> > S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda his pupils
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > ******

> > Canto 11: 'General History'

> > ******

> > Chapter Thirty-0ne: The Disappearance of Lord S'rî Krishna

> > TEXT 1

> > s'rî-s'uka uvâca

> > atha tatrâgamad brahmâ

> > bhavânyâ ca samam bhavah

> > mahendra-pramukhâ devâ

> > munayah sa-prajes'varâh

> > s'rî-s'ukah uvâca - S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said; atha - then; tatra - there; âgamat - came; brahmâ - Lord Brahmâ; bhavânyâ - his consort, Bhavânî; ca - and; samam - along with; bhavah - Lord S'iva; mahâ-indra-pramukhâh - led by Lord Indra; devâh - the demigods; munayah - the sages; sa - with; prajâ-îs'varâh - the progenitors of the universe's population.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said - Then Lord Brahmâ arrived at Prabhâsa along with Lord S'iva and his consort, the sages, the Prajâpatis and all the demigods, headed by Indra.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 2 - 3

> > pitarah siddha-gandharvâ

> > vidyâdhara-mahoragâh

> > câranâ yaksha-rakshâmsi

> > kinnarâpsaraso dvijâh

> > drasthu-kâmâ bhagavato

> > niryânam paramotsukâh

> > gâyantas' ca grinantas' ca

> > s'aureh karmâni janma ca

> > pitarah - the forefathers; siddha-gandharvâh - the Siddhas and Gandharvas; vidyâdhara-mahâ-uragâh - the Vidyâdharas and the great serpents; câranâh - the Câranas; yaksha-rakshâmsi - the Yakshas and Râkshasas; kinnara-apsarasah - the Kinnaras and Apsarâs; dvijâh - the great birds;

> > drasthu-kâmâh - desirous of seeing; bhagavatah - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; niryânam - the passing away; parama-utsukâh - very eager; gâyantah - chanting; ca - and; grinantah - praising; ca - and; s'aureh - of Lord S'auri (Krishna); karmâni - the activities; janma - the birth; ca - and.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The forefathers, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyâdharas and great serpents also came, along with the Câranas, Yakshas, Râkshasas, Kinnaras, Apsarâs and relatives of Garuda, greatly eager to witness the departure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As they were coming, all these personalities variously chanted and glorified the birth and activities of Lord S'auri [Krishna].

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > vavrishuh pushpa-varshâni

> > vimânâvalibhir nabhah

> > kurvantah sankulam râjan

> > bhaktyâ paramayâ yutâh

> > vavrishuh - they showered; pushpa-varshâni - showers of flowers; vimâna - of airplanes; âvalibhih - by great numbers; nabhah - the sky; kurvantah - making; sankulam - filled up; râjan - O King Parîkshit; bhaktyâ - with devotion; paramayâ - transcendental; yutâh - endowed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O King, crowding the sky with their many airplanes, they showered down flowers with great devotion.

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > bhagavân pitâmaham vîkshya

> > vibhûtîr âtmano vibhuh

> > samyojyâtmani câtmânam

> > padma-netre nyamîlayat

> > bhagavân - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pitâmaham - Lord Brahmâ; vîkshya - seeing; vibhûtîh - the powerful expansions, the demigods; âtmanah - His own; vibhuh - the Almighty Lord; samyojya - fixing; âtmani - in Himself; ca - and; âtmânam - His consciousness; padma-netre - His lotus eyes; nyamîlyat - closed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Seeing before Him Brahmâ, the grandfather of the universe, along with the other demigods, who are all His personal and powerful expansions, the Almighty Lord closed His lotus eyes, fixing His mind within Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > lokâbhirâmâm sva-tanum

> > dhâranâ-dhyâna-mangalam

> > yoga-dhâranayâgneyyâ-

> > dagdhvâ dhâmâvis'at svakam

> > loka - to all the worlds; abhirâmâm - most attractive; sva-tanum - His own transcendental body; dhâranâ - of all trance; dhyâna - and meditation; mangalam - the auspicious object; yoga-dhâranayâ - by mystic trance; âgneyyâ - focused on fire; adagdhvâ - without burning; dhâma - the abode; âvis'at - He entered; svakam - His own.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Without employing the mystic âgneyî meditation to burn up His transcendental body, which is the all-attractive resting place of all the worlds and the object of all contemplation and meditation, Lord Krishna entered into His own abode.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > divi dundubhayo neduh

