SB 11.30.5

The Supreme Lord said: O leaders of the Yadu dynasty! Please note all these terrible omens that have appeared in Dvārakā just like the flags of death. We should not remain here a moment longer. Internally the Lord thought as follows. Among all the persons who came to meet me from various places during the trip to Kurukṣetra, Kali came unnoticed by others and spoke to me. “O master! When will I take charge of the earth?” I said, “You can take charge only when my pastimes are over.” After I disappear, with the right given by me, Kali will pervade the earth. However, during my present appearance, dharma has increased to four legs, even greater than in Satya-yuga. If dharma is so strong, how can Kali rule? The rule is that Kali will rule when only one leg of dharma remains. One should not say that when I disappear then the four legs of dharma will also disappear, on the logic of nimittāpāye naimittikasyāpy apāyaḥ: when the cause disappears, the effects disappear-- since the devatās of great fame, purifiers of the whole world, remain alert. Moreover I have destroyed the unfavorable among the population of favorable, unfavorable and neutral parties. Now, if I ascend to Vaikuṇṭha with all the inhabitants of my abode, in sight of all persons, as Rāma did, the favorable devotees will double in number. Those who are already intensely favorable will increase their prema a hundredfold out of great longing in prema and those who are neutral will become devotees on seeing this extraordinary event. Dharma will thus increase. How will even a little influence of Kali be possible? By what method will I increase adharma in order to restrict dharma? Here is the method. I will remain as I do now in Dvārakā with the Yadus who are my associates in pastimes, but will become invisible to the eyes of all material people. The devatās who are vibhūtis, such as Cupid and Kārtikeya, have entered into my eternal associates like Pradyumna and others. By my power of yoga I will withdraw them from those bodies, without others noticing. Making some fake forms for the eyes of ordinary people, which appear to be Pradyumna and others, I will have the devatās in those bodies go to Prabhāsa, with the other inhabitants of Dvārakā, and have them drink wine after meditating and giving charity, and send them to Svarga according to their individual qualification as devotees. I (in another form) will depart for Vaikuṇṭha with the other inhabitants of Dvārakā, as Rāma did. (The root forms of Kṛṣṇa and his associates remained in Dvārakā invisibly.) But I will let the common people see the influence of māyā. They will think that the Yadus left Dvārakā, went to Prabhāsa with the entire Yadu dynasty and under the control of the brāhmaṇas’ curse, drank wine and gave up their bodies after killing each other. They will think the Lord along with Balarāma, giving up a human body, ascended to the spiritual abode. Thus they will say that my body was temporary, made of matter. Thinking I have a material body is a great offense. I have said avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: the fools deride me, thinking I have a material human form. (BG 9.11) I have describd the result: moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jṣānā vicetasaḥ | rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ || Among those who cannot distinguish this truth, those who are devotees do not gain sālokya, those who are karmīs do not attain their material fruits, and those who are jṣānīs do not attain liberation. They assume the nature of Rākṣasas and asuras. BG 9.12 If the devotees think in this way, their desire to attain me will be futile. If the karmīs think in this way, they cannot attain Svarga. If the jṣānīs think in this way, they cannot attain liberation. They become Rākṣasas. Some will think that Supreme Lord has a temporary body because of seeing that all others have temporary bodies. Some bodies live a long time and others a short time. Others will claim that just as the Kurus all died, Kṛṣna died with his family at Prabhāsa. By people’s hearing, speaking and praising such preaching of wrong ideas by idiots who think they are learned, immediately one leg of dharma only will remain. Just as eyes afflicted with jaundice preceive a shining white conch to be yellow, people whose minds and eyes are afflicted by māyā will perceive my departure pastimes, which are actually eternity, knowledge and bliss, to be afflicted by material misfortune. They will see and conclude that I gave up my body along with all asociates like Pradyumna and that the queens like