Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.31.20
Nirodha· Winding upKṛṣṇa and His Associates Return Together
“The wives of Lord Balarāma 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 Rukmiṇī and the other wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa — whose hearts were completely absorbed in Him — entered His fire.”
What the purport teaches
- The translation describes the wives entering the funeral fires. Rukmiṇī and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s other wives had hearts completely absorbed in Him.
- The purport explains that this anguished scene is a display of the Lord’s illusory potency. His internal potency brings His manifest earthly pastimes to a dramatic close.
- In reality, Lord Kṛṣṇa returned to His eternal abode in His original body. His eternal associates returned with Him.
Try this today
Remember the purport’s conclusion for one minute: Kṛṣṇa returned in His original body with His eternal associates.
Ask yourself
How does knowing that Kṛṣṇa and His eternal associates returned together change your understanding of this scene?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.