Shloka 16
Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance
मां खेदयत्येतदजस्य जन्म- विडम्बनं यद्वसुदेवगेहे । व्रजे च वासोऽरिभयादिव स्वयं पुराद् व्यवात्सीद्यदनन्तवीर्य: ॥ १६ ॥
māṁ khedayaty etad ajasya janma- viḍambanaṁ yad vasudeva-gehe vraje ca vāso ’ri-bhayād iva svayaṁ purād vyavātsīd yad-ananta-vīryaḥ
When I remember Lord Kṛṣṇa—how the Unborn appeared in Vasudeva’s prison, how He went to Vraja and lived hidden out of fear of the enemy, and how, though of limitless power, He withdrew from Mathurā—these bewildering deeds distress my heart.
Because Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original person from whom everything and everyone has emanated — ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ ( Bg. 10.8 ), janmādy asya yataḥ ( Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.2) — nothing can be equal to or greater than Him. The Lord is supremely perfect, and whenever He enacts His transcendental pastimes as a son, a rival or an object of enmity, He plays the part so perfectly that even pure devotees like Uddhava are bewildered. For example, Uddhava knew perfectly well that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is eternally existent and can neither die nor disappear for good, yet he lamented for Lord Kṛṣṇa. All these events are perfect arrangements to give perfection to His supreme glories. It is for enjoyment’s sake. When a father plays with his little son and the father lies down on the floor as if defeated by the son, it is just to give the little son pleasure, and nothing more. Because the Lord is all-powerful, it is possible for Him to adjust opposites such as birth and no birth, power and defeat, fear and fearlessness. A pure devotee knows very well how it is possible for the Lord to adjust opposite things, but he laments for the nondevotees who, not knowing the supreme glories of the Lord, think of Him as imaginary simply because there are so many apparently contradictory statements in the scriptures. Factually there is nothing contradictory; everything is possible when we understand the Lord as the Lord and not as one of us, with all our imperfection.
FAQs
This verse calls Krishna 'aja' (unborn) and says His birth is a divine 'vidambana'—an apparent, playful display—showing He remains transcendental while appearing in human-like līlā.
Uddhava is expressing grief and wonder: the all-powerful Lord acts like a human in His pastimes, relocating from Mathurā to Dvārakā for līlā and divine purpose, though He is never truly fearful.
It teaches that God’s actions may look ordinary or even puzzling; a devotee learns humility and trust in divine intention, especially when events don’t match superficial expectations.