Rukmiṇī were burned in the funeral fire. Not only the materialists will see this. Even persons like Arjuna will see this by my divine will. Sages like Vaiśampāyana and Parāśara will describe this in their works. And Śiva, my devotee, taking birth in Kali-yuga, will preach this in a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtras in order to spread Kali’s influence. Persons with no intelligence, repeatedly studying the sūtras, will explain the meaning according that commentary. Sūkṣmo yaḥ kāraṇopādhir māyākhye ’neka-śaktimān sa eva bhagavad-dehaḥ: the body of the Lord, possessing unlimited powers, is a subtle covering of māyā on Brahman. Thinking in this way, with the idea of producing great disturbance, the Lord spoke this verse, expressing fear and agitation. Is there any fear of the Lord being cruel in this plan? For those other than devotees, at the time of ripening of their bad karmas, their unfortunate path would manifest anyway. The will of the Lord alone is the cause of the good or bad karmas manifesting. Otherwise one could also accuse Buddha of being cruel (by telling people to reject the Vedas). The Lord spoke the truth about his pastimes to Uddhava in order to dispell doubt for the devotees’ worship. Uddava said: ity āvedita-hārdāya mahyaṁ sa bhagavān paraḥ ādideśāravindākṣa ātmanaḥ paramāṁ sthitim When I asked the lotus-eyed Lord what I desired in my heart, he explained to me his supreme decision. SB 3.4.19 Sthitim means “the decision of the Lord,” concerning the arrangement of his pastimes and the eternal residents of Dvārakā. Uddhava also explains the disappearance pastime of the Lord: pradarśyātapta-tapasām avitṛpta-dṛśāṁ nṛṇām ādāyāntaradhād yas tu sva-bimbaṁ loka-locanam The Lord, having shown his form, the center of attraction for all eyes, then took that form and disappeared from the men, who had not performed austerities but had attained the Lord’s mercy, and were continually craving a vision of his form. SB 3.2.11 The Lord took that form which was attractive to all eyes and disappeared. Another meaning cannot be given to the word bimbam, because in later verses this refers to the Lord’s body. yan martya-līlaupayikaṁ sva-yoga- māyā-balaṁ darśayatā gṛhītam vismāpanaṁ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ paraṁ padaṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāṅgam Kṛṣṇa possesses that form suitable for human pastimes to show the full capacity of his yoga-māyā. That form astonishes even the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. It is the pinnacle of auspicious qualities and enhances the beauty of his ornaments. SB 3.2.12 yad dharma-sūnor bata rājasūye nirīkṣya dṛk-svastyayanaṁ tri-lokaḥ kārtsnyena cādyeha gataṁ vidhātur arvāk-sṛtau kauśalam ity amanyata At the rājasūya sacrifice of Yudhiṣṭhira, all the people of the universe, seeing the form of the Lord which created auspiciousness in all directions, considered that the skill of the creator in making the most beautiful objects in the recent universe was nullified completely at that time. SB 3.2.13 Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance is compared to the sun, which sets but does not get destroyed. Kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi nimloce: Kṛṣṇa has disappeared like the sun. (SB 3.2.5) However, eyes covered by māyā will take shelter of wrong philosophy. Uddhava says: devasya māyayā spṛṣṭā ye cānyad asad-āśritāḥ bhrāmyate dhīr na tad-vākyair ātmany uptātmano harau The intelligence of the devotee who is absorbed in Paramātmā is not bewildered by the words of those touched by the Lord’s māyā or those who take shelter of a demonic mentality. SB 3.2.10 Those whose eyes are affected by māyā, who are materialistic, who take shelter of the philosophy of material karma, will say that Kṛṣṇa gave up his body. One’s intelligence should not be bewildered by their words such as “Kṛṣṇa simply obtained the results of his irreligious acts.” Whose intelligence should not be affected? The intelligence of the devotee, whose mind is absorbed (uptātmanaḥ) in the Lord (ātmani), should not be bewildered. Here is the evidence showing that the Lord’s form, names, abodes, qualities, pastimes associates are all eternal. govindaḥ sac-dic-ānanda-vigragaḥ paṣca-padaṁ vṛnḍāvana-sura-bhūruha-talāsīnaḥ satataṁ sa-marud-gaṇo’ haṁ paramayā stutyā tosayāmi I satisfy with praises, along with the Maruts, Govinda, a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, five feet tall, seated at the base of desire tree in Vṛndāvana. