A question regarding Krishna

[karthik_v]

How does Lord Krishna end his life after ruling Dwaraka? Can someone point me to references in Srimad Bhagavatam? Is there any mention about this in Vishnu Purana?

[Avinash]

Read the last few verses of the eleventh Canto in Bhagwatam. I will check Visnu Puran and tell you.

[Tarun]

His Lotus Foot appeared as a Deer, or was it a Doe?

The Hunter could not help himself. All-Attractive.

[gHari]

Yes, the world offended His lotus foot, ushering in Kali Yuga.

[Gauracandra]

Is it me or does this story not resemble quite a bit to the Greek story of Achilles. As I recall, Achilles mother dipped him into a river and he was invulnerable to all weapons. But because she had to hold his ankles, that part was not dipped in, so he was vulnerable there. This is how Achilles was eventually killed. Here Krsna leaves this world through an arrow to the foot. In addition, if I'm not mistaken, isn't Duryodhan invulnerable except for one portion of his body (thigh)?

[gHari]

Courtesy Tarun's Travelling Sankirtana Troupe, the Srimad Bhagavatam 11.30-50:

evaM naSTeSu sarveSu

kuleSu sveSu kezavaH

avatArito bhuvo bhAra

iti mene 'vazeSitaH

 

evam--in this way; naSTeSu--when they had been destroyed; sarveSu--all; kuleSu--the clans of the dynasty; sveSu--His own; kezavaH--Lord KRSNa; avatAritaH--diminished; bhuvaH--of the earth; bhAraH--the burden; iti--thus; mene--He thought; avazeSitaH--remaining.

When all the members of His own dynasty were thus destroyed, Lord KRSNa thought to Himself that at last the burden of the earth had been removed.

 

rAmaH samudra-velAyAM

yogam AsthAya pauruSam

tatyAja lokaM mAnuSyaM

saMyojyAtmAnam Atmani

 

rAmaH--Lord BalarAma; samudra--of the ocean; velAyAm--on the shore; yogam--meditation; AsthAya--resorting to; pauruSam--upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tatyAja--He gave up; lokam--the world; mAnuSyam--human; saMyojya--merging; AtmAnam--Himself; Atmani--within Himself.

Lord BalarAma then sat down on the shore of the ocean and fixed Himself in meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Merging Himself within Himself, He gave up this mortal world.

 

rAma-niryANam Alokya

bhagavAn devakI-sutaH

niSasAda dharopasthe

tuSNIm AsAdya pippalam

 

rAma-niryANam--the departure of Lord BalarAma; Alokya--observing; bhagavAn--the Supreme Lord; devakI-sutaH--the son of DevakI; niSasAda--sat down; dharA-upasthe--on the lap of the earth; tuSNIm--silently; AsAdya--finding; pippalam--a pippala tree.

Lord KRSNa, the son of DevakI, having seen the departure of Lord RAma, sat down silently on the ground under a nearby pippala tree.

 

bibhrac catur-bhujaM rUpaM

bhrAyiSNu prabhayA svayA

dizo vitimirAH kurvan

vidhUma iva pAvakaH

 

zrIvatsAGkaM ghana-zyAmaM

tapta-hATaka-varcasam

kauzeyAmbara-yugmena

parivItaM su-maGgalam

 

sundara-smita-vaktrAbjaM

nIla-kuntala-maNDitam

puNDarIkAbhirAmAkSaM

sphuran makara-kuNDalam

 

kaTi-sUtra-brahma-sUtra-

kirITa-kaTakAGgadaiH

hAra-nUpura-mudrAbhiH

kaustubhena virAjitam

 

vana-mAlA-parItAGgaM

mUrtimadbhir nijAyudhaiH

kRtvorau dakSiNe pAdam

AsInaM paGkajAruNam

 

bibhrat--bearing; catuH-bhujam--with four arms; rUpam--His form; bhrAjiSNu--brilliant; prabhayA--with its effulgence; svayA--own; dizaH--all the directions; vitimirAH--devoid of darkness; kurvan--making; vidhUmaH--without smoke; iva--as; pAvakaH--a fire; zrIvatsa-aGkam--with the mark of SrIvatsa; ghana-zyAmam--dark blue like the clouds; tapta--molten; hATaka--like gold; varcasam--His glowing effulgence; kauzeya--of silk; ambara--of garments; yugmena--a pair; parivItam--wearing; su-maGgalam--all-auspicious; sundara--beautiful; smita--with smiling; vaktra--His face; abjam--like a lotus; nIla--blue; kuntala--with locks of hair; maNDitam--(His head) adorned; puNDarIka--lotus; abhirAma--charming; akSam--eyes; sphurat--trembling; makara--shaped like sharks; kuNDalam--His earrings; kati-sUtra--with belt; brahma-sUtra--sacred thread; kirITa--helmet; kaTaka--bracelets; aGgadaiH--and arm ornaments; hAra--with necklaces; nUpura--ankle bells; mudrAbhiH--and His royal symbols; kaustubhena--with the Kaustubha gem; virAjitam--splendid; vana-mAlA--by a flower garland; parIta--encircled; aGgam--His limbs; mUrti-madbhiH--personified; nija--His own; AyudhaiH--and by the weapons; kRtvA--placing; urau--on His thigh; dakSiNe--right; pAdam--His foot; AsInam--sitting; paGkaja--like a lotus; aruNam--reddish.

