Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 1 Chapter 10:17-28

Book 1: Chapter 10

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 1: Chapter 10: Verses 17-28 Sri Krsna's Departure to Dwaraka The thick-haired Arjuna, the favourite of Sri Krsna, held over his most beloved friend His white umbrella which was bordered with strings of pearls and had a handle of precious stones; while Uddhava and Satyaki held a pair of most wonderful chowries. Greeted with showers of flowers on the way, Sri Krsna (the Lord of the Madhus) shone brilliantly. Everywhere were heard true benedictions pronounced by the Brahmanas, which were unsuited to the Lord as viewed in His unqualified (absolute) aspect but were quite appropriate to Him in His qualified or personal form. Then began a talk which ravished the ears and hearts of all, among the women of Hastinapura (the capital of the Lord of the Kurus), who had rivetted their heart on Sri Krsna of excellent renown :- "Verily He is the same eternal Person, who abides in His singular undifferentiated Self even during the night of universal dissolution prior to the manifestation of the three Gunas (modes of Prakrti), when the individual souls retire into God, the Universal Spirit, and when all the forces of creation (the Mahat and its evolutes) too lie dormant (in the Unmanifest). It was He who with the intention of endowing with a form and name the Spirit, who has neither, then inspired His Prakrti-which deludes the Jivas,who are identical in essence with Him and which, impelled by His own energy (the Time-Spirit), is disposed to create-and revealed the Vedas and other scriptures. Indeed, He is the same Supreme Spirit whose reality in this world is perceived by seers who have subdued their senses and fully controlled their breath, with a mind yearning for His sight and cleansed of all impurities through Devotion; for it is He alone who can thoroughly cleanse our heart (which cannot be so purified by any other means, such as Yoga etc.). Again, O friend, He is the same supreme Lord, whose sacred stories have been sung again and again in the Vedas and other esoteric scriptures by seers (like Maharsi Vyasa) that have expounded profound truths, and who in His own sportful ways creates, maintains and reabsorbs the universe all by Himself (without any material), and yet does not set attached to the same. Whenever kings whose intellect is clouded by Tamas (ignorance) live by unrighteousness, verily it is He who by recourse to the quality of pure Sattva (goodness) reveals in Himself the divine attributes of omnipotence etc., as well as truthfulness, righteousness, compassion and superhuman activity, and assumes various forms from age to age for the good of the world. Oh, how supremely praiseworthy is the race of Yadu, that has been honoured by this Supreme Person, the Lord of Sri (the goddess of prosperity), through His descent therein. And oh ! how supremely sacred is the forest associated with the name of the demon Madhu (the area of Vraja near about the city of Mathura) that has been graced by Him through His ramblings. Ah I the city of Kusasthali (Dwaraka) overshadows the fame of heaven and brings merit and renown to the earth (by its association); for the people of that city always behold their Lord (Sri Krsna) casting His smiling looks on them whenever He graciously moves out of His palace. Surely God Almighty (who is no other than Sri Krsna) must have been thoroughly propitiated (in some previous birth) through fasts, ablutions (in sacred waters) oblations to the sacred fire etc., by the ladies whose hand has been espoused by Him, in that they constantly drink. O friend, the nectar from His lips, the very thought of which maddened the women of Vraja.