Shloka 30

यादवक्षयः, बलराम-निर्याणम्, कृष्णस्य उपसंहारः (प्रभासे विनाशः)

Devanagari script

महाभागवतः प्राह प्रणिपत्योद्धवो हरिम् भगवन् यन् मया कार्यं तद् आज्ञापय साम्प्रतम् मन्ये कुलम् इदं सर्वं भगवान् संहरिष्यति

Transliteration

mahābhāgavataḥ prāha praṇipatyoddhavo harim bhagavan yan mayā kāryaṃ tad ājñāpaya sāmpratam manye kulam idaṃ sarvaṃ bhagavān saṃhariṣyati

Translation

Then Uddhava—the great devotee—bowed down to Hari and said: “O Bhagavān, command me now what is to be done by me. For I perceive that the Lord is about to withdraw and destroy this entire clan.”

Word by Word

• महाभागवतः: the great devotee
• महाभागवतः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘great devotee’

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — परस्मैपद

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed
• प्रणिपत्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having bowed down’

• उद्धवः: Uddhava
• उद्धवः: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object of implied verb)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन — सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — ‘by me’

• कार्यम्: to be done; task
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘duty/task’ (here as object-complement)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन — demonstrative ‘that’

• आज्ञापय: command/tell
• आज्ञापय: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — परस्मैपद

• साम्प्रतम्: now
• साम्प्रतम्: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) — ‘now/at present’

• मन्ये: I think
• मन्ये: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — आत्मनेपद

• कुलम्: clan
• कुलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन — विशेषण (qualifying कुलम्)

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन — विशेषण (qualifying कुलम्)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संहरिष्यति: will destroy/withdraw
• संहरिष्यति: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — परस्मैपद

Speaker

Uddhava (speaking to Lord Hari/Sri Krishna)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa prepares to withdraw his manifest presence after completing the burden-relief of the earth and the Yādava mission.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Restoration of cosmic balance by ending the avatāra’s earthly līlā and allowing time (kāla) to proceed.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The devotee approaches Hari in surrender, seeking command and aligning personal action with the Lord’s unfolding will.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In moments of uncertainty, offer one’s agency to God through prayerful discernment and service-oriented action.

Vishishtadvaita: Śeṣa-śeṣi-bhāva: the jīva’s proper stance is dependence and service to the Lord who directs the world-order.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Bhakti (humble surrender and readiness to serve)

Key Kings: Uddhava, Hari

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Yadava clan (implied by 'kulam')

FAQs

What is the significance of Uddhava seeking instruction from Krishna in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows exemplary bhakti and śaraṇāgati: the devotee places all action under Bhagavan’s direct command, especially at a turning point of cosmic and dynastic destiny.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the destruction of a dynasty like the Yadavas?

As saṃhāra under divine sovereignty—an intentional withdrawal by the Lord, not mere historical accident—signaling a transition in the Lord’s earthly līlā.

What is the theological importance of Hari (Vishnu/Krishna) in this verse?

Hari is presented as Bhagavan who governs dissolution as well as protection; even the fate of an entire clan unfolds under His supreme will.