The Lord was exhibiting His brilliantly effulgent four-armed form, the radiance of which, just like a smokeless fire, dissipated the darkness in all directions. His complexion was the color of a dark blue cloud and His effulgence the color of molten gold, and His all-auspicious form bore the mark of SrIvatsa. A beautiful smile graced His lotus face, locks of dark blue hair adorned His head, His lotus eyes were very attractive, and His shark-shaped earrings glittered. He wore a pair of 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 His body were flower garlands and His personal weapons in their embodied forms. As He sat He held His left foot, with its lotus-red sole, upon His right thigh.

 

muSalAvazeSAyaH-khaNDa-

kRteSur lubdhako jarA

mRgAsyAkAraM tac-caraNaM

vivyAdha mRga-zaGkayA

 

muSala--from the iron club; avazeSa--remaining; ayaH--of iron; khaNDa--with the fragment; kRta--who had made; iSuH--his arrow; lubdhakaH--the hunter; jarA--named JarA; mRga--of a deer; Asya--of the face; AkAram--having the form; tat--His; caraNam--lotus foot; vivyAdha--pierced; mRga-zaGkayA--thinking it to be a deer.

Just then a hunter named JarA, who had approached the place, mistook the Lord's foot for a deer's face. Thinking he had found his prey, JarA pierced the foot with his arrow, which he had fashioned from the remaining iron fragment of SAmba's club.

 

PURPORT

According to SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura, the statement that the arrow "pierced the Lord's foot" expresses the point of view of the hunter, who thought he had struck a deer. In fact the arrow merely touched the Lord's lotus foot and did not pierce it, since the Lord's limbs are composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Otherwise, in the description of the next verse (that the hunter became fearful and fell down with his head upon the Lord's feet), Sukadeva GosvAmI would have stated that he extracted his arrow from the Lord's foot.

 

catur-bhujaM taM puruSaM

dRSTvA sa kRta-kilbiSaH

bhItaH papAta zirasA

pAdayor asura-dviSaH

 

catuH-bhujam--four-armed; tam--that; puruSam--personality; dRSTvA--seeing; saH--he; kRta-kilbiSaH--having committed an offense; bhItaH--afraid; papAta--fell; zirasA--with his head; pAdayoH--at the feet; asura-dviSaH--of the Supreme Lord, the enemy of the demons.

Then, seeing that four-armed personality, the hunter became terrified of the offense he had committed, and he fell down, placing his head upon the feet of the enemy of the demons.

 

ajAnatA kRtam idaM

pApena madhusUdana

kSantum arhasi pApasya

uttamaHzloka me 'nagha

 

ajAnatA--who was acting without knowledge; kRtam--has been done; idam--this; pApena--by a sinful person; madhusUdana--O MadhusUdana; kSantum arhasi--please forgive; pApasya--of the sinful person; uttamaH-zloka--O glorious Lord; me--my; anagha--O sinless one.

JarA said: O Lord MadhusUdana, I am a most sinful person. I have committed this act out of ignorance. O purest Lord, O UttamaHzloka, please forgive this sinner.

 

yasyAnusmaraNaM nRNAm

ajJAna-dhvAnta-nAzanam

vadanti tasya te viSNo

mayAsAdhu kRtaM prabho

 

yasya--of whom; anusmaraNam--the constant remembrance; nRNAm--of all men; ajJAna--of ignorance; dhvAnta--the darkness; nAzanam--that which destroys; vadanti--they say; tasya--toward Him; te--You; viSNo--O Lord ViSNu; mayA--by me; asAdhu--wrongly; kRtam--this has been done; prabho--O master.

O Lord ViSNu, the learned say that for any man, constant remembrance of You will destroy the darkness of ignorance. O master, I have wronged You!

 

tan mAzu jahi vaikuNTha

pApmAnaM mRga-lubdhakam

yathA punar ahaM tv evaM

na kuryAM sad-atikramam

 

tat--therefore; mA--me; Azu--quickly; jahi--please kill; vaikuNTha--O Lord of VaikuNTha; pApmAnam--the sinful; mRga-lubdhakam--hunter of deer; yathA--so that; punaH--again; aham--I; tu--indeed; evam--thus; na kuryAm--may not do; sat--against saintly persons; atikramam--transgression.

Therefore, O Lord of VaikuNTha, please kill this sinful hunter of animals immediately so he may not again commit such offenses against saintly persons.

 

PURPORT

SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura explains that the fratricidal battle of the Yadu dynasty and the hunter's attack upon Lord KRSNa are clearly activities of the Lord's internal potency for the purpose of fulfilling the Lord's pastime desires. According to the evidence, the quarrel among the members of the Yadu dynasty occurred at sunset; then the Lord sat down on the bank of the SarasvatI River. It is stated that a hunter then arrived with the intention of killing a deer, but it is highly unlikely--when more than 560 million warriors had just been killed in a great uproarious battle and the place had been flooded with blood and strewn with corpses--that a simple hunter would somehow come along trying to kill a deer. Since deer are by nature fearful and timid, how could any deer possibly be on the scene of such a huge battle, and how could a hunter calmly go about his business in the midst of such carnage? Therefore, the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty and Lord KRSNa's own disappearance from this earth were not material historical events; they were instead a display of the Lord's internal potency for the purpose of winding up His manifest pastimes on earth.

