Krishna spoke the Uddhava Gita (also referred to as Hamsa Gita) to
Uddhava shortly before he left the world in order to help console
Uddhava after his forthcoming departure. It commences with Uddhava's
perplexity after he saw the impending destruction of the Yadava
community, in which Krishna was also born.
Uddhava was famous as devotee and a dear friend of Krishna but even he
could not fathom why he had not prevented the destruction from
happening. Brahma, the creator, and the celestials implored Krishna to
return to his divine abode after the purpose of his descent was over.
Krishna then explained why the Yadavas had to be finished, "Made
insolent by prowess, heroism and fortune, and inclined to take
possession of the whole world, this celebrated race of Yadu has been
kept in check by Me as the ocean by its shore. If I depart (from this
world) without destroying the huge race of the Yadus, who have grown
insolent the entire humanity will meet its destruction..." Greatly
saddened by this Uddhava approached Krishna and beseeched him to take
him also. In reply Krishna then expounds the Uddhava Gita. |
|
|
