Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 42
Devas in Dvārakā, Brahmā’s Petition, and Uddhava’s Appeal
Prabhāsa Departure Set-Up
श्रीउद्धव उवाच देवदेवेश योगेश पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन । संहृत्यैतत् कुलं नूनं लोकं सन्त्यक्ष्यते भवान् । विप्रशापं समर्थोऽपि प्रत्यहन्न यदीश्वर: ॥ ४२ ॥
śrī-uddhava uvāca deva-deveśa yogeśa puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana saṁhṛtyaitat kulaṁ nūnaṁ lokaṁ santyakṣyate bhavān vipra-śāpaṁ samartho ’pi pratyahan na yad īśvaraḥ
Śrī Uddhava said: O my Lord, O supreme God among all the demigods, real piety is invoked simply by hearing and chanting Your transcendental glories. My Lord, it appears that You will now withdraw Your dynasty, and thus You Yourself will finally give up Your pastimes within this universe. You are the supreme controller and the master of all mystic power. But although You are fully capable of counteracting the brāhmaṇas’ curse against Your dynasty, You are not doing so, and Your disappearance is imminent.
As previously mentioned, Kṛṣṇa’s own dynasty can never be destroyed; therefore the word saṁhṛtya means that Kṛṣṇa was taking the Yādavas with Him as He left this material world. However, in the eyes of ordinary, unenlightened persons the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty appears to be its destruction. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has very nicely explained the statement of Uddhava as follows.
FAQs
Uddhava notes that Kṛṣṇa had the power to stop it, yet did not—implying the curse served the Lord’s own purpose of withdrawing the Yadu dynasty and preparing for His departure from the world.
Seeing signs that the Lord intended to wind up His earthly pastimes, Uddhava questioned why the destruction of the Lord’s own dynasty was allowed to proceed through a brāhmaṇas’ curse.
Even when one has ability, higher principles and divine timing may govern outcomes; the verse also emphasizes that hearing and chanting the Lord’s glories is inherently purifying amid life’s upheavals.