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.33 vāsudevaḥ saṅkarṣaṇaḥ pradyumno’niruddho’haṁ matsyaḥ kūrmo varāho narasiṁho vāmano rāmo rāmo rāmaḥ kṛṣṇo buddhaḥ kalkir ahaṁ śatadhāhaṁ sahasradhāham amito’ham ananto’ham | naivaite jāyante, naivaite mriyante, naiṣām ajṣāna-baddho na muktiḥ, sarva eva hy ete pūrṇā ajarā amṛtāḥ paramāḥ paramānandāḥ I am unlimited, immeasureable by a hundred, by a thousand times, in the forms of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṁha, Vāmana, Rāma, Paraśurāma, Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha and Kalki. These forms are not born and do not die. They do not become bound by ignorance or become liberated. They are all perfect, ageless, deathless, full of supreme bliss. Catur-veda-śikhā nirdoṣa-pūrṇa-guṇa-vigraha ātma-tantro niścetanātmaka-śarīrra-guṇaiś ca hīnaḥ | ānanda-mātra-mukha-pāda-saroruhādiḥ The Lord’s form is faultess and full of perfect qualities. It is independent, devoid of qualities of the material, unconscious bodies. His head, lotus feet and other limbs are all full of bliss. Dhyāna-bindu Upaniṣad. nanda-vraja-janānandī sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ Kṛṣṇa’s form is eternity, knowledge and bliss, and gives bliss to the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa sarve nityāḥ śāśvatāś ca dehās tasya parātmanaḥ | hānopādāna-rahitā naiva prakṛtijāḥ kvacit || The Lord’s bodies are all eternal, devoid of destructible elements. They do not arise from matter. Mahā-vārāha Purāṇa yuge yuge viṣṇur anādi-mūrtiṁ āsthāya śiṣṭaṁ paripāti duṣṭahā Situated in his beginningless form in every yuga, Viṣṇu protects the devotees and kills the demons. Narasiṁha Purāṇa yo vetti bhautikaṁ dehaṁ kṛṣṇasya paramātmanaḥ | sa sarvasmād bahiṣkāryaḥ śrauta-smārta-vidhānataḥ | mukhaṁ tasyāvalokyāpi sa-celaḥ snānam ācaret || He who thinks that the body of Kṛṣna is material should be excluded from all rites according the Vedas and Smṛtis. If one sees his face one should bathe with one’s clothes on. Viṣṇu Purāṇa na bhūta-saṅga-saṁsthāno doho’sya paramātmanaḥ The Supreme Lord has no faults arising from contact with material elements. Mahā-bhārata amṛtāṁśo’mṛta-vapuḥ The Lord’s body is immortal, made of nectar. Mahābhārata Śāṅkārācarya in his famous commentary says that this means “he who has a body without death.” The following verses are proof from the Bhāgavatam: tāvat prasanno Bhagavān puṣkarākṣaḥ kṛte yuge darśayām āsa taṁ kṣattaḥ śābdaṁ brahma dadhad vapuḥ O Vidura! The lotus eyed Lord, having a body made of eternity knowledge and bliss, pleased with Kardama, showed him his form in Satya-yuga. SB 3.21.7 yat tad vapur bhāti vibhūṣaṇāyudhair avyakta-cid-vyaktam adhārayad dhariḥ babhūva tenaiva sa vāmano vaṭuḥ sampaśyator divya-gatir yathā naṭaḥ The Lord whose body is eternally endowed with ornaments and weapons, which is invisible to the word and with spiritual form, became visible. Then, in the presence of parents, to please them, the Lord, like an actor whose actions are hard to understand, became Vāmana, a brāhmaṇa-dwarf, a brahmacārī. SB 8.18.12 taṁ matvātmajam avyaktaṁ martya-liṅgam adhokṣajam gopikolūkhale dāmnā babandha prākṛtaṁ yathā That unmanifested person, who is beyond the perception of the senses, had now appeared as a human child, and mother Yaśodā, considering him her own ordinary child, bound Him to the wooden mortar with a rope. SB 10.9.4 satya-jṣānānantānanda-mātraika-rasa-mūrtayaḥ aspṛṣṭa-bhūri-māhātmyā api hy upaniṣad-dṛśām The forms of Viṣṇu all had eternal, unlimited forms, full of knowledge and bliss and existing beyond the influence of time. Their great glory was not even to be touched by the jṣānīs engaged in studying the Upaniṣads. SB 10.13.54 asyāpi deva vapuṣo mad-anugrahasya svecchā-mayasya na tu bhūta-mayasya ko ’pi neśe mahi tv avasituṁ manasāntareṇa sākṣāt tavaiva kim utātma-sukhānubhūteḥ My dear Lord, neither I nor anyone else can estimate the potency of this transcendental body of yours, which has shown such mercy to me and which appears just to fulfil the desires of your pure devotees. Although my mind is completely withdrawn from material affairs, I cannot understand your personal form. How, then, could I possibly understand the happiness you experience within yourself? SB 10.14.2 tasmād idaṁ jagad aśeṣam asat-svarūpaṁ svapnābham asta-dhiṣaṇaṁ puru-duḥkha-duḥkham tvayy eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanāv anante māyāta udyad api yat sad ivāvabhāti Therefore this entire universe, which like a dream is by nature unreal, nevertheless appears real, and thus it covers one’s consciousness and assails one with repeated miseries. This universe appears