The Disappearance of Lord Sri Krishna

Verse 1 (bhagavata.11.31.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ तत्रागमद् ब्रह्मा भवान्या च समं भवः । महेन्द्रप्रमुखा देवा मुनयः सप्रजेश्वराः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca atha tatrāgamad brahmā bhavānyā ca samaṁ bhavaḥ mahendra-pramukhā devā munayaḥ sa-prajeśvarāḥ

Sri Shuka said: Then Brahma arrived there, along with Lord Shiva and Bhavani, the gods headed by great Indra, the sages and the Prajapatis, lords of created beings.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.11.31.2)

पितरः सिद्धगन्धर्वा विद्याधरमहोरगाः । चारणा यक्षरक्षांसि किन्नराप्सरसो द्विजाः ॥ २ ॥

pitaraḥ siddha-gandharvā vidyādhara-mahoragāḥ cāraṇā yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi kinnarāpsaraso dvijāḥ

The ancestral spirits, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, great serpents, Charanas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Kinnaras, Apsaras and the twice-born also came —

Verse 3 (bhagavata.11.31.3)

द्रष्टुकामा भगवतो निर्याणं परमोत्सुकाः । गायन्तश्च गृणन्तश्च शौरेः कर्माणि जन्म च ॥ ३ ॥

draṣṭu-kāmā bhagavato niryāṇaṁ paramotsukāḥ gāyantaś ca gṛṇantaś ca śaureḥ karmāṇi janma ca

— eager and deeply longing to witness the Lord's departure, singing and proclaiming the birth and deeds of Shauri [Krishna].

Verse 4 (bhagavata.11.31.4)

ववृषुः पुष्पवर्षाणि विमानावलिभिर्नभः । कुर्वन्तः सङ्कुलं राजन् भक्त्या परमया युताः ॥ ४ ॥

vavṛṣuḥ puṣpa-varṣāṇi vimānāvalibhir nabhaḥ kurvantaḥ saṅkulaṁ rājan bhaktyā paramayā yutāḥ

O King, filled with the deepest devotion, they crowded the sky with rows of their celestial vehicles and rained down showers of flowers.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.11.31.5)

भगवान् पितामहं वीक्ष्य विभूतीरात्मनो विभुः । संयोज्यात्मनि चात्मानं पद्मनेत्रे न्यमीलयत् ॥ ५ ॥

bhagavān pitāmahaṁ vīkṣya vibhūtīr ātmano vibhuḥ saṁyojyātmani cātmānaṁ padma-netre nyamīlayat

The all-powerful Lord, beholding grandfather Brahma and His other own manifestations, closed His lotus eyes and united the self within the self.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.11.31.6)

लोकाभिरामां स्वतनुं धारणाध्यानमङ्गलम् । योगधारणयाग्नेय्यादग्ध्वा धामाविशत् स्वकम् ॥ ६ ॥

lokābhirāmāṁ sva-tanuṁ dhāraṇā-dhyāna-maṅgalam yoga-dhāraṇayāgneyyā- dagdhvā dhāmāviśat svakam

Then, through the agneyi yogic concentration, He consumed His own body — auspicious for meditation and contemplation, the delight of all the worlds — and entered into His own abode.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.11.31.7)

दिवि दुन्दुभयो नेदुः पेतुः सुमनसश्च खात् । सत्यं धर्मो धृतिर्भूमेः कीर्तिः श्रीश्चानु तं ययुः ॥ ७ ॥

divi dundubhayo neduḥ petuḥ sumanasaś ca khāt satyaṁ dharmo dhṛtir bhūmeḥ kīrtiḥ śrīś cānu taṁ yayuḥ

Kettledrums resounded in the heavens, and flowers fell from the sky. Truth, Dharma, Steadfastness, Glory and the earth's own Splendor all followed after Him.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.11.31.8)

देवादयो ब्रह्ममुख्या न विशन्तं स्वधामनि । अविज्ञातगतिं कृष्णं ददृशुश्चातिविस्मिताः ॥ ८ ॥

devādayo brahma-mukhyā na viśantaṁ sva-dhāmani avijñāta-gatiṁ kṛṣṇaṁ dadṛśuś cāti-vismitāḥ