> > petuh sumanasas' ca khât

> > satyam dharmo dhritir bhûmeh

> > kîrtih s'rîs' cânu tam yayuh

> > divi - in heaven; dundubhayah - kettledrums; neduh - sounded; petuh - fell; sumanasah - flowers; ca - and; khât - from the sky; satyam - Truth; dharmah - Religion; dhritih - Faithfulness; bhûmeh - from the earth; kîrtih - Fame; s'rîh - Beauty; ca - and; anu - following; tam - Him; yayuh - they went.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As soon as Lord S'rî Krishna left the earth, Truth, Religion, Faithfulness, Glory and Beauty immediately followed Him. Kettledrums resounded in the heavens and flowers showered from the sky.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > devâdayo brahma-mukhyâ

> > na vis'antam sva-dhâmani

> > avijn'âta-gatim krishnam

> > dadris'us' câti-vismitâh

> > deva-âdayah - the demigods and others; brahma-mukhyâh - headed by Brahmâ; na - not; vis'antam - entering; sva-dhâmani - His own abode; avijn'âta - unknown; gatim - His movements; krishnam - Lord Krishna; dadris'uh - they saw; ca - and; ati-vismitâh - very amazed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Most of the demigods and other higher beings led by Brahmâ could not see Lord Krishna as He was entering His own abode, since He did not reveal His movements. But some of them did catch sight of Him, and they were extremely amazed.

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > saudâmanyâ yathâklâs'e

> > yântyâ hitvâbhra-mandalam

> > gatir na lakshyate martyais

> > tathâ krishnasya daivataih

> > saudâmanyâh - of lightning; yathâ - just as; âkâs'e - in the sky; yântyâh - which is traveling; hitvâ - having left; abhra-mandalam - the clouds; gatih - the movement; na lakshyate - cannot be ascertained; martyaih - by mortals; tathâ - similarly; krishnasya - of Lord Krishna; daivataih - by the demigods.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as ordinary men cannot ascertain the path of a lightning bolt as it leaves a cloud, the demigods could not trace out the movements of Lord Krishna as He returned to His abode.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > brahma-rudrâdayas te tu

> > dristhvâ yoga-gatim hareh

> > vismitâs tâm pras'amsantah

> > svam svam lokam yayus tadâ

> > brahma-rudra-âdayah - Brahmâ, Rudra and others; te - they; tu - but; dristhvâ - seeing; yoga-gatim - the mystic power; hareh - of Lord Krishna; vismitâh - astonished; tâm - that power; pras'amsantah - glorifying; svam svam - each to his own; lokam - world; yayuh - went; tadâ - then.

> > TRANSLATION

> > A few of the demigods, however - notably Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva - could ascertain how the Lord's mystic power was working, and thus they became astonished. All the demigods praised the Lord's mystic power and then returned to their own planets.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > râjan parasya tanu-bhrij-jananâpyayehâ

> > mâyâ-vidambanam avehi yathâ nathasya

> > sristhvâtmanedam anuvis'ya vihritya cânte

> > samhritya câtma-mahinoparatah sa âste

> > râjan - O King Parîkshit; parasya - of the Supreme; tanu-bhrit - resembling the embodied living beings; janana - of birth; apyaya - and disappearance; îhâh - the activities; mâyâ - of His illusory potency; vidambanam - the false show; avehi - you should understand; yathâ - just as; nathasya - of an actor; sristhvâ - creating; âtmanâ - by Himself; idam - this universe; anuvis'ya - entering it; vihritya - playing; ca - and; ante - in the end; samhritya - winding it up; ca - and; âtma-mahinâ - with His own glory; uparatah - having ceased; sah - He; âste - remains.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear King, you should understand that the Supreme Lord's appearance and disappearance, which resemble those of embodied conditioned souls, are actually a show enacted by His illusory energy, just like the performance of an actor. After creating this universe He enters into it, plays within it for some time, and at last winds it up. Then the Lord remains situated in His own transcendental glory, having ceased from the functions of cosmic manifestation.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > martyena yo guru-sutam yama-loka-nîtam