 

yasyAtma-yoga-racitaM na vidur viriJco

rudrAdayo 'sya tanayAH patayo girAM ye

tvan-mAyayA pihita-dRSTaya etad aJjaH

kiM tasya te vayam asad-gatayo gRNImaH

 

yasya--whose; Atma-yoga--by the personal mystic power; racitam--produced; na vidaH--they do not understand; viriJcaH--Lord BrahmA; rudra-AdayaH--Siva and others; asya--his; tanayAH--sons; patayaH--masters; girAm--of the words of the Vedas; ye--who are; tvat-mAyayA--by Your illusory potency; pihita--covered; dRSTayaH--whose vision; etat--of this; aJjaH--directly; kim--what; tasya--of Him; te--of You; vayam--we; asat--impure; gatayaH--whose birth; gRNImaH--shall say.

Neither BrahmA nor his sons, headed by Rudra, nor any of the great sages who are masters of the Vedic mantras can understand the function of Your mystic power. Because Your illusory potency has covered their sight, they remain ignorant of how Your mystic power works. Therefore, what can I, such a low-born person, possibly say?

 

zrI-bhagavAn uvAca

mA bhair jare tvam uttiSTha

kAma eSa kRto hi me

yAhi tvaM mad-anujJAtaH

svargaM su-kRtinAM padam

 

zrI-bhagavAn uvAca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mA bhaiH--do not fear; jare--O JarA; tvam--you; uttiSTha--please get up; kAmaH--the desire; eSaH--this; kRtaH--done; hi--indeed; me--My; yAhi--go; tvam--you; mat-anujJAtaH--given permission by Me; svargam--to the spiritual world; su-kRtinAm--of the pious; padam--the abode.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear JarA, do not fear. Please get up. What has been done is actually My own desire. With My permission, go now to the abode of the pious, the spiritual world.

 

ity AdiSTo bhagavatA

kRSNenecchA-zarIriNA

triH parikramya taM natvA

vimAnena divaM yayau

 

iti--thus; AdiSTaH--instructed; bhagavatA--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kRSNena--by Lord KRSNa; icchA-zarIriNA--whose transcendental body is manifested simply by His own will; triH--three times; parikramya--circumambulating; tam--to Him; natvA--bowing down; vimAnena--by a celestial airplane; divam--into the sky; yayau--he went.

So instructed by the Supreme Lord KRSNa, who assumes His transcendental body by His own will, the hunter circumambulated the Lord three times and bowed down to Him. Then the hunter departed in an airplane that had appeared just to carry him to the spiritual sky.

 

dArukaH kRSNa-padavIm

anvicchann adhigamya tAm

vAyuM tulasikAmodam

AghrAyAbhimukhaM yayau

 

dArukaH--DAruka, the chariot driver of Lord KRSNa; kRSNa--of Lord KRSNa; padavIm--the trail; anvicchan--seeking out; adhigamya--coming upon; tAm--i; vAyum--the air; tulasikA-Amodam--fragrant with the aroma of tulasI flowers; AghrAya--scenting; abhimukham--toward Him; yayau--he went.

At that time DAruka was searching for his master, KRSNa. As he neared the place where the Lord was sitting, he perceived the aroma of tulasI flowers in the breeze and went in its direction.

 

taM tatra tigma-dyubhir Ayudhair vRtaM

hy azvattha-mUle kRta-ketanaM patim

sneha-plutAtmA nipapAta pAdayo

rathAd avaplutya sa-bASpa-locanaH

 

tam--Him; tatra--there; tigma--brilliant; dyubhiH--the effulgence of which; AyudhaiH--by His weapons; vRtam--surrounded; hi--indeed; azvattha--of the banyan tree; mUle--at the base; kRta-ketanam--resting; patim--his master; sneha--with affection; pluta--overwhelmed; AtmA--his heart; nipapAta--he fell down; pAdayoH--at His feet; rathAt--from the chariot; avaplutya--rushing down; sa-bASpa--filled with tears; locanaH--his eyes.

Upon seeing Lord KRSNa resting at the foot of a banyan tree, surrounded by His shining weapons, DAruka could not control the affection he felt in his heart. His eyes filled with tears as he rushed down from the chariot and fell at the Lord's feet.

 

apazyatas tvac-caraNAmbujaM prabho

dRSTiH praNaSTA tamasi praviSTA

dizo na jAne na labhe ca zAntiM

yathA nizAyAm uDupe praNaSTe

 

apazyataH--of me, who am not seeing; tvat--Your; caraNa-ambujam--lotus feet; prabho--O master; dRSTiH--the power of vision; praNaSTA--is destroyed; tamasi--into darkness; praviSTA--having entered; dizaH--the directions; na jAne--I do not know; na labhe--I cannot obtain; ca--and; zAntim--peace; yathA--just as; nizAyAm--in the night; uDupe--when the moon; praNaSTe--has become new.

DAruka said: Just as on a moonless night people are merged into darkness and cannot find their way, now that I have lost sight of Your lotus feet, my Lord, I have lost my vision and am wandering blindly in darkness. I cannot tell my direction, nor can I find any peace.

 

iti bruvati sUte vai

ratho garuDa-lAJchanaH

kham utpapAta rAjendra

sAzva-dhvaja udIkSataH

 

iti--thus; bruvati--while he was speaking; sUte--the chariot driver; vai--indeed; rathaH--the chariot; garuDa-lAJchanaH--marked with the flag of GaruDa; kham--into the sky; utpapAta--arose; rAja-indra--O king of kings (ParIkSit); sa-azva--along with the horses; dhvajaH--and flag; udIkSataH--as he looked up, watching.

[sukadeva GosvAmI continued:] O foremost of kings, while the chariot driver was still speaking, before his very eyes the Lord's chariot rose up into the sky along with its horses and its flag, which was marked with the emblem of GaruDa.

