SB 10.57.31 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

इत्यङ्गोपदिशन्त्येके विस्मृत्य प्रागुदाहृतम् । मुनिवासनिवासे किं घटेतारिष्टदर्शनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

ity aṅgopadiśanty eke vismṛtya prāg udāhṛtam muni-vāsa-nivāse kiṁ ghaṭetāriṣṭa-darśanam

Synonyms

iti — thus ; aṅga — my dear (King Parīkṣit) ; upadiśanti — were proposing ; eke — some ; vismṛtya — forgetting ; prāk — previously ; udāhṛtam — what had been described ; muni — of sages ; vāsa — the residence ; nivāse — when He is residing ; kim — how ; ghaṭeta — can arise ; ariṣṭa — of calamities ; darśanam — the appearance .

Translation

Some men proposed [that the troubles were due to Akrūra’s absence], but they had forgotten the glories of the Supreme Lord, which they themselves had so often described. Indeed, how can calamities occur in a place where the Personality of Godhead, the residence of all the sages, resides?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Some men proposed [that the troubles were due to Akrūra's absence], but they had forgotten the glories of the Supreme Lord, which they themselves had so often described. Indeed, how can calamities occur in a place where the Personality of Godhead, the residence of all the sages, resides? KB 10.57.31 This was a kind of superstition, because while Lord Kṛṣṇa was present there could not be any pestilence, famine or natural disturbances. But in the absence of Akrūra there were apparently some disturbances in Dvārakā. The superstition arose for the following reason:

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī provides the following insight on this verse: In Benares Akrūra became famous for performing sacrifices on golden altars and for his abundant charity to the brāhmaṇas. When the citizens of Dvārakā heard about this, some of them gossiped that Kṛṣṇa, considering Akrūra a rival, had sent him into exile. To dispel this new and incredible stain on His reputation, Lord Kṛṣṇa created various calamities in Dvārakā, thus inducing the citizens to call for Akrūra’s return, which the Lord then ordered.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

As a result of his offenses to the gopis of Vraja by taking Krsna , Akrura also had to experience many years of separation from Krsna, and to live in Kasi among Krsna’s enemies. As many years as Baladeva stayed in Mithila, Akrura stayed in Kasi. Hearing how he was giving charity to many brahmanas and doing sacrifices on an altar of gold, people began to gossip that Krsna had Akrura sent to Kasi. Though Balarama, Rukmini and others did not believe the rumors, in order to clear his name, Krsna created many calamities in Dvaraka in order to bring Akrura back. After stating the munis' proposition that Dvaraka was suffering due to the influence of time mentioned in verse 30 it is defeated in verse 31. Some (eke) such as vaisampayana muni, forgetting their previous words (prag udahrtam) in praise of Krsna, began to speak. However, if a muni residing in a village prevents calamity, what calamity to happen in the abode of Krsna who is the shelter of all munis (muni vasa)?

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Some like Vaiśampāyana, forgetting what they had previously said in praise of the Lord, not remembering this, attributed the calamities to Akrūra’s absence. How could calamities happen in the continual residence of the Lord (nivāse), who gives shelter (vāsa) to all sages? Even if one sage lived there, such calamities could not happen. Even one calamity should not happen, what to speak of many varieties. It should be understood that this was the will of the Lord. He produced these calamities in order to provide a pretext for bringing back Akrūra.