Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 13
The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the Aftermath in Dvārakā
तथाप्यशेषस्थितिसम्भवाप्यये- ष्वनन्यहेतुर्यदशेषशक्तिधृक् । नैच्छत् प्रणेतुं वपुरत्र शेषितं मर्त्येन किं स्वस्थगतिं प्रदर्शयन् ॥ १३ ॥
tathāpy aśeṣa-sthiti-sambhavāpyayeṣv ananya-hetur yad aśeṣa-śakti-dhṛk naicchat praṇetuṁ vapur atra śeṣitaṁ martyena kiṁ sva-stha-gatiṁ pradarśayan
無限の力を具える主クリシュナは、無数の生命の創造・維持・滅尽の唯一の原因であるにもかかわらず、この世に御身をこれ以上留めようとは望まれなかった。かくして、自己に定まる者の至上の帰趣を示し、この死すべき世界が本質的価値を持たぬことを明らかにされた。
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa descended to this world to save the fallen souls, He did not want to encourage people in the future to loiter here unnecessarily. In other words, as soon as possible one should perfect one’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back home, back to Godhead. If Lord Kṛṣṇa had remained longer on the earth, He would have unnecessarily increased the prestige of the material world.
FAQs
The verse explains that the Lord, the sole cause and possessor of unlimited potencies, chose not to keep His manifest form in the mortal world and thereby revealed His self-situated transcendental destination.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse while narrating to King Parīkṣit, explaining the Lord’s withdrawal of His manifest presence from the world.
It teaches detachment from temporary forms and events, and encourages faith that the Supreme remains transcendental and self-situated—helping one cultivate steadiness, devotion, and a moksha-oriented outlook.