The gods headed by Brahma could not see Krishna, His course unknown, as He entered His own abode; those who did catch sight of it were left utterly astonished.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.11.31.9)

सौदामन्या यथाक्लाशे यान्त्या हित्वाभ्रमण्डलम् । गतिर्न लक्ष्यते मर्त्यैस्तथा कृष्णस्य दैवतैः ॥ ९ ॥

saudāmanyā yathākāśe yāntyā hitvābhra-maṇḍalam gatir na lakṣyate martyais tathā kṛṣṇasya daivataiḥ

Just as mortals cannot trace the path of a lightning flash as it leaves the clouds through the sky, so even the gods could not trace the movement of Krishna.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.11.31.10)

ब्रह्मरुद्रादयस्ते तु दृष्ट्वा योगगतिं हरेः । विस्मितास्तां प्रशंसन्तः स्वं स्वं लोकं ययुस्तदा ॥ १० ॥

brahma-rudrādayas te tu dṛṣṭvā yoga-gatiṁ hareḥ vismitās tāṁ praśaṁsantaḥ svaṁ svaṁ lokaṁ yayus tadā

But Brahma, Rudra and a few others, having seen Hari's yogic passage, marveled at it, and, praising it, then returned each to his own realm.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.11.31.11)

राजन् परस्य तनुभृज्जननाप्ययेहा मायाविडम्बनमवेहि यथा नटस्य । सृष्ट्वात्मनेदमनुविश्य विहृत्य चान्ते संहृत्य चात्ममहिनोपरतः स आस्ते ॥ ११ ॥

rājan parasya tanu-bhṛj-jananāpyayehā māyā-viḍambanam avehi yathā naṭasya sṛṣṭvātmanedam anuviśya vihṛtya cānte saṁhṛtya cātma-mahinoparataḥ sa āste

O King, know that the Supreme's taking birth and passing away, as though embodied, is a play staged by His maya, like an actor's performance: He Himself creates this universe, enters into it, sports within it for a while, and at last withdraws it, remaining ever established in His own glory.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.11.31.12)

मर्त्येन यो गुरुसुतं यमलोकनीतं त्वां चानयच्छरणदः परमास्त्रदग्धम् । जिग्येऽन्तकान्तकमपीशमसावनीशः किं स्वावने स्वरनयन्मृगयुं सदेहम् ॥ १२ ॥

martyena yo guru-sutaṁ yama-loka-nītaṁ tvāṁ cānayac charaṇa-daḥ paramāstra-dagdham jigye 'ntakāntakam apīśam asāv anīśaḥ kiṁ svāvane svar anayan mṛgayuṁ sa-deham

He who, in a mortal-seeming body, brought back His guru's son from the realm of Yama, and who, as giver of shelter, brought you back after you were burned by the supreme weapon; who conquered even the ender of Death in battle, though He seemed powerless Himself; who sent a mere hunter, in his own body, straight to heaven — could such a One truly be unable to protect His own self?

Verse 13 (bhagavata.11.31.13)

तथाप्यशेषस्थितिसम्भवाप्यये- ष्वनन्यहेतुर्यदशेषशक्तिधृक् । नैच्छत् प्रणेतुं वपुरत्र शेषितं मर्त्येन किं स्वस्थगतिं प्रदर्शयन् ॥ १३ ॥

tathāpy aśeṣa-sthiti-sambhavāpyayeṣv ananya-hetur yad aśeṣa-śakti-dhṛk naicchat praṇetuṁ vapur atra śeṣitaṁ martyena kiṁ sva-stha-gatiṁ pradarśayan

And yet He, though the sole cause of the origin, maintenance and dissolution of countless beings, and the possessor of infinite powers, did not wish to keep His body lingering here any longer — not by any mortal means, but of His own accord — and thus revealed the destination of those established in the self.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.11.31.14)

