Devanagari
तथाप्यशेषस्थितिसम्भवाप्यये-
ष्वनन्यहेतुर्यदशेषशक्तिधृक् ।
नैच्छत् प्रणेतुं वपुरत्र शेषितं
मर्त्येन किं स्वस्थगतिं प्रदर्शयन् ॥ १३ ॥
Verse text
tathāpy aśeṣa-sthiti-sambhavāpyayeṣv
ananya-hetur yad aśeṣa-śakti-dhṛk
naicchat praṇetuṁ vapur atra śeṣitaṁ
martyena kiṁ sva-stha-gatiṁ pradarśayan
Synonyms
tathā api
—
nevertheless
;
aśeṣa
—
of all created beings
;
sthiti
—
in the maintenance
;
sambhava
—
creation
;
apyayeṣu
—
and annihilation
;
ananya
—
hetuḥ — the exclusive cause
;
yat
—
because
;
aśeṣa
—
unlimited
;
śakti
—
potencies
;
dhṛk
—
possessing
;
na aicchat
—
He did not desire
;
praṇetum
—
to keep
;
vapuḥ
—
His transcendental body
;
atra
—
here
;
śeṣitam
—
remaining
;
martyena
—
with this mortal world
;
kim
—
what use
;
sva
—
stha — of those who are fixed in Him
;
gatim
—
the destination
;
pradarśayan
—
showing .
Translation
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa, 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.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Although Kṛṣṇa, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable planets, he did not desire to remain with his manifested pastimes on earth. What is the use of this mortal world or its people? But he made known his destination to the devatās.
Even though the Lord has unlimited powers, still he has acted in this way. His unlimited power is described. He is the only cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of unlimited planets, but he is indifferent though he is the only cause, because he acts through his unlimited śaktis. Having dispatched the devatās to Svarga, he did not desire to remain visible on earth with his associates (praṇetum vapuḥ śeṣitam). In other words, he desired to disappear. Why? What is the use of this mortal world for the Lord? He did not care for the material world. But he cared for Svargaloka. By the request of those on Svarga, such as Brahmā, the Lord appeared in this mortal world, and at their request alone, he went to Vaikuṇṭha. This is the implication of the statement. He made known his going to Vaikuṇṭha (gatim) to Brahmā and others situated in Svarga and other planets (sva-stha). Other explanations are not accepted by the devotees since they are the opinions of demons and contradict Uddhava’s statement:
pradarśyātapta-tapasām avitṛpta-dṛśāṁ nṛṇām
ādāyāntaradhād yas tu sva-bimbaṁ loka-locanam
The Lord, having shown his form, the center of attraction for all eyes, then took that form and disappeared from the men, who had not performed austerities but had attained the Lord’s mercy, and were continually craving a vision of his form. SB 3.2.11
Uddhava has also said that the opinions of demons should not be accepted by devotees.
devasya māyayā spṛṣṭā ye cānyad asad-āśritāḥ
bhrāmyate dhīr na tad-vākyair ātmany uptātmano harau
The intelligence of the devotee who is absorbed in Paramātmā is not bewildered by the words of those touched by the Lord’s māyā or those who take shelter of a demonic mentality. SB 3.2.10
Purport
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa descended to this world to save the fallen souls, He did not want to encourage people in the future to loiter here unnecessarily. In other words, as soon as possible one should perfect one’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back home, back to Godhead. If Lord Kṛṣṇa had remained longer on the earth, He would have unnecessarily increased the prestige of the material world.
As stated by Śrī Uddhava in
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
(3.2.11)
,
ādāyāntar adhād yas tu sva-bimbaṁ loka-locanam:
“Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who manifested His eternal form before the vision of all on the earth, performed His disappearance by removing His form from the sight of those who are unable to see Him [as He is] due to not executing the required penance.” Uddhava also states in the
Bhāgavatam
(3.2.10)
:
devasya māyayā spṛṣṭā
ye cānyad-asad-āśritāḥ
bhrāmyate dhīr na tad-vākyair
ātmany uptātmano harau
“Under no circumstances can the words of persons bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord deviate the intelligence of those who are completely surrendered souls.” One who follows the Vaiṣṇava authorities in his attempt to understand Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental disappearance easily appreciates that the Lord is the omnipotent Personality of Godhead and that His spiritual body is identical with His eternal spiritual potency.