Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 7
The Curse on the Yadus Begins: Kṛṣṇa’s Plan to Withdraw His Dynasty
स्वमूर्त्या लोकलावण्यनिर्मुक्त्या लोचनं नृणाम् । गीर्भिस्ता: स्मरतां चित्तं पदैस्तानीक्षतां क्रिया: ॥ ६ ॥ आच्छिद्य कीर्तिं सुश्लोकां वितत्य ह्यञ्जसा नु कौ । तमोऽनया तरिष्यन्तीत्यगात् स्वं पदमीश्वर: ॥ ७ ॥
sva-mūrtyā loka-lāvaṇya- nirmuktyā locanaṁ nṛṇām gīrbhis tāḥ smaratāṁ cittaṁ padais tān īkṣatāṁ kriyāḥ
Si Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa ang bukal ng lahat ng kagandahan. Ang Kanyang banal na anyo ay umaagaw sa paningin ng tao kaya ang iba pang bagay ay tila nawawalan ng ganda sa harap Niya. Ang Kanyang mga salita ay humihila sa isip ng mga nag-aalaala sa Kanya; ang pagtanaw sa bakas ng Kanyang mga yapak ay nag-uudyok sa mga tao na sumunod at ialay ang kanilang mga gawa sa Panginoon. Sa ganitong paraan, madali Niyang pinalaganap ang Kanyang malinis na kaluwalhatian na inaawit sa buong daigdig. Inisip Niya na ang mga nilalang sa hinaharap ay tatawid sa dilim ng kamangmangan sa pamamagitan lamang ng pakikinig at pag-awit ng Kanyang mga papuri. Nasiyahan sa ganitong ayos, Siya’y nagtungo sa Kanyang sariling dhāma.
According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, these two verses indicate that Lord Kṛṣṇa, having achieved all the purposes for which He had descended, went back to His spiritual kingdom. It is natural that people in the material world hanker to see a beautiful object. In materialistic life, however, our consciousness is polluted by the influence of the three modes of nature, and therefore we hanker for material objects of beauty and pleasure. The materialistic process of sense gratification is imperfect, because the laws of material nature will not allow us to be happy or satisfied in materialistic life. The living entity is constitutionally an eternal servant of God and is meant to appreciate the infinite beauty and pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth and the reservoir of all beauty and pleasure. By serving Kṛṣṇa we can also share in His ocean of beauty and pleasure, and thus our desire to see beautiful things and enjoy life will be fully satisfied. The example is given that the hand cannot enjoy food independently but can assimilate it indirectly by giving it to the stomach. Similarly, by serving Lord Kṛṣṇa the living entity, who is part and parcel of the Lord, will derive unlimited happiness.
FAQs
This verse teaches that remembrance and glorification of the Lord—His form, words, and divine presence—enable souls to cross beyond ignorance (tamas) and reach spiritual clarity and liberation.
He emphasizes that Kṛṣṇa’s attractiveness is not material ornamentation but purely transcendental; contact with Him (seeing, hearing, remembering) spiritually transforms the devotee rather than binding the mind to worldly desire.
Regularly hear and chant Kṛṣṇa’s names and teachings, meditate on His form and pastimes, and shape daily actions around devotional remembrance—so the mind naturally moves from distraction and ignorance toward spiritual light.