 

tam anvagacchan divyAni

viSNu-praharaNAni ca

tenAti-vismitAtmAnaM

sUtam Aha janArdanaH

 

tam--that chariot; anvagacchan--they followed; divyAni--divine; viSNu--of Lord ViSNu; praharaNAni--the weapons; ca--and; tena--by that occurrence; ati-vismita--astonished; AtmAnam--his mind; sUtam--to the driver; Aha--spoke; janArdanaH--Lord SrI KRSNa.

All the divine weapons of ViSNu rose up and followed the chariot. The Lord, JanArdana, then spoke to His chariot driver, who was most astonished to see all this.

 

gaccha dvAravatIM sUta

jJAtInAM nidhanaM mithaH

saGkarSaNasya niryANaM

bandhubhyo brUhi mad-dazAm

 

gaccha--just go; dvAravatIm--to DvArakA; sUta--O chariot driver; jJAtInAm--of their close relatives; nidhanam--the destruction; mithaH--mutual; saGkarSaNasya--of Lord BalarAma; niryANam--the passing away; bandhubhyaH--to Our family members; brUhi--speak; mat-dazAm--My condition.

O driver, go to DvArakA and tell Our family members how their loved ones destroyed one another. Also tell them of the disappearance of Lord SaGkarSaNa and of My present condition.

 

PURPORT

Lord KRSNa sent His chariot driverless back to VaikuNTha, along with the horses and weapons, because the chariot driver, DAruka, had some final service to do on earth.

 

dvArakAyAM ca na stheyaM

bhavadbhiz ca sva-bandhubhiH

mayA tyaktAM yadu-purIM

samudraH plAvayiSyati

 

dvArakAyAm--in DvArakA; ca--and; na stheyam--should not remain; bhavadbhiH--you; ca--and; sva-bandhubhiH--along with your relatives; mayA--by Me; tyaktAm--abandoned; yadu-purIm--the capital of the Yadus; samudraH--the ocean; plAvayiSyati--will drown.

You and your relatives should not remain in DvArakA, the capital of the Yadus, because once I have abandoned that city it will be inundated by the ocean.

 

svaM svaM parigrahaM sarve

AdAya pitarau ca naH

arjunenAvitAH sarva

indraprasthaM gamiSyatha

 

svam svam--each his own; parigraham--family; sarve--all of them; AdAya--taking; pitarau--parents; ca--and; naH--Our; arjunena--by Arjuna; avitAH--protected; sarve--all; indraprastham--to Indraprastha; gamiSyatha--you should go.

You should all take your own families, together with My parents, and under Arjuna's protection go to Indraprastha.

 

tvaM tu mad-dharmam AsthAya

jJAna-niSTha upekSakaH

man-mAyA-racitAm etAM

vijJayopazamaM vraja

 

tvam--you; tu--however; mat-dharmam--in My devotional service; AsthAya--remaining firm; jJAna-niSThaH--fixed in knowledge; upekSakaH--indifferent; mat-mAyA--by My illusory energy; racitAm--created; etAm--this; vijJAya--understanding; upazamam--cessation from agitation; vraja--obtain.

You, DAruka, should be firmly situated in devotion to Me, remaining fixed in spiritual knowledge and unattached to material considerations. Understanding these pastimes to be a display of My illusory potency, you should remain peaceful.

 

PURPORT

According to SrIla JIva GosvAmI, the word tu here emphasizes that DAruka is an eternally liberated associate of Lord KRSNa, having descended from VaikuNTha. Therefore, even though others might be bewildered by the Lord's pastimes, DAruka should remain peaceful and fixed in spiritual knowledge.

 

ity uktas taM parikramya

namaskRtya punaH punaH

tat-pAdau zIrSNy upAdhAya

durmanAH prayayau purIm

 

iti--thus; uktaH--spoken to; tam--Him; parikramya--circumambulating; namaH-kRtya--offering obeisances; punaH punaH--again and again; tat-pAdau--His lotus feet; zIrSNi--upon his head; upAdhAya--placing; durmanAH--unhappy in his mind; prayayau--he went; purIm--to the city.

Thus ordered, DAruka circumambulated the Lord and offered obeisances to Him again and again. He placed Lord KRSNa's lotus feet upon his head and then with a sad heart went back to the city.

 

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupAda to the Eleventh Canto, Thirtieth Chapter, of the SrImad-BhAgavatam, entitled "The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty."

 

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.31.5-14

 

bhagavAn pitAmahaM vIkSya

vibhUtIr Atmano vibhuH

saMyojyAtmani cAtmAnaM

padma-netre nyamIlayat

 

bhagavAn--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pitAmaham--Lord BrahmA; vIkSya--seeing; vibhUtIH--the powerful expansions, the demigods; AtmanaH--His own; vibhuH--the Almighty Lord; saMyojya--fixing; Atmani--in Himself; ca--and; AtmAnam--His consciousness; padma-netre--His lotus eyes; nyamIlyat--closed.

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, fixing His mind within Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

PURPORT

According to SrIla SrIdhara SvAmI, Lord KRSNa had previously answered the prayers of Lord BrahmA and the other demigods, who had requested the Lord to descend within this universe for the protection of His servants, the demigods. Now the demigods arrived before the Lord, each one desiring to take the Lord to his own planet. To avoid these innumerable social obligations, the Lord closed His eyes as if absorbed in samAdhi.