> > tvâm cânayac charana-dah paramâstra-dagdham

> > jigye 'ntakântakam apîs'am asâv anîs'ah

> > kim svâvane svar anayan mrigayum sa-deham

> > martyena - in the same human body; yah - who; guru-sutam - the son of His spiritual master; yama-loka - to the planet of Yamarâja; nîtam - brought; tvâm - you; ca - and; ânayat - brought back; s'arana-dah - the giver of shelter; parama-astra - by the supreme weapon, the brahmâstra; dagdham - burned; jigye - He conquered; antaka - of the agents of death; antakam - who is the death; api - even; îs'am - Lord S'iva; asau - He, Krishna; anîs'ah - incapable; kim - whether; sva - of Himself; avane - in the protection; svah - to the spiritual world; anayat - brought; mrigayum - the hunter; sa-deham - in the same body.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Krishna brought the son of His guru back from the planet of the lord of death in the boy's selfsame body, and as the ultimate giver of protection He saved you also when you were burned by the brahmâstra of As'vatthâmâ. He conquered in battle even Lord S'iva, who deals death to the agents of death, and He sent the hunter Jarâ directly to Vaikunthha in his human body. How could such a personality be unable to protect His own Self?

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > tathâpy as'esha-sthiti-sambhavâpyayeshv

> > ananya-hetur yad as'esha-s'akti-dhrik

> > naicchat pranetum vapur atra s'eshitam

> > martyena kim sva-stha-gatim pradars'ayan

> > tathâ api - nevertheless; as'esha - of all created beings; sthiti - in the maintenance; sambhava - creation; apyayeshu - and annihilation; ananya-hetuh - the exclusive cause; yat - because; as'esha - unlimited; s'akti - potencies; dhrik - possessing; na aicchat - He did not desire; pranetum - to keep; vapuh - His transcendental body; atra - here; s'eshitam - remaining; martyena - with this mortal world; kim - what use; sva-stha - of those who are fixed in Him; gatim - the destination; pradars'ayan - showing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although Lord Krishna, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable living beings, He simply did not desire to keep His body in this world any longer. Thus He revealed the destination of those fixed in the self and demonstrated that this mortal world is of no intrinsic value.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > ya etâm prâtar utthâya

> > krishnasya padavîm parâm

> > prayatah kîrtayed bhaktyâ

> > tâm evâpnoty anuttamâm

> > yah - anyone who; etâm - this; prâtah - early in the morning; utthâya - getting up; krishnasya - of Lord Krishna; padavîm - the destination; parâm - supreme; prayatah - with careful attention; kîrtayet - glorifies; bhaktyâ - with devotion; tâm - that destination; eva - indeed; âpnoti - he obtains; anuttamam - unsurpassable.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Anyone who regularly rises early in the morning and carefully chants with devotion the glories of Lord S'rî Krishna's transcendental disappearance and His return to His own abode will certainly achieve that same supreme destination.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > dâruko dvârakâm etya

> > vasudevograsenayoh

> > patitvâ caranâv asrair

> > nyashin'cat krishna-vicyutah

> > dârukah - Dâruka; dvârakâm - in Dvârakâ; etya - arriving; vasudeva-ugrasenayoh - of Vasudeva and Ugrasena; patitvâ - falling down; caranau - at the feet; asraih - with his tears; nyashin'cat - drenched; krishna-vicyutah - deprived of Lord Krishna.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As soon as Dâruka reached Dvârakâ, he threw himself at the feet of Vasudeva and Ugrasena and drenched their feet with his tears, lamenting the loss of Lord Krishna.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 16 - 17

> > kathayâm âsa nidhanam

> > vrishnînâm kritsnas'o nripa

> > tac chrutvodvigna-hridayâ

> > janâh s'oka-virmûrcchitâh

> > tatra sma tvaritâ jagmuh

> > krishna-vis'lesha-vihvalâh

> > vyasavah s'erate yatra

> > jn'âtayo ghnanta ânanam

> > kathayâm âsa - he related; nidhanam - the destruction; vrishnînâm - of the Vrishnis; kritsnas'ah - total; nripa - O King Parîkshit; tat - that; s'rutvâ - hearing; udvigna - agitated; hridayâh - their hearts; janâh - the people; s'oka - by sorrow; virmûrcchitâh - rendered senseless;