य एतां प्रातरुत्थाय कृष्णस्य पदवीं पराम् । प्रयतः कीर्तयेद् भक्त्या तामेवाप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् ॥ १४ ॥

ya etāṁ prātar utthāya kṛṣṇasya padavīṁ parām prayataḥ kīrtayed bhaktyā tām evāpnoty anuttamām

Whoever rises early in the morning and carefully recounts, with devotion, this supreme journey of Krishna attains that very same unsurpassed destination.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.11.31.15)

दारुको द्वारकामेत्य वसुदेवोग्रसेनयोः । पतित्वा चरणावस्रैर्न्यषिञ्चत् कृष्णविच्युतः ॥ १५ ॥

dāruko dvārakām etya vasudevograsenayoḥ patitvā caraṇāv asrair nyaṣiñcat kṛṣṇa-vicyutaḥ

Reaching Dvaraka, Daruka, bereft of Krishna, fell at the feet of Vasudeva and Ugrasena and bathed them with his tears.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.11.31.16)

कथयामास निधनं वृष्णीनां कृत्स्नशो नृप । तच्छ्रुत्वोद्विग्नहृदया जनाः शोकविर्मूर्च्छिताः ॥ १६ ॥

kathayām āsa nidhanaṁ vṛṣṇīnāṁ kṛtsnaśo nṛpa tac chrutvodvigna-hṛdayā janāḥ śoka-virmūrcchitāḥ

O King, he related the news of the utter destruction of the Vrishnis. Hearing it, the people's hearts grew agitated, and they fainted from grief.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.11.31.17)

तत्र स्म त्वरिता जग्मुः कृष्णविश्लेषविह्वलाः । व्यसवः शेरते यत्र ज्ञातयो घ्नन्त आननम् ॥ १७ ॥

tatra sma tvaritā jagmuḥ kṛṣṇa-viśleṣa-vihvalāḥ vyasavaḥ śerate yatra jñātayo ghnanta ānanam

Distraught with the anguish of separation from Krishna, they hurried to the place where their lifeless kinsmen lay, as people struck their own faces in grief.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.11.31.18)

देवकी रोहिणी चैव वसुदेवस्तथा सुतौ । कृष्णरामावपश्यन्तः शोकार्ता विजहुः स्मृतिम् ॥ १८ ॥

devakī rohiṇī caiva vasudevas tathā sutau kṛṣṇa-rāmāv apaśyantaḥ śokārtā vijahuḥ smṛtim

Devaki, Rohini and Vasudeva, not finding their sons Krishna and Rama, lost consciousness in their grief.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.11.31.19)

प्राणांश्च विजहुस्तत्र भगवद्विरहातुराः । उपगुह्य पतींस्तात चितामारुरुहुः स्त्रियः ॥ १९ ॥

prāṇāṁś ca vijahus tatra bhagavad-virahāturāḥ upaguhya patīṁs tāta citām āruruhuḥ striyaḥ

Tormented by separation from the Lord, they gave up their lives there. My dear one, the women embraced their husbands and climbed onto the funeral pyres.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.11.31.20)

रामपत्न्यश्च तद्देहमुपगुह्याग्निमाविशन् । वसुदेवपत्न्यस्तद्गात्रं प्रद्युम्नादीन् हरेः स्नुषाः । कृष्णपत्न्योऽविशन्नग्निं रुक्मिण्याद्यास्तदात्मिकाः ॥ २० ॥

rāma-patnyaś ca tad-deham upaguhyāgnim āviśan vasudeva-patnyas tad-gātraṁ pradyumnādīn hareḥ snuṣāḥ kṛṣṇa-patnyo 'viśann agniṁ rukmiṇy-ādyās tad-ātmikāḥ

Balarama's wives, embracing His body, entered the fire; Vasudeva's wives entered the fire with his body; Hari's daughters-in-law entered the pyres of Pradyumna and the others; and Rukmini and the other wives of Krishna, their hearts wholly absorbed in Him, entered His fire.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.11.31.21)