real because it is manifested by the potency of illusion emanating from you, whose unlimited transcendental forms are full of eternal happiness and knowledge. SB 10.14.22 The śruti also says the name of the Lord is eternal. om āsya jānanto nāma cid vivaktana: You who know the name of the Lord is spiritual should chant it. (Ṛg Veda 1.156.3) The present tense in the following verse indicates the names are eternal. bahūni santi nāmāni rūpāṇi ca sutasya te guṇa-karmānurūpāṇi tāny ahaṁ veda no janāḥ For this son of yours there are many forms and names according to his transcendental qualities and activities. These are known to me, but people in general do not understand them. SB 10.8.15 anāma-rūpa evāyaṁ bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ | akarteti ca yo vedaiḥ smṛtibhiś cābhidhīyate || The Lord is said to be without material name, form and action according to the Vedas and Smṛti scriptures. Padma Purāṇa The statement in Vāsudevadhyātma summarizes the meaning: aprasiddhes tad-guṇānām anāmāsau prakīrtitaḥ | aprākṛtatvād arūpasyāpy arūpo’sāv udīryate || sambandhena pradhānasya harer nāsty eva kartṛtā | akartāram ataḥ prāhuḥ purāṇaṁ taṁ purāvidaḥ || Because his qualites are extraordinary the Lord is said to be without name. Because he does not hava material form he is said to be without form. Because he has no relation to matter, the Lord, the doer, the ancient sages say he is without actions. Upāsakānāṁ siddhy-arthaṁ brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanā means that the deity forms of the Lord are for the purpose of worshippers perfecting their worship. Those forms may be made of stone, wood, or metal in the form of Rāma, Kṛṣṇa or others. (It does not mean the spiritual forms are assumed by Brahman only for worshippers.) The abodes of the Lord are eternal. tāsāṁ madhye sākṣād brahma gopāla-purī hi: among the places, the village of Gopāla is directly Brahman. (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad) Nityaṁ me mathurāṁ viddhi purīṁ dvāravatīṁ tathā: know that my abodes of Mathurā and Dvārakā are eternal. (Padma Purāṇa). Sometimes the phrase vanaṁ vṛndāvanaṁ tathā replaces Dvārakā in the last quotation. The Lord’s pastimes are eternal. Eko devo nitya-līlānurakto bhakta-vyāpī bhakta-hṛdy antarātmā: the oneLord, absorbed in his eternal pastimes, pervades the devotee and resides in the heart of the devotee. (Puruṣa-bodhinī Śruti) The present tense in the next verse indicate the eternal natrure of the pastimes: jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādo yadu-vara-pariṣat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ su-smita-śrī-mukhena vraja-pura-vanitānāṁ vardhayan kāma-devam Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa lives eternally among the cowherd men and the Yādavas, and is conclusively both the son of Devakī and Yaśodā. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, in Vraja, Mathurā and Dvārakā. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert, and the suffering of separation of the inhabitants of Vraja and Dvārakā. His blissful smiling face always increases the desires of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana and women of Mathurā and Dvārakā. He remains eternally in this situation. SB 10.90.48 kāmaṁ krodhaṁ bhayaṁ sneham aikyaṁ sauhṛdam eva ca nityaṁ harau vidadhato yānti tan-mayatāṁ hi te Persons who constantly direct their lust, anger, fear, protective affection, feeling of impersonal oneness, or friendship toward Lord Hari are sure to become absorbed in thought of him. SB 10.29.15 The associates in the pastimes are eternal: yathā saumitri-bharatau yathā saṅkarṣaṇādayaḥ | tathā tenaiva jāyante nija-lokād yadṛcchayā || ete hi yādavāḥ sarve mad-gaṇā eva bhāvini | sarvathā mat-priyā devi mat-tulya-guṇa-śālinaḥ || Just like Lakṣmaṇa and Bharata, and Saṅkarṣaṇa, the Yādavas appear in this world by coming from their spiritual planets by their will. All the Yādavas, my associates, are dear to me and equal to me in qualities. Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa 229.57-58 nityāvatāro bhagavān nitya-mūrtir jagat-patiḥ | nitya-rūpo nitya-gandho nityaiśvarya-sukhānubhūḥ || The Supreme Lord, master of the universe, has eternal forms, eternal avatāras, eternal fragrance, eternal power and eternal bliss. BṛhadViṣṇu Purāṇa [Note: This is the source according to Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta. It is not in the regular Viṣṇu Purāṇa.] Thus there can be no objection concerning eternal the Lord. The phrase “flags of death” indicate death. We should not stay here a moment longer.