Shloka 2
Uddhava Recalls Kṛṣṇa’s Mission: Earth’s Burden, Royal Dharma, and the Prelude to Dvārakā’s Withdrawal
सान्दीपने: सकृत्प्रोक्तं ब्रह्माधीत्य सविस्तरम् । तस्मै प्रादाद्वरं पुत्रं मृतं पञ्चजनोदरात् ॥ २ ॥
sāndīpaneḥ sakṛt proktaṁ brahmādhītya sa-vistaram tasmai prādād varaṁ putraṁ mṛtaṁ pañca-janodarāt
The Lord mastered all the Vedas, with their many branches, in full detail simply by hearing them once from His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni. As guru-dakṣiṇā He rewarded the sage by restoring his dead son from the belly of Pañcajana, from the region of Yamaloka.
No one but the Supreme Lord can become well versed in all the branches of Vedic wisdom simply by hearing once from his teacher. Nor can anyone bring a dead body back to life after the soul has already gone to the region of Yamarāja. But Lord Kṛṣṇa ventured to the planet of Yamaloka and found the dead son of His teacher and brought him back to his father as a reward for the instructions received. The Lord is constitutionally well versed in all the Vedas, and yet to teach by example that everyone must go to learn the Vedas from an authorized teacher and must satisfy the teacher by service and reward, He Himself adopted this system. The Lord offered His services to His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni, and the muni, knowing the power of the Lord, asked something which was impossible to be done by anyone else. The teacher asked that his beloved son, who had died, be brought back to him, and the Lord fulfilled the request. The Lord is not, therefore, an ingrate to anyone who renders Him some sort of service. The devotees of the Lord who always engage in His loving service are never to be disappointed in the progressive march of devotional service.
FAQs
This verse shows the Lord Himself honoring His teacher: after mastering the Vedas, He repaid Sāndīpani by restoring his lost son, teaching that gratitude and service to the guru are essential dharma.
As guru-dakṣiṇā (repayment to the teacher), Kṛṣṇa granted Sāndīpani a boon by bringing back his deceased son, demonstrating divine compassion and the ideal conduct of a disciple.
Value learning, respect teachers and mentors, and express gratitude through sincere service—using your knowledge responsibly and helping those who guided you.