 

SrIla JIva GosvAmI adds that Lord KRSNa closed His eyes to instruct the yogIs how to leave this mortal world without attachment to one's mystic opulences. All the demigods, including BrahmA, are mystic expansions of Lord KRSNa, and yet the Lord closed His eyes to emphasize that one should fix one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead when departing from this world.

 

lokAbhirAmAM sva-tanuM

dhAraNA-dhyAna-maGgalam

yoga-dhAraNayAgneyyA-

dagdhvA dhAmAvizat svakam

 

loka--to all the worlds; abhirAmAm--most attractive; sva-tanum--His own transcendental body; dhAraNA--of all trance; dhyAna--and meditation; maGgalam--the auspicious object; yoga-dhAraNayA--by mystic trance; AgneyyA--focused on fire; adagdhvA--without burning; dhAma--the abode; Avizat--He entered; svakam--His own.

Without employing the mystic AgneyI meditation to burn up His transcendental body, which is the all-attractive resting place of all the worlds and the object of all contemplation and meditation, Lord KRSNa entered into His own abode.

 

PURPORT

A yogI empowered to select the moment of leaving his body can cause it to burst into flames by engaging in the yogic meditation called AgneyI, and thus he passes into his next life. The demigods similarly employ this mystic fire when being transferred to the spiritual world. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely different from conditioned souls like yogIs and demigods, since the Lord's eternal, spiritual body is the source of all existence, as indicated here by the words lokAbhirAmAM sva-tanum. Lord KRSNa's body is the source of pleasure for the entire universe. The word dhAraNA-dhyAna-maGgalam indicates that those trying for spiritual elevation through meditation and yoga achieve all auspiciousness through meditation on the Lord's body. Since yogIs are liberated simply by thinking of Lord KRSNa's body, that body is certainly not material and therefore not subject to burning by mundane mystic fire or any other type of fire.

 

SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura reminds us of Lord KRSNa's statement in the Eleventh Canto, Chapter Fourteen, verse 37: vahni-madhye smared rUpaM mamaitad dhyAna-maGgalam. "Within the fire one should meditate upon My form, which is the auspicious object of all meditation." Since Lord KRSNa's transcendental form is present within fire as the maintaining principle, how can fire affect that form? Thus although the Lord appeared to enter the mystic yoga trance, the word adagdhvA indicates that the Lord, since His body is purely spiritual, bypassed the formality of burning and directly entered His own abode in the spiritual sky. This point has also been elaborately explained by SrIla JIva GosvAmI in his commentary to this verse.

 

divi dundubhayo neduH

petuH sumanasaz ca khAt

satyaM dharmo dhRtir bhUmeH

kIrtiH zrIz cAnu taM yayuH

 

divi--in heaven; dundubhayaH--kettledrums; neduH--sounded; petuH--fell; sumanasaH--flowers; ca--and; khAt--from the sky; satyam--Truth; dharmaH--Religion; dhRtiH--Faithfulness; bhUmeH--from the earth; kIrtiH--Fame; zrIH--Beauty; ca--and; anu--following; tam--Him; yayuH--they went.

As soon as Lord SrI KRSNa left the earth, Truth, Religion, Faithfulness, Glory and Beauty immediately followed Him. Kettledrums resounded in the heavens and flowers showered from the sky.

 

PURPORT

According to SrIla SrIdhara SvAmI, all the demigods were jubilant because each one thought Lord KRSNa was coming to his own planet.

 

devAdayo brahma-mukhyA

na vizantaM sva-dhAmani

avijJAta-gatiM kRSNaM

dadRzuz cAti-vismitAH

 

deva-AdayaH--the demigods and others; brahma-mukhyAH--headed by BrahmA; na--not; vizantam--entering; sva-dhAmani--His own abode; avijJAta--unknown; gatim--His movements; kRSNam--Lord KRSNa; dadRzuH--they saw; ca--and; ati-vismitAH--very amazed.

Most of the demigods and other higher beings led by BrahmA could not see Lord KRSNa as He was entering His own abode, since He did not reveal His movements. But some of them did catch sight of Him, and they were extremely amazed.

 

saudAmanyA yathAklAze

yAntyA hitvAbhra-maNDalam

gatir na lakSyate martyais

tathA kRSNasya daivataiH

 

saudAmanyAH--of lightning; yathA--just as; AkAze--in the sky; yAntyAH--which is traveling; hitvA--having left; abhra-maNDalam--the clouds; gatiH--the movement; na lakSyate--cannot be ascertained; martyaiH--by mortals; tathA--similarly; kRSNasya--of Lord KRSNa; daivataiH--by the demigods.

Just as ordinary men cannot ascertain the path of a lightning bolt as it leaves a cloud, the demigods could not trace out the movements of Lord KRSNa as He returned to His abode.

 

PURPORT

The sudden movements of a lightning bolt are seen by the demigods but not by human beings. Similarly, the sudden departure of Lord KRSNa could be understood by the Lord's intimate associates in the spiritual sky but not by the demigods.

 

brahma-rudrAdayas te tu

dRSTvA yoga-gatiM hareH

vismitAs tAM prazaMsantaH

svaM svaM lokaM yayus tadA

 

brahma-rudra-AdayaH--BrahmA, Rudra and others; te--they; tu--but; dRSTvA--seeing; yoga-gatim--the mystic power; hareH--of Lord KRSNa; vismitAH--astonished; tAm--that power; prazaMsantaH--glorifying; svam svam--each to his own; lokam--world; yayuH--went; tadA--then.

