Shloka 16
Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama and Vidura’s Turn Toward Maitreya
कर्माण्यनीहस्य भवोऽभवस्य ते दुर्गाश्रयोऽथारिभयात्पलायनम् । कालात्मनो यत्प्रमदायुताश्रम: स्वात्मन्रते: खिद्यति धीर्विदामिह ॥ १६ ॥
karmāṇy anīhasya bhavo ’bhavasya te durgāśrayo ’thāri-bhayāt palāyanam kālātmano yat pramadā-yutāśramaḥ svātman-rateḥ khidyati dhīr vidām iha
My Lord, even learned sages are bewildered when they see You perform fruitive deeds though desireless, take birth though unborn, flee in fear of an enemy and seek a fortress though You rule invincible Time, and enjoy household life amid many women though You delight in Your own Self.
Pure devotees of the Lord are not very much concerned with philosophical speculation in regard to transcendental knowledge of the Lord. Nor is it possible to acquire complete knowledge of the Lord. Whatever little knowledge they have about the Lord is sufficient for them because devotees are simply satisfied in hearing and chanting about the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. This gives them all transcendental bliss. But some of the pastimes of the Lord appear contradictory, even to such pure devotees, and thus Uddhava asked the Lord about some of the contradictory incidents in His pastimes. The Lord is described as having nothing to do personally, and it is actually so because even in the creation and sustenance of the material world, the Lord has nothing to do. It seems contradictory, then, to hear that the Lord personally lifts the Govardhana Hill for the protection of His unalloyed devotees. The Lord is the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead appearing like a man, but Uddhava had doubts whether He could have so many transcendental activities.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord is actually actionless and unborn, yet He performs deeds and appears to take birth by His own divine will—His līlā, not material compulsion.
Vidura highlights well-known episodes of Krishna’s pastimes (such as Dvārakā’s fortification and strategic withdrawal from battle) to show that even actions that look human are part of His inconceivable divine plan.
The verse advises humility: God’s ways can exceed logic. A devotee balances reason with reverent hearing (śravaṇa) and trust in scripture, instead of judging the divine by ordinary standards.