Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 4
The Curse on the Yadus Begins: Kṛṣṇa’s Plan to Withdraw His Dynasty
नैवान्यत: परिभवोऽस्य भवेत् कथञ्चिन् मत्संश्रयस्य विभवोन्नहनस्य नित्यम् । अन्त:कलिं यदुकुलस्य विधाय वेणु- स्तम्बस्य वह्निमिव शान्तिमुपैमि धाम ॥ ४ ॥
naivānyataḥ paribhavo ’sya bhavet kathañcin mat-saṁśrayasya vibhavonnahanasya nityam antaḥ kaliṁ yadu-kulasya vidhāya veṇu- stambasya vahnim iva śāntim upaimi dhāma
Kṛṣṇa pensa : «Aucune force extérieure ne pourrait jamais vaincre cette famille, la dynastie Yadu, toujours réfugiée en Moi et sans entrave dans son opulence. J’inspirerai donc une querelle au sein même du clan ; elle sera comme le feu né du frottement des bambous dans un bosquet. Alors J’accomplirai Mon dessein véritable et retournerai à Ma demeure éternelle».
Even though Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to arrange for the disappearance of the members of the Yadu dynasty, He could not personally kill them, as He had killed many demons, because the Yadu dynasty was His own family. One might ask why Lord Kṛṣṇa did not arrange for them to be killed by others. Therefore it is stated in this verse, naivānyataḥ paribhavo ’sya bhavet kathañcit: because the Yadu dynasty was the Lord’s own family, no one within the universe was capable of killing them, not even the demigods. In fact, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura points out that no one within the universe was capable of even insulting the members of the Yadu dynasty, what to speak of defeating or killing them. The reason is given here by the words mat-saṁśrayasya. The members of the Yadu dynasty had fully taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore they were always under the personal protection of the Lord. It is stated, māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke, rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke: If Kṛṣṇa protects someone, no one can kill him, and if Kṛṣṇa wants to kill someone, no one can save him. Kṛṣṇa had originally requested all of His associates, along with the demigods, to appear on the earth to assist Him in His pastimes. Now that His pastimes were coming to an end on this particular planet and would be transferred to another planet in another universe, Kṛṣṇa wanted to remove all of His associates from the earth so that in His absence they would not constitute a burden. Since the powerful Yadu dynasty, being the Lord’s personal family and army, could not possibly be defeated by anyone, Kṛṣṇa arranged an internal quarrel, just as the wind in a bamboo forest sometimes rubs the bamboos together and creates a fire that consumes the entire forest.
FAQs
This verse states that Krishna Himself arranged an internal, Kali-like conflict within the Yadu dynasty and then peacefully returned to His own abode, indicating a deliberate divine plan rather than an external defeat.
Krishna explains that no outside force can truly overpower those sheltered by Him; therefore, He orchestrated the Yadus’ departure from within—like fire arising from bamboo itself—so His earthly pastimes could conclude without implying any external victory over Him.
The verse teaches that sincere spiritual shelter gives inner dignity and resilience—so one focuses on devotion and integrity rather than fear of public dishonor or external reversals.