Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 35
Devas in Dvārakā, Brahmā’s Petition, and Uddhava’s Appeal
Prabhāsa Departure Set-Up
न वस्तव्यमिहास्माभिर्जिजीविषुभिरार्यका: । प्रभासं सुमहत्पुण्यं यास्यामोऽद्यैव मा चिरम् ॥ ३५ ॥
na vastavyam ihāsmābhir jijīviṣubhir āryakāḥ prabhāsaṁ su-mahat-puṇyaṁ yāsyāmo ’dyaiva mā ciram
ആര്യകമാരായ മൂപ്പന്മാരേ, ജീവൻ കാക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന നാം ഇനി ഇവിടെ താമസിക്കരുത്. വൈകാതെ ഇന്നുതന്നെ മഹാപുണ്യമായ പ്രഭാസത്തിലേക്ക് പോകാം।
Many demigods, coming to the earth to assist Lord Kṛṣṇa in His pastimes, took birth within the Yadu dynasty and appeared as Lord Kṛṣṇa’s associates. When the Lord had completed His earthly pastimes He wanted to send these demigods back to their previous service in universal administration. Each demigod was to return to his respective planet. The transcendental city of Dvārakā is so auspicious that whoever dies there immediately goes back home, back to Godhead, but because the demigod members of the Yadu dynasty, in many cases, were not yet prepared to go back to Godhead, they had to die outside the city of Dvārakā. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa, pretending to be an ordinary living being, said, “We are all in danger. Let us all immediately go to Prabhāsa.” In this way, by His yoga-māyā Kṛṣṇa bewildered such demigod members of the Yadu dynasty and led them away to the holy place Prabhāsa.
FAQs
This verse praises Prabhāsa as “sumahat-puṇya,” a greatly purifying holy place, and urges immediate departure there, showing the Bhagavatam’s emphasis on sacred tīrthas for purification and spiritual focus.
In the narrative of Canto 11, ominous signs and the Lord’s divine plan indicate an impending calamity for the Yadu dynasty; therefore Uddhava urges the elders to leave and go to the sanctifying Prabhāsa pilgrimage site without delay.
When destructive influences or inevitable change is approaching, one should promptly move toward purification—seeking sādhus, holy places, sincere prayer, and devotional practices—rather than remaining complacent in a situation that drags one away from dharma.