Shloka 11
Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama and Vidura’s Turn Toward Maitreya
श्री भगवानुवाच वेदाहमन्तर्मनसीप्सितं ते ददामि यत्तद् दुरवापमन्यै: । सत्रे पुरा विश्वसृजां वसूनां मत्सिद्धिकामेन वसो त्वयेष्ट: ॥ ११ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca vedāham antar manasīpsitaṁ te dadāmi yat tad duravāpam anyaiḥ satre purā viśva-sṛjāṁ vasūnāṁ mat-siddhi-kāmena vaso tvayeṣṭaḥ
The Supreme Lord said: “O Vasu, I know the desire within your heart. What is difficult for others to attain, I grant to you. Long ago, at the great sacrificial assembly of the Vasus and other devas who expand the affairs of the universe, you worshiped with the longing to achieve My association.”
Uddhava is one of the eternal associates of the Lord, and a plenary portion of Uddhava was one of the eight Vasus in the days of yore. The eight Vasus and the demigods in the upper planetary system, who are responsible for the management of the universal affairs, performed a sacrifice in the days of yore, desiring to fulfill their respective ultimate goals in life. At that time an expansion of Uddhava, acting as one of the Vasus, desired to become an associate of the Lord. The Lord knew this because He is present in the heart of every living entity as Paramātmā, the Superconsciousness. In everyone’s heart there is the representation of the Superconsciousness, who gives memory to the partial consciousness of every living entity. The living entity, as partial consciousness, forgets incidents of his past life, but the Superconsciousness reminds him how to act in terms of his past cultivation of knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā confirms this fact in various ways: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham ( Bg. 4.11 ), sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca ( Bg. 15.15 ).
FAQs
This verse states that the Supreme Lord directly knows the desire within the devotee’s mind and can grant what is otherwise very difficult for others to attain.
He recalls the devotee’s prior worship at the Vasus’ sacrificial assembly, showing that sincere past devotion bears fruit and the Lord remembers such service.
Cultivate sincere inner intention (antar-manasa) focused on devotion, and practice steady worship and remembrance—trusting that the Lord reciprocates with grace beyond ordinary attainment.