A few of the demigods, however--notably Lord BrahmA and Lord Siva--could ascertain how the Lord's mystic power was working, and thus they became astonished. All the demigods praised the Lord's mystic power and then returned to their own planets.

 

PURPORT

Although the demigods are virtually omniscient within this universe, they could not understand the movements of Lord KRSNa's mystic potency. Thus they were astonished.

 

rAjan parasya tanu-bhRj-jananApyayehA

mAyA-viDambanam avehi yathA naTasya

sRSTvAtmanedam anuvizya vihRtya cAnte

saMhRtya cAtma-mahinoparataH sa Aste

 

rAjan--O King ParIkSit; parasya--of the Supreme; tanu-bhRt--resembling the embodied living beings; janana--of birth; apyaya--and disappearance; IhAH--the activities; mAyA--of His illusory potency; viDambanam--the false show; avehi--you should understand; yathA--just as; naTasya--of an actor; sRSTvA--creating; AtmanA--by Himself; idam--this universe; anuvizya--entering it; vihRtya--playing; ca--and; ante--in the end; saMhRtya--winding it up; ca--and; Atma-mahinA--with His own glory; uparataH--having ceased; saH--He; Aste--remains.

My dear King, you should understand that the Supreme Lord's appearance and disappearance, which resemble those of embodied conditioned souls, are actually a show enacted by His illusory energy, just like the performance of an actor. After creating this universe He enters into it, plays within it for some time, and at last winds it up. Then the Lord remains situated in His own transcendental glory, having ceased from the functions of cosmic manifestation.

 

PURPORT

According to SrIla JIva GosvAmI, the so-called fight among the members of the Yadu dynasty was actually a display of the pastime potency of the Lord, since Lord KRSNa's personal associates are never subject to ordinary birth and death like conditioned souls. This being the case, certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is transcendental to material birth and death, as clearly stated in this verse.

 

The word naTasya, "of an actor or magician," is significant here. SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura tells the following story of a certain magician who exhibits the trick of dying:

 

"In front of a great king, a magician approaches a stack of valuable garments, jewels, coins and so forth, all placed there by the king. Taking a jeweled necklace, the magician tells the king, 'Now I am taking this necklace, and you can't have it,' and he makes the necklace disappear. 'Now I'm taking this gold coin, and you can't have it,' he says, and makes the gold coin disappear. Next, challenging the king in the same way, the magician makes seven thousand horses disappear. Then the magician creates the illusion that the king's children, grandchildren, brothers and other family members have attacked each other and that nearly all are dead from the violent quarrel. The king hears the magician speaking and at the same time observes these things taking place before him as he sits in the great assembly hall.

 

"Then the magician says, 'O King, I no longer wish to live. Just as I have studied magic, so also, by the mercy of the lotus feet of my guru, I have learned the mystic meditation of yoga. One is supposed to give up one's body while meditating in a holy place, and since you have performed so many pious activities, you are a holy place yourself. Therefore I shall now give up my body.'

 

"Thus speaking, the magician sits down in the proper yoga posture, fixes himself in prANAyAma, pratyAhAra, dhAraNA, dhyAna and samAdhi and becomes silent. A moment later, a fire generated from his trance blazes forth out of his body and burns it to ashes. Then all the wives of the magician, distraught with lamentation, enter into that fire.

 

"Three or four days later, after the magician has returned to his own province, he sends one of his daughters to the king. The daughter tells him, 'O King, I have just come to your palace, bringing along with me, invisibly, all your sons, grandsons and brothers in good health--along with all the jewels and other items given by you. Please, therefore, give me whatever you consider fitting remuneration for the wisdom of the magic that has been exhibited before you.' In this way, even by ordinary magic one can simulate birth and death."

 

It is not difficult to understand, therefore, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although transcendental to the laws of nature, exhibits His illusory potency so that ordinary fools will think the Lord has left His body like a human being. Actually, Lord KRSNa returned to His abode in His own eternal body, as confirmed throughout the Vedic literature.

 

martyena yo guru-sutaM yama-loka-nItaM

tvAM cAnayac charaNa-daH paramAstra-dagdham

jigye 'ntakAntakam apIzam asAv anIzaH

kiM svAvane svar anayan mRgayuM sa-deham

 

martyena--in the same human body; yaH--who; guru-sutam--the son of His spiritual master; yama-loka--to the planet of YamarAja; nItam--brought; tvAm--you; ca--and; Anayat--brought back; zaraNa-daH--the giver of shelter; parama-astra--by the supreme weapon, the brahmAstra; dagdham--burned; jigye--He conquered; antaka--of the agents of death; antakam--who is the death; api--even; Izam--Lord Siva; asau--He, KRSNa; anIzaH--incapable; kim--whether; sva--of Himself; avane--in the protection; svaH--to the spiritual world; anayat--brought; mRgayum--the hunter; sa-deham--in the same body.

Lord KRSNa brought the son of His guru back from the planet of the lord of death in the boy's selfsame body, and as the ultimate giver of protection He saved you also when you were burned by the brahmAstra of AzvatthAmA. He conquered in battle even Lord Siva, who deals death to the agents of death, and He sent the hunter JarA directly to VaikuNTha in his human body. How could such a personality be unable to protect His own Self?

