded it on all sides, O King, sparing only His palace.24. Lord Madhusudana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is eternally present in Dvaraka. Itis the most auspicious of all auspicious places, and merely remembering it destroys allcontamination.25. Arjuna took the survivors of the Yadu dynastythe women, children and old mentoIndraprastha, where he installed Vajra as ruler of the Yadus.26. Hearing from Arjuna of the death of their friend, my dear King, your grandfathers establishedyou as the maintainer of the dynasty and left to prepare for their departure from this world.27. A person who with faith engages in chanting the glories of these various pastimes andincarnations of Visnu, the Lord of lords, will gain liberation from all sins.

28. The all-auspicious exploits of the all-attractive incarnations of Lord Sri Krishna, the SupremePersonality of Godhead, and also the pastimes He performed as a child, are described in thisSrimad-Bhagavatam and in other scriptures. Anyone who clearly chants these descriptions of Hispastimes will attain transcendental loving service unto Lord Krishna, who is the goal of all perfectsages.