Shloka 47
अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः
भीष्मद्रोणाङ्गराजाद्यास् तथा दुर्योधनादयः यत्प्रभावेन निर्दग्धाः स कृष्णस् त्यक्तवान् भुवम्
bhīṣmadroṇāṅgarājādyās tathā duryodhanādayaḥ yatprabhāvena nirdagdhāḥ sa kṛṣṇas tyaktavān bhuvam
Bhīṣma, Droṇa, the king of Aṅga, and others—Duryodhana and the rest as well—were consumed by the force of his destiny and power; that same Kṛṣṇa has now laid aside the earth and withdrawn from the world.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: To annihilate adharma-centered rulers through the Kurukshetra outcome and relieve the earth’s burden.
Leela: Yuddha
Dharma Restored: Restoration of righteous rule and cosmic balance by removing destructive kshatriya power
Concept: Even the mightiest fall when aligned against the Lord’s dharma; His departure marks the end of a providential era.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Measure ‘success’ by alignment with dharma, not by strength or reputation; cultivate accountability before the divine order.
Vishishtadvaita: History is governed by the Supreme Person’s sankalpa; worldly agency operates under His sovereignty.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
FAQs
It signals the completion of the avatāra’s worldly purpose—having re-established dharma through the fall of adharma-aligned powers, the Lord withdraws His manifest presence while remaining the Supreme Reality.
He presents their fall as occurring under the overriding ‘prabhāva’ (sovereign potency) associated with Krishna—highlighting divine governance behind historical events rather than mere human causality.
Krishna is portrayed as the supreme controller whose presence brings decisive turning points in cosmic and moral order; His departure underscores that avatāra-manifestation is voluntary and purposeful, not bound by karma.