 

PURPORT

To mitigate his own and ParIkSit MahArAja's distress at the narration of Lord KRSNa's departure from this world, SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI here gives several clear examples proving that Lord KRSNa is far beyond the influence of death. Although the son of Lord KRSNa's spiritual master (SAndIpani Muni) had been taken by death, the Lord brought him back in his same body. Similarly, the power of Brahman cannot touch Lord KRSNa, since ParIkSit MahArAja, though burned by the brahmAstra weapon, was easily saved by the Lord. Lord Siva was clearly defeated by Lord KRSNa in the battle with BANAsura, and the hunter JarA was sent to a VaikuNTha planet in his same human body. Death is an insignificant expansion of Lord KRSNa's external potency and cannot possibly act upon the Lord Himself. Those who actually understand the transcendental nature of Lord KRSNa's activities will find convincing evidence in these examples.

 

tathApy azeSa-sthiti-sambhavApyayeSv

ananya-hetur yad azeSa-zakti-dhRk

naicchat praNetuM vapur atra zeSitaM

martyena kiM sva-stha-gatiM pradarzayan

 

tathA api--nevertheless; azeSa--of all created beings; sthiti--in the maintenance; sambhava--creation; apyayeSu--and annihilation; ananya-hetuH--the exclusive cause; yat--because; azeSa--unlimited; zakti--potencies; dhRk--possessing; na aicchat--He did not desire; praNetum--to keep; vapuH--His transcendental body; atra--here; zeSitam--remaining; martyena--with this mortal world; kim--what use; sva-stha--of those who are fixed in Him; gatim--the destination; pradarzayan--showing.

Although Lord KRSNa, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable living beings, He simply did not desire to keep His body in this world any longer. Thus He revealed the destination of those fixed in the self and demonstrated that this mortal world is of no intrinsic value.

 

PURPORT

Although Lord KRSNa descended to this world to save the fallen souls, He did not want to encourage people in the future to loiter here unnecessarily. In other words, as soon as possible one should perfect one's KRSNa consciousness and go back home, back to Godhead. If Lord KRSNa had remained longer on the earth, He would have unnecessarily increased the prestige of the material world.

 

As stated by SrI Uddhava in SrImad-BhAgavatam (3.2.11), AdAyAntar adhAd yas tu sva-bimbaM loka-locanam: "Lord SrI KRSNa, who manifested His eternal form before the vision of all on the earth, performed His disappearance by removing His form from the sight of those who are unable to see Him [as He is] due to not executing the required penance. " Uddhava also states in the BhAgavatam (3.2.10):

 

devasya mAyayA spRSTA

ye cAnyad-asad-AzritAH

bhrAmyate dhIr na tad-vAkyair

Atmany uptAtmano harau

 

"Under no circumstances can the words of persons bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord deviate the intelligence of those who are completely surrendered souls." One who follows the VaiSNava authorities in his attempt to understand Lord KRSNa's transcendental disappearance easily appreciates that the Lord is the omnipotent Personality of Godhead and that His spiritual body is identical with His eternal spiritual potency.

 

ya etAM prAtar utthAya

kRSNasya padavIM parAm

prayataH kIrtayed bhaktyA

tAm evApnoty anuttamAm

 

yaH--anyone who; etAm--this; prAtaH--early in the morning; utthAya--getting up; kRSNasya--of Lord KRSNa; padavIm--the destination; parAm--supreme; prayataH--with careful attention; kIrtayet--glorifies; bhaktyA--with devotion; tAm--that destination; eva--indeed; Apnoti--he obtains; anuttamam--unsurpassable.

Anyone who regularly rises early in the morning and carefully chants with devotion the glories of Lord SrI KRSNa's transcendental disappearance and His return to His own abode will certainly achieve that same supreme destination.

 

 

------------------

Gary Stevason

Seeking the Kingdom of God

[Avinash]

Is it me or does this story not resemble quite a bit to the Greek story of Achilles. As I recall, Achilles mother dipped him into a river and he was invulnerable to all weapons. But because she had to hold his ankles, that part was not dipped in, so he was vulnerable there. This is how Achilles was eventually killed. Here Krsna leaves this world through an arrow to the foot. In addition, if I'm not mistaken, isn't Duryodhan invulnerable except for one portion of his body (thigh)?

 

You can find more similarities if you want. One is Noah's flood mentioned in Bible and flood at the end of 6th Manavantara mentioned in Bhagwatam.

 

I remember something interesting related to Noah's flood. You must be aware that there was a time when any scintific article had to pass through Church. The theory of ice age was passed very easily. Do you know why? This is because the authorities in Church felt it to be similar to Noah's flood.

[shvu]

 

Is it me or does this story not resemble quite a bit to the Greek story of Achilles.

Yes, this point has been used by both parties [indians and Europeans] to claim their original story was copied by the other.

 

In addition, if I'm not mistaken, isn't Duryodhan invulnerable except for one portion of his body (thigh)?

Yes. When Bhima has difficulty fighting with Duryodhana, Krishna makes a sign to Bhima instructing him to hit D on his thigh and that his how he gets killed.

 

Cheers

 

[karthik_v]

Thank you gHari prabhu, Tarun prabhu and Avinash prabhu for your wonderful responses. Kindly also let me know from Vishnu Purana. Hello Shvu, welcome back. Had been to India or something? You weren't seen for a while.

 

 

[Raguraman]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

I visited Dwarka 3 years back. There government run buses take you on a tour through specific areas. I visited a place called Gopi Talab near Dwarka(I think that is the way they pronounce). Usually a paid person accompanies these trips and he will explain history behind each place. According to that person Gopi Talab is the place where Gopis killed themselves (suicide) by jumping into that pond (These days it is almost a dried up pond) to escape from a bunch of thieves who attacked the Gopis. Arjuna was unable to protect the Gopis as he threw away a bone of Lord Krishna's body that was cremated.