> > tatra - there; sma - indeed; tvaritâh - swiftly; jagmuh - they went; krishna-vis'lesha - by separation from Lord Krishna; vihvalâh - overwhelmed; vyasavah - lifeless; s'erate - they lay; yatra - where; jn'âtayah - their relatives; ghnantah - striking; ânanam - their own faces.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Dâruka delivered the account of the total destruction of the Vrishnis, and upon hearing this, O Parîkshit, the people became deeply distraught in their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feeling the overwhelming pain of separation from Krishna, they struck their own faces while hurrying to the place where their relatives lay dead.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > devakî rohinî caiva

> > vasudevas tathâ sutau

> > krishna-râmâv apas'yantah

> > s'okârtâ vijahuh smritim

> > devakî - Devakî; rohinî - Rohinî; ca - also; eva - indeed; vasudevah - Vasudeva; tathâ - as well; sutau - their two sons; krishna-râmau - Krishna and Râma; apas'yantah - not seeing; s'oka-ârtâh - feeling the pain of lamentation; vijahuh - they lost; smritim - their consciousness.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When Devakî, Rohinî and Vasudeva could not find their sons, Krishna and Râma, they lost consciousness out of anguish.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > prânâms' ca vijahus tatra

> > bhagavad-virahâturâh

> > upaguhya patîms tâta

> > citâm âruruhuh striyah

> > prânân - their lives; ca - and; vijahuh - they gave up; tatra - there; bhagavat - from the Personality of Godhead; viraha - because of separation; âturâh - tormented; upagahya - embracing; patîn - their husbands; tâta - my dear Parîkshit; citâm - the funeral pyre; âruruhuh - they climbed upon; striyah - the wives.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Tormented by separation from the Lord, His parents gave up their lives at that very spot. My dear Parîkshit, the wives of the Yâdavas then climbed onto the funeral pyres, embracing their dead husbands.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > râma-patnyas' ca tad-deham

> > upaguhyâgnim âvis'an

> > vasudeva-patnyas tad-gâtram

> > pradyumnâdîn hareh snushâh

> > krishna-patnyo 'vis'ann agnim

> > rukminy-âdyâs tad-âtmikâh

> > râma-patnyah - the wives of Lord Balarâma; ca - and; tat-deham - His body; upaguhya - embracing; agnim - the fire; âvis'an - entered; vasudeva-patnyah - the wives of Vasudeva; tat-gâtram - his body; pradyumna-âdîn - Pradyumna and the others; hareh - of Lord Hari; snushâh - the daughters-in-law; krishna-patnyah - the wives of Lord Krishna; avis'an - entered; agnim - the fire; rukminî-âdyâh - led by Queen Rukminî; tat-âtmikâh - whose consciousness was completely absorbed in Him.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The wives of Lord Balarâma also entered the fire and embraced His body, and Vasudeva's wives entered his fire and embraced his body. The daughters-in-law of Lord Hari entered the funeral fires of their respective husbands, headed by Pradyumna. And Rukminî and the other wives of Lord Krishna - whose hearts were completely absorbed in Him - entered His fire.

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > arjunah preyasah sakhyuh

> > krishnasya virahâturah

> > âtmânam sântvayâm âsa

> > krishna-gîtaih sad-uktibhih

> > arjunah - Arjuna; preyasah - of his dear; sakhyuh - friend; krishnasya - Lord Krishna; viraha - because of the separation; âturah - distressed; âtmânam - himself; sântvayâm âsa - consoled; krishna-gîtaih - with the song sung by Lord Krishna (the Bhagavad-gîtâ); sat-uktibhih - with the transcendental words.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Arjuna felt great distress over separation from Lord Krishna, his dearmost friend. But he consoled himself by remembering the transcendental words the Lord had sung to him.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > bandhûnâm nastha-gotrânâm

> > arjunah sâmparâyikam

> > hatânâm kârayâm âsa

> > yathâ-vad anupûrvas'ah

> > bandhûnâm - of the relatives; nastha-gotrânâm - who had no remaining immediate family members; arjunah - Arjuna; sâmparâyikam - the funeral rites; hatânâm - of the killed; kârayâm âsa - had executed; yathâ-vat - as prescribed in the Vedas; anupûrvas'ah - in order of the seniority of the deceased.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Arjuna then saw to it that the funeral rites were properly carried out for the dead, who had no remaining male family members. He executed the required ceremonies for each of the Yadus, one after another.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > dvârakâm harinâ tyaktâm

