Shloka 30
Devas in Dvārakā, Brahmā’s Petition, and Uddhava’s Appeal
Prabhāsa Departure Set-Up
यद्यसंहृत्य दृप्तानां यदूनां विपुलं कुलम् । गन्तास्म्यनेन लोकोऽयमुद्वेलेन विनङ्क्ष्यति ॥ ३० ॥
yady asaṁhṛtya dṛptānāṁ yadūnāṁ vipulaṁ kulam gantāsmy anena loko ’yam udvelena vinaṅkṣyati
หากเราจะจากโลกนี้ไปโดยไม่ถอนรากถอนโคนวงศ์วานยาดวะผู้หยิ่งยโส โลกทั้งใบก็จะถูกทำลายล้างด้วยการขยายตัวอย่างไร้ขีดจำกัดของพวกเขา
Just as a tidal wave overwhelms the boundary of the shore and wreaks havoc on innocent people, similarly, there was imminent danger that the powerful Yadu dynasty might expand beyond all boundaries of social and political control. The members of the Yadu dynasty had become proud because of their apparent familial relationship with the Personality of Godhead. Although they were very religious and devoted to brahminical culture, they had become, as indicated by the word dṛptānām, affected by pride due to their relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Furthermore, due to their intense love for Kṛṣṇa, they would certainly feel such intense separation after the Lord’s departure to the spiritual world that they would become maddened and thus become an unbearable burden on the earth. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has pointed out, however, that the earth herself, due to attachment for Kṛṣṇa, would never consider Kṛṣṇa’s own family members to be anything but a welcome burden. Still, Kṛṣṇa wanted to remove this burden. The example is given that for the pleasure of her husband a beautiful young wife may decorate herself with many golden ornaments. These ornaments constitute a painful burden for the delicate wife, but although she is willing to bear this burden, the loving husband removes the ornaments for the pleasure of his wife. So the Lord, desiring to apply the wisdom of “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” took precautions to remove from the earth the burden of the Yadu dynasty.
FAQs
In this verse Kṛṣṇa explains that the Yadus had become proud and, if left unchecked after His departure, their overflowing power could harm the world; therefore He would first “withdraw” the dynasty as part of His divine plan.
Here Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Uddhava, revealing the reason He will not leave the world without first concluding the Yadu dynasty’s earthly manifestation.
Even great strength or success becomes destructive when fueled by pride; this verse teaches self-restraint, humility, and responsible use of power so one’s influence does not “overflow” and harm others.