 

The following incident took place before the above mentioned incidents.

 

Arjuna wanted to dissolve the ashes of Lord Krishna's body in the sea. When he was doing the same one piece of bone kept returning to him. In anger he placed it in his bow and sent it toward the sea. Along with the bone all his might went away and so he was unable to protect the Gopis.

 

Cotinuation of previous story:

 

After that incident Arjuna(also the Pandavas)was so dejected with his life that he accepted the Sannyasa order of life.

 

I have heard that this is the same story written in Mahabharatha also.

 

Can anyone tell me how true this story is?

 

What is given in Mahabharata about how Lord Krishna leaves this world?

[bhaktajoy]

Originally posted by Raguraman:

Arjuna wanted to dissolve the ashes of Lord Krishna's body in the sea.

The Supreme soul has so difference between his body and spirit.How come Lord krishna be cremated?

 

Lord Jesus Christ also ascended to spiritual world.

 

Jai Radhe!

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by bhaktajoy (edited 04-03-2002).]

[shvu]

 

Hello Shvu, welcome back. Had been to India or something? You weren't seen for a while.

Hi Karthik, thanks. I had been to India and have been busy with work since I returned.

 

Cheers

 

[Gauracandra]

I hope you don't mind if this is a little off topic. But I've always been fascinated by the relationships between ancient Greece and Vedic Culture. I believe there has to be a strong connection. In the following posting:

 

http://www.indiadivine.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000265.html

 

I put in a number of points connecting Greece to Vedic Culture. First, notice that Plato speaks of a system of Varnas. There is no interpretation on my part, it is plain as can be. There are also a number of points philosophically that suggest a connection as well.

 

As for flood stories, virtually every culture on the planet has a flood 'myth'. Here too is a quote from Plato's work from an Egyptian priest:

 

In the first place you remember a single deluge only, but there were many previous ones; in the next place, you do not know that there formerly dwelt in your land the fairest and noblest race of men which ever lived, and that you and your whole city are descended from a small seed or remnant of them which survived.

Just some more interesting connections (like Achilles).

 

[This message has been edited by Gauracandra (edited 04-04-2002).]

[Raguraman]

Originally posted by bhaktajoy:

The Supreme soul has so difference between his body and spirit.How come Lord krishna be cremated?

 

Lord Jesus Christ also ascended to spiritual world.

 

Jai Radhe!

 

[This message has been edited by bhaktajoy (edited 04-03-2002).]

------------------------------

Hare Krishna,

 

I also think so Bhaktajoy. But my question is how did such stories come. Obviously there has to be something in some scripture. That is why I asked what is given in Mahabharatha. Can anyone answer this.

 

By the way I enjoyed reading what Ghari has quoted from Bhagavatham.

 

[Avinash]

Please read verses 66 to 75 of Chapter 37 of 5th Canto of Visnu Puran. I found something strange there. It is often said that Krsna did not leave his body. But these verses say that He gave up his human body.

[shvu]

 

Please read verses 66 to 75 of Chapter 37 of 5th Canto of Visnu Puran. I found something strange there. It is often said that Krsna did not leave his body. But these verses say that He gave up his human body.

Avinash,

 

I don't have a copy of the VP. Can you please summarize the content of these 10 verses?

 

Also I don't understand what you mean by " It is often said that Krsna did not leave his body."

 

Thanx

 

[Avinash]

Translations of 5.36.66 to 5.36.75:

 

Lord Govind absorbed in Himself His Vasudev form of Parabrahm and meditated on It. That foremost of men merged His mind into Paramatma and got situated in turiya state. In order to keep the words of Durvasa, He sat down as a yogi, legs on His knees. Meanwhile, the hunter Jara, who had attached the remnant of the iron object at the end of his arrows came there. O great sage (Maitrya), on seeing the feet that looked as if they were of a deer, that hunter pierced it while standing at a distance. But on coming closer, he saw a person of four hands. On seeing this, he fell on His feet and said repeatedly, "Be pleased, be pleased! Out of ignorance I have committed this sin, thinking that there was a deer. I am being burnt by sin; please protect me."

 

Then the Lord said to him, "O hunter, do not be afraid even a little. By My grace, go to the abode of gods. As soon as these words were spoken by God that, an aerial cart came there. The hunter ascended to that and, by the grace of Lord, went to heaven. After he had left, the Lord merged His soul into Vasudev form of Visnu who is undestroyable, un describable, sublime, unborn, immortal, and all pervading. By transcending the three modes of material nature, He left His human body.

_________

 

"Krsna did not leave his body" means that He went to His abode with the body in which He was present on Earth.

[shvu]

 

Thanks Avinash,

 

As I recall, this story is the same as in SB, except the SB has a more colorful version where he burns his body with his yogic power or something like that. In any case, he does not take his human body with him.

 

I also remember a version where Jara was actually Vali in a previous life. Since Rama committed the sin of attacking Vali from hiding, Rama was due to get the same treatment back (Karma).

 

Cheers

 

[xxvvii]

If you are interested in Kr.'s limbs, I recommend to you some matters --

 

Buddha's funeral

Death of Balder in chap. 15, Prose Edda

 

For the Symbolic meaning of Kr.'s limbs - Way (up) / Branch (down), see topic "I`m the Way, Truth, and Life".

 

[This message has been edited by xxvvii (edited 04-10-2002).]