Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 9
The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the Aftermath in Dvārakā
सौदामन्या यथाक्लाशे यान्त्या हित्वाभ्रमण्डलम् । गतिर्न लक्ष्यते मर्त्यैस्तथा कृष्णस्य दैवतै: ॥ ९ ॥
saudāmanyā yathākāśe yāntyā hitvābhra-maṇḍalam gatir na lakṣyate martyais tathā kṛṣṇasya daivataiḥ
كما أنّ البشر لا يستطيعون تعيين مسار البرق حين يغادر دائرة السحاب، كذلك لم يقدر الآلهة على تتبّع حركة كريشنا وهو يعود إلى مقامه الخاص.
The sudden movements of a lightning bolt are seen by the demigods but not by human beings. Similarly, the sudden departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa could be understood by the Lord’s intimate associates in the spiritual sky but not by the demigods.
FAQs
This verse says that Kṛṣṇa’s course and departure are beyond perception—untraceable to mortals and even to the gods—like lightning that vanishes into the open sky.
Because lightning is briefly seen within clouds and then suddenly disappears into the sky; similarly, Kṛṣṇa’s manifest pastimes are visible for a time, but His movements remain transcendental and cannot be tracked by ordinary perception.
It encourages humility and faith: rather than trying to measure the Divine with limited senses, one should approach Kṛṣṇa through bhakti—hearing, chanting, and remembrance—accepting His transcendence.