Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 44
Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā
कच्चित् प्रेष्ठतमेनाथ हृदयेनात्मबन्धुना । शून्योऽस्मि रहितो नित्यं मन्यसे तेऽन्यथा न रुक् ॥ ४४ ॥
kaccit preṣṭhatamenātha hṛdayenātma-bandhunā śūnyo ’smi rahito nityaṁ manyase te ’nyathā na ruk
おお主よ、最も親しい心の友である主シュリー・クリシュナを失ったと思い、永く虚しさに沈んでいるのですか。兄弟アルジュナよ、あなたがこれほど落胆する他の理由は私には見当たりません。
All the inquisitiveness of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about the world situation was already conjectured by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira on the basis of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance from the vision of the world, and this was now disclosed by him because of the acute dejection of Arjuna, which could not have been possible otherwise. So even though he was doubtful about it, he was obliged to inquire frankly from Arjuna on the basis of Śrī Nārada’s indication.
FAQs
This verse portrays the devotee’s intense feeling of emptiness when Krishna is absent—Krishna is described as the heart and the soul’s true friend, and separation from Him is experienced as a profound void.
After returning from Dvaraka, Arjuna indicates that something is terribly wrong—he fears that Krishna is no longer present, and he voices the devastating sense of loss that follows Krishna’s disappearance.
The verse encourages cultivating heartfelt dependence on Krishna through remembrance, prayer, and devotional practice, so that life’s emptiness is healed by reconnecting the heart to the Lord.