Remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Uddhava remembers Kṛṣṇa in devotional ecstasy and recounts His disappearance, supremacy, and childhood activities.

Themes of SB 3.2Viraha5 Bhakti5 Prema4 Sakhya4 with indexed passages

Connected storiesKaṁsaPūtanāŚiśupālaGovardhana Hill

Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitUddhava → ViduraEvery voice in this chapter ›

Turning points hereVidura· Uddhava remembers Uddhava· Speechless remembrance

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · Uddhava, Vidura, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Baladeva

The story · Asked about Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava became silent and motionless, absorbed in remembering the Lord’s lotus feet. He then told Vidura that Kṛṣṇa, the sun of the world, had disappeared from sight. He recalled the Lord’s childhood activities, His chastisement of Kāliya, His killing of Kaṁsa with Śrī Baladeva, and His protection of Uttarā’s child. Uddhava also remembered the cheerful Lord resting against a young banyan tree and instructing him about His transcendental situation. He directed Vidura to Maitreya, who had received instructions directly from the Lord.

What it teaches · Remembering Kṛṣṇa fills His devotee with deep spiritual feeling. Devotional service enables one to place faith in the Lord’s transcendental activities.

SB 3.2.4 SB 3.3.23 SB 3.4.26 Read chapter 2 ›

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

Kaṁsa

SB 10.1–4 · Kṛṣṇa’s appearance SB 10.41–44 · Mathurā and the fall of Kaṁsa

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa appears by His own spiritual energy, not as an ordinary conditioned soul. His name, form, and attributes are understood through devotional service.

The great wizards who were able to assume any form were engaged by the King of Bhoja, Kaṁsa, to kill Kṛṣṇa, but in the course of His pastimes the Lord killed them as easily as a child breaks dolls.
In the verse · SB 3.2.30 (Text 30)

From the very beginning of His appearance within the prison bars of King Kaṁsa up to His mausala-līlā, although He exhibited His potencies as the Personality of Godhead in the six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, the…
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.8 (Text 8)

Read the story in SB 10.1–4

Pūtanā

SB 10.5–7 · The infant Lord defeats Pūtanā and Tṛṇāvarta

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited power remains present even in His infant pastimes. Hearing these activities cleanses the mind.

Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Pūtanā] although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?
In the verse · SB 3.2.23 (Text 23)

In His babyhood, He was administered deadly poison by Pūtanā, a she-demon who tried to kill the wonderful baby.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.23 (Text 23)

Read the story in SB 10.5–7

Śiśupāla

SB 10.52–54 · Rukmiṇī chooses Kṛṣṇa SB 10.71–75 · Jarāsandha’s defeat and the Rājasūya SB 7.1 · Parīkṣit asks about the Lord’s impartiality

What it teaches · Hearing Kṛṣṇa’s qualities can awaken firm attachment to Him. The episode also warns that pride in power and possessions leads people to offend others.

You have personally seen how the King of Cedi [Śiśupāla] achieved success in yoga practice, although he hated Lord Kṛṣṇa.
In the verse · SB 3.2.19 (Text 19)

His annihilation of a person like Śiśupāla is as auspicious as His actions for the protection of the faithful.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.20 (Text 20)

Read the story in SB 10.52–54

Govardhana Hill

SB 10.24–27 · Govardhana shelters Vraja

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa protects His surrendered devotees and removes the false pride of those who imagine themselves independent controllers. His correction is meant for their relief.

But the compassionate Lord Kṛṣṇa saved them from danger with His pastime umbrella, the Govardhana Hill.
In the verse · SB 3.2.33 (Text 33)

He therefore asked Mahārāja Nanda to stop the sacrifice offered to Indra and to use the money properly by performing a ceremony worshiping the cows and the pasturing ground on the hill of Govardhana.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.32 (Text 32)

Read the story in SB 10.24–27

Jarāsandha and the Rājasūya

SB 10.71–75 · Jarāsandha’s defeat and the Rājasūya SB 10.50–51 · Dvārakā and Mucukunda’s prayer

What it teaches · The liberated kings recognize the danger of pride in temporary power. Kṛṣṇa directs them to worship Him, protect their subjects, and remain steady in happiness and distress.

All the demigods from the upper, lower and middle universal planetary systems assembled at the altar of the rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.
In the verse · SB 3.2.13 (Text 13)

They are always very eager to establish that Lord Kṛṣṇa was an ordinary man who was killed by a hunter due to His many impious acts in plotting to kill the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Jarāsandha, the demoniac kings of the earth.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.10 (Text 10)

Read the story in SB 10.71–75

The gopīs and the rāsa dance

SB 10.20–22 · The gopīs’ flute songs and vow SB 10.29–33 · The gopīs’ search and the rāsa dance SB 10.46–47 · Uddhava witnesses Vraja’s love

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

Before leaving the land of cows, Vṛndāvana, the Lord pleased His young girlfriends, the transcendental gopīs, in His rāsa-līlā pastimes.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.34 (Text 34)

Lord Kṛṣṇa finally admitted His defeat before the transcendental affection of the gopīs and declared that He was unable to repay them for their unalloyed affection.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.2.14 (Text 14)

Read the story in SB 10.20–22

Same themes in another canto

Both chapters carry these themes strongly in the themes map, an editorial reading of each chapter's story.

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