Shloka 19
Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance
दृष्टा भवद्भिर्ननु राजसूये चैद्यस्य कृष्णं द्विषतोऽपि सिद्धि: । यां योगिन: संस्पृहयन्ति सम्यग् योगेन कस्तद्विरहं सहेत ॥ १९ ॥
dṛṣṭā bhavadbhir nanu rājasūye caidyasya kṛṣṇaṁ dviṣato ’pi siddhiḥ yāṁ yoginaḥ saṁspṛhayanti samyag yogena kas tad-virahaṁ saheta
At the Rājasūya you yourselves saw that even Śiśupāla, the king of Cedi, though he hated Kṛṣṇa, attained yogic perfection—what true yogīs long for through proper practice. Who could endure separation from Him?
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s causeless mercy was exhibited in the great assembly of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was merciful even to His enemy the King of Cedi, who always tried to be an envious rival of the Lord. Because it is not possible to be a bona fide rival of the Lord, the King of Cedi was extremely malicious toward Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this he was like many other asuras, such as Kaṁsa and Jarāsandha. In the open assembly of the rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Śiśupāla insulted Lord Kṛṣṇa, and he was finally killed by the Lord. But it was seen by everyone in the assembly that a light flashed out of the body of the King of Cedi and merged into the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This means that Cedirāja achieved the salvation of attaining oneness with the Supreme, which is a perfection most desired by the jñānīs and yogīs and for which they execute their different types of transcendental activities.
FAQs
This verse states that Śiśupāla, even while hating Kṛṣṇa, attained the same perfection that advanced yogīs strive for—showing Kṛṣṇa’s absolute spiritual power and the potency of intense absorption in Him.
Uddhava cites an event the listeners already know to prove that even hostile absorption in Kṛṣṇa can grant liberation—so loving devotees should feel even greater longing and find separation from Him unbearable.
Center the mind on Kṛṣṇa through consistent remembrance—hearing His pastimes, chanting His names, and keeping devotional focus—so that spiritual progress comes from deep, steady absorption rather than scattered attention.