Shloka 9
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
कस्मान्मुकुन्दो भगवान् पितुर्गेहाद् व्रजं गत: । क्व वासं ज्ञातिभि: सार्धं कृतवान् सात्वतांपति: ॥ ९ ॥
kasmān mukundo bhagavān pitur gehād vrajaṁ gataḥ kva vāsaṁ jñātibhiḥ sārdhaṁ kṛtavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ
മുകുന്ദ ഭഗവാൻ പിതാവായ വസുദേവന്റെ ഭവനം വിട്ട് വ്രജത്തിൽ നന്ദന്റെ ഭവനത്തിലേക്ക് എന്തുകൊണ്ട് പോയി? സാത്വതരുടെ അധിപനായ പ്രഭു വ്രജത്തിൽ തന്റെ ബന്ധുക്കളോടൊപ്പം എവിടെയാണ് വസിച്ചത്?
These are inquiries about the itinerary of Kṛṣṇa. Just after His birth in the house of Vasudeva in Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa transferred Himself to Gokula, on the other side of the Yamunā, and after some days He moved with His father, mother and other relatives to Nanda-grāma, Vṛndāvana. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was very much eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa’s activities in Vṛndāvana. This entire canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of activities performed in Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā. The first forty chapters describe Kṛṣṇa’s Vṛndāvana affairs, and the next fifty describe Kṛṣṇa’s activities in Dvārakā. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, to fulfill his desire to hear about Kṛṣṇa, requested Śukadeva Gosvāmī to describe these activities in full detail.
FAQs
This verse records the sages’ inquiry: they want to know the divine reason Mukunda left His father’s home and went to Vraja—pointing to Kṛṣṇa’s līlā and the Lord’s purposeful arrangement for His Vraja pastimes.
Śaunaka Ṛṣi and the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya question Sūta Gosvāmī, requesting details of Kṛṣṇa’s movements—His going to Vraja and His residence among His relatives.
Remembering Kṛṣṇa as Mukunda encourages devotion centered on liberation through loving service—placing faith that the Lord’s actions are purposeful and spiritually uplifting for those who hear and remember them.