Shloka 18
राजन् पतिर्गुरुरलं भवतां यदूनां दैवं प्रिय: कुलपति: क्व च किङ्करो व: । अस्त्वेवमङ्ग भगवान् भजतां मुकुन्दो मुक्तिं ददाति कर्हिचित्स्म न भक्तियोगम् ॥ १८ ॥
rājan patir gurur alaṁ bhavatāṁ yadūnāṁ daivaṁ priyaḥ kula-patiḥ kva ca kiṅkaro vaḥ astv evam aṅga bhagavān bhajatāṁ mukundo muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam
My dear King, for the Yadus (and the Pāṇḍavas) Lord Mukunda is truly the protector, spiritual master, worshipable Deity, beloved friend, and head of the dynasty; indeed, at times He even serves your family as a messenger or servant. Those who worship seeking His favor receive liberation from Him very easily, but He does not so easily grant the chance to render direct service to Him—bhakti-yoga.
While instructing Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvāmī thought it wise to encourage the King because the King might be thinking of the glorious position of various royal dynasties. Especially glorious is the dynasty of Priyavrata, in which the Supreme Lord Ṛṣabhadeva incarnated. Similarly, the family of Uttānapāda Mahārāja, the father of Mahārāja Dhruva, is also glorious due to King Pṛthu’s taking birth in it. The dynasty of Mahārāja Raghu is glorified because Lord Rāmacandra appeared in that family. As far as the Yadu and Kuru dynasties are concerned, they existed simultaneously, but of the two, the Yadu dynasty was more glorious due to the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mahārāja Parīkṣit might have been thinking that the Kuru dynasty was not as fortunate as the others because the Supreme Lord did not appear in that family, neither as Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva or Mahārāja Pṛthu. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja was encouraged by Śukadeva Gosvāmī in this particular verse.
FAQs
This verse states that Mukunda may grant liberation to worshipers, but bhakti-yoga is not something He gives cheaply—pure devotion is rarer and higher than mere liberation.
Śukadeva emphasizes Kṛṣṇa’s supreme position: He is their lord, guru, beloved, and dynasty-head. Any appearance of Him acting as a servant is His affectionate līlā, not a reduction of His divinity.
Seek devotion as the goal—not just relief, success, or even “liberation.” Practice worship and remembrance with the intention to deepen loving service (bhakti-yoga), not merely to escape suffering.