Shloka 15
Uddhava Recalls Kṛṣṇa’s Mission: Earth’s Burden, Royal Dharma, and the Prelude to Dvārakā’s Withdrawal
मिथो यदैषां भविता विवादो मध्वामदाताम्रविलोचनानाम् । नैषां वधोपाय इयानतोऽन्यो मय्युद्यतेऽन्तर्दधते स्वयं स्म ॥ १५ ॥
mitho yadaiṣāṁ bhavitā vivādo madhv-āmadātāmra-vilocanānām naiṣāṁ vadhopāya iyān ato ’nyo mayy udyate ’ntardadhate svayaṁ sma
When, intoxicated by madhu, their eyes turn copper-red and they quarrel among themselves, then they will vanish; otherwise there is no other means to slay them. After My disappearance, this event will come to pass of its own accord.
The Lord and His associates appear and disappear by the will of the Lord. They are not subjected to the laws of material nature. No one was able to kill the family of the Lord, nor was there any possibility of their natural death by the laws of nature. The only means, therefore, for their disappearance was the make-show of a fight amongst themselves, as if brawling in intoxication due to drinking. That so-called fighting would also take place by the will of the Lord; otherwise there would be no cause for their fighting. Just as Arjuna was made to be illusioned by family affection and thus the Bhagavad-gītā was spoken, so the Yadu dynasty was made to be intoxicated by the will of the Lord, and nothing more. The devotees and associates of the Lord are completely surrendered souls. Thus they are transcendental instruments in the hands of the Lord and can be used in any way the Lord desires. The pure devotees also enjoy such pastimes of the Lord because they want to see Him happy. Devotees of the Lord never assert independent individuality; on the contrary, they utilize their individuality in pursuit of the desires of the Lord, and this cooperation of the devotees with the Lord makes a perfect scene of the Lord’s pastimes.
FAQs
This verse states that the Yadavas would be destroyed primarily through their own mutual quarrel arising from intoxication, and that Kṛṣṇa would withdraw Himself when they turned their aggression toward Him.
The verse presents Kṛṣṇa’s withdrawal as part of His divine arrangement: once their internal conflict peaked and they rushed toward Him, He would vanish of His own will, allowing the destined conclusion of the Yadu dynasty’s earthly episode.
Avoid intoxicants and ego-driven conflict, because self-inflicted quarrel can destroy even strong communities; cultivate sobriety, humility, and devotion to prevent downfall from within.