Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.4.28
Nirodha· Winding upUddhava Stayed to Obey the Lord
“The King inquired: At the end of the pastimes of the Lord of the three worlds, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and after the disappearance of the members of the Vṛṣṇi and Bhoja dynasties, who were the best of the great commanders, why did Uddhava alone remain?”
What the purport teaches
- The Vṛṣṇi and Bhoja associates returned directly to their respective positions in the Lord’s transcendental abode. They had no attraction for the opulence of material planets.
- The Lord is identical with His transcendental body, so He does not change or abandon it. His apparent birth and departure must be understood through the explanations of the great ācāryas.
- Kṛṣṇa instructed Uddhava by a signal to go to Badarikāśrama after His departure. Uddhava remained because faithfully carrying out the Lord’s order mattered more to him than returning to the Lord’s abode.
Try this today
Complete one small act of devotional service today, giving priority to the service rather than your own convenience.
Ask yourself
Do I value carrying out the Lord’s instruction more than seeking a desirable situation for myself?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.