अर्जुनः प्रेयसः सख्युः कृष्णस्य विरहातुरः । आत्मानं सान्त्वयामास कृष्णगीतैः सदुक्तिभिः ॥ २१ ॥

arjunaḥ preyasaḥ sakhyuḥ kṛṣṇasya virahāturaḥ ātmānaṁ sāntvayām āsa kṛṣṇa-gītaiḥ sad-uktibhiḥ

Arjuna, tormented by separation from his beloved friend Krishna, consoled himself by remembering the noble words Krishna had sung to him.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.11.31.22)

बन्धूनां नष्टगोत्राणामर्जुनः साम्परायिकम् । हतानां कारयामास यथावदनुपूर्वशः ॥ २२ ॥

bandhūnāṁ naṣṭa-gotrāṇām arjunaḥ sāmparāyikam hatānāṁ kārayām āsa yathā-vad anupūrvaśaḥ

For those kinsmen whose lineages had perished, Arjuna duly performed, each in proper turn, the funeral rites for the slain.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.11.31.23)

द्वारकां हरिणा त्यक्तां समुद्रोऽप्लावयत् क्षणात् । वर्जयित्वा महाराज श्रीमद्भगवदालयम् ॥ २३ ॥

dvārakāṁ hariṇā tyaktāṁ samudro 'plāvayat kṣaṇāt varjayitvā mahā-rāja śrīmad-bhagavad-ālayam

O great King, the moment Hari abandoned Dvaraka, the ocean flooded it entirely in an instant, sparing only the Lord's own splendid dwelling.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.11.31.24)

नित्यं सन्निहितस्तत्र भगवान् मधुसूदनः । स्मृत्याशेषाशुभहरं सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गलम् ॥ २४ ॥

nityaṁ sannihitas tatra bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ smṛtyāśeṣāśubha-haraṁ sarva-maṅgala-maṅgalam

The Blessed Lord Madhusudana remains eternally present there. Mere remembrance of that place removes every misfortune — it is the most auspicious of all auspicious things.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.11.31.25)

स्त्रीबालवृद्धानादाय हतशेषान् धनञ्जयः । इन्द्रप्रस्थं समावेश्य वज्रं तत्राभ्यषेचयत् ॥ २५ ॥

strī-bāla-vṛddhān ādāya hata-śeṣān dhanañjayaḥ indraprasthaṁ samāveśya vajraṁ tatrābhyaṣecayat

Dhananjaya took the surviving women, children and elders to Indraprastha, and there had Vajra installed and consecrated as king.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.11.31.26)

श्रुत्वा सुहृद्वधं राजन्नर्जुनात्ते पितामहाः । त्वां तु वंशधरं कृत्वा जग्मुः सर्वे महापथम् ॥ २६ ॥

śrutvā suhṛd-vadhaṁ rājann arjunāt te pitāmahāḥ tvāṁ tu vaṁśa-dharaṁ kṛtvā jagmuḥ sarve mahā-patham

O King, having heard from Arjuna of the death of their beloved friend, your grandfathers, making you the bearer of the dynasty, all set out together on the great final journey.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.11.31.27)

य एतद् देवदेवस्य विष्णोः कर्माणि जन्म च । कीर्तयेच्छ्रद्धया मर्त्यः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ २७ ॥

ya etad deva-devasya viṣṇoḥ karmāṇi janma ca kīrtayec chraddhayā martyaḥ sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

A mortal who with faith recounts these deeds and this birth of Vishnu, the God of gods, is freed from all sin.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.11.31.28)

इत्थं हरेर्भगवतो रुचिरावतार- वीर्याणि बालचरितानि च शन्तमानि । अन्यत्र चेह च श्रुतानि गृणन् मनुष्यो भक्तिं परां परमहंसगतौ लभेत ॥ २८ ॥

itthaṁ harer bhagavato rucirāvatāra- vīryāṇi bāla-caritāni ca śantamāni anyatra ceha ca śrutāni gṛṇan manuṣyo bhaktiṁ parāṁ paramahaṁsa-gatau labheta

Thus a person who recounts the glorious deeds of Lord Hari's beautiful incarnations, and His most auspicious childhood exploits — heard here and elsewhere — attains supreme devotion to Him who is the very goal of the greatest of liberated souls.