> > samudro 'plâvayat kshanât

> > varjayitvâ mahâ-râja

> > s'rîmad-bhagavad-âlayam

> > dvârakâm - Dvârakâ; harinâ - by Lord Hari; tyaktâm - abandoned; samudrah - the ocean; aplâvayat - overflooded; kshanât - immediately; varjayitvâ - except for; mahâ-râja - O King; s'rîmat-bhagavat - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; âlayam - the residence.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As soon as Dvârakâ was abandoned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ocean flooded it on all sides, O King, sparing only His palace.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > nityam sannihitas tatra

> > bhagavân madhusûdanah

> > smrityâs'eshâs'ubha-haram

> > sarva-mangala-mangalam

> > nityam - eternally; sannihitah - present; tatra - there; bhagavân - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; madhusûdanah - Madhusûdana; smrityâ - by remembrance; as'esha-as'ubha - of everything inauspicious; haram - which takes away; sarva-mangala - of all auspicious things; mangalam - the most auspicious.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Madhusûdana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is eternally present in Dvârakâ. It is the most auspicious of all auspicious places, and merely remembering it destroys all contamination.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > strî-bâla-vriddhân âdâya

> > hata-s'eshân dhanan'jayah

> > indraprastham samâves'ya

> > vajram tatrâbhyashecayat

> > strî - the women; bâla - children; vriddhân - and elders; âdâya - taking; hata - of the killed; s'eshân - the survivors; dhanan'jayah - Arjuna; indraprastham - in the capital of the Pândavas; samâves'ya - resettling; vajram - Vajra, the son of Aniruddha; tatra - there; abhyashecayat - placed upon the throne.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Arjuna took the survivors of the Yadu dynasty - the women, children and old men - to Indraprastha, where he installed Vajra as ruler of the Yadus.

> > ******

> > TEXT 26

> > s'rutvâ suhrid-vadham râjann

> > arjunât te pitâmahâh

> > tvâm tu vams'a-dharam kritvâ

> > jagmuh sarve mahâ-patham

> > s'rutvâ - hearing; suhrit - of their friend; vadham - the death; râjan - O King; arjunât - from Arjuna; te - your; pitâmahâh - grandfathers (Yudhisthhira and his brothers); tvâm - you; tu - and; vams'a-dharam - the maintainer of the dynasty; kritvâ - making; jagmuh - they left; sarve - all of them; mahâ-patham - for the great journey.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Hearing from Arjuna of the death of their friend, my dear King, your grandfathers established you as the maintainer of the dynasty and left to prepare for their departure from this world.

> > ******

> > TEXT 27

> > ya etad deva-devasya

> > vishnoh karmâni janma ca

> > kîrtayec chraddhayâ martyah

> > sarva-pâpaih pramucyate

> > yah - who; etat - these; deva-devasya - of the Lord of lords; vishnoh - of Lord Vishnu; karmâni - the activities; janma - the birth; ca - and; kîrtayet - chants; s'raddhayâ - with faith; martyah - a human being; sarva-pâpaih - from all sins; pramucyate - becomes completely liberated.

> > TRANSLATION

> > A person who with faith engages in chanting the glories of these various pastimes and incarnations of Vishnu, the Lord of lords, will gain liberation from all sins.

> > ******

> > TEXT 28

> > ittham harer bhagavato rucirâvatâra-

> > vîryâni bâla-caritâni ca s'antamâni

> > anyatra ceha ca s'rutâni grinan manushyo

> > bhaktim parâm paramahamsa-gatau labheta

> > ittham - thus; hareh - of Lord Hari; bhagavatah - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rucira - attractive; avatâra - of the incarnations; vîryâni - the exploits; bâla - childhood; caritâni - pastimes; ca - and; s'am-tamâni - most auspicious; anyatra - elsewhere; ca - and; iha - here; ca - also; s'rutâni - heard; grinan - clearly chanting; manushyah - a person; bhaktim - devotional service; parâm - transcendental; paramahamsa - of the perfect sages; gatau - for the destination (Lord S'rî Krishna); labheta - will attain.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The all-auspicious exploits of the all-attractive incarnations of Lord S'rî Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and also the pastimes He performed as a child, are described in this S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam and in other scriptures. Anyone who clearly chants these descriptions of His pastimes will attain transcendental loving service unto Lord Krishna, who is the goal of all perfect sages.

> > Back to the running text