Shloka 2
The Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa from Hastināpura
सूत उवाच वंशं कुरोर्वंशदवाग्निनिर्हृतं संरोहयित्वा भवभावनो हरि: । निवेशयित्वा निजराज्य ईश्वरो युधिष्ठिरं प्रीतमना बभूव ह ॥ २ ॥
sūta uvāca vaṁśaṁ kuror vaṁśa-davāgni-nirhṛtaṁ saṁrohayitvā bhava-bhāvano hariḥ niveśayitvā nija-rājya īśvaro yudhiṣṭhiraṁ prīta-manā babhūva ha
సూత గోస్వామి చెప్పాడు—లోకపాలకుడైన పరమేశ్వరుడు హరి శ్రీకృష్ణుడు, కోపరూప వెదురు‑అగ్నితో క్షీణించిన కురు వంశాన్ని పునరుద్ధరించి, యుధిష్ఠిరుణ్ని తన స్వరాజ్యంలో స్థాపించి, ఆనందంతో ప్రసన్నుడయ్యాడు.
This world is compared to a forest fire caused by the cohesion of bamboo bushes. Such a forest fire takes place automatically, for bamboo cohesion occurs without external cause. Similarly, in the material world the wrath of those who want to lord it over material nature interacts, and the fire of war takes place, exhausting the unwanted population. Such fires or wars take place, and the Lord has nothing to do with them. But because He wants to maintain the creation, He desires the mass of people to follow the right path of self-realization, which enables the living beings to enter into the kingdom of God. The Lord wants the suffering human beings to come back home, back to Him, and cease to suffer the threefold material pangs. The whole plan of creation is made in that way, and one who does not come to his senses suffers in the material world by pangs inflicted by the illusory energy of the Lord. The Lord therefore wants His bona fide representative to rule the world. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa descended to establish this sort of regime and to kill the unwanted persons who have nothing to do with His plan. The Battle of Kurukṣetra was fought according to the plan of the Lord so that undesirable persons could get out of the world and a peaceful kingdom under His devotee could be established. The Lord was therefore fully satisfied when King Yudhiṣṭhira was on the throne and the seedling of the dynasty of Kuru, in the person of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, was saved.
FAQs
This verse states that Lord Hari revived the Kuru line after it was nearly destroyed, and then established Yudhiṣṭhira firmly on the throne, showing divine protection of dharma.
The “wildfire” metaphor refers to the massive, near-total devastation of the Kuru family in the Kurukṣetra war; Sūta emphasizes how only the Lord could restore what seemed finished.
The shloka highlights that righteous leadership and social stability flourish when guided by dharma; personally, it inspires rebuilding after loss and taking responsibility with integrity.