Nārada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva

On the eve of the disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa from this world, Vasudeva became filled with lamentation thinking that he had not properly utilized the opportunity of the Lord’s personal presence to become perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. However, Nārada Muni assured Śrī Vasudeva that the glories of Vasudeva and his good wife Devakī were chanted throughout the universe because even the demigods worshiped the exalted status of the Lord’s own parents. Vasudeva was not only concerned about his own spiritual position, but he also lamented for the Yadu dynasty, which had left the world in an apparently inauspicious way, being cursed by great brāhmaṇas such as Nārada and dying in a fratricidal war. Although the members of the Yadu dynasty were personal associates of the Lord, their disappearance from the earth was apparently inauspicious, and therefore Vasudeva was concerned about their eventual destination. So Nārada here assures Vasudeva that even the demons who opposed Kṛṣṇa, such as Śiśupāla, Pauṇḍraka and Śālva, achieved promotion to the Lord’s own abode because of their constant absorption in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore what to speak of the exalted members of the Yadu dynasty who actually loved Kṛṣṇa more than anything (anurakta-dhiyāṁ punaḥ kim)? Similarly, it is stated in the Garuḍa Purāṇa: ajñāninaḥ sura-varaṁ samadhikṣipantoyaṁ pāpino ’pi śiśupāla-suyodhanādyāḥmuktiṁ gatāḥ smaraṇa-mātra-vidhūta-pāpāḥkaḥ saṁśayaḥ parama-bhaktimatāṁ janānām “Even foolish sinners like Śiśupāla and Duryodhana who showered abuse upon the Lord were cleansed of all sins simply by remembering Lord Kṛṣṇa. Somehow or other their minds were absorbed in the Lord, and thus they attained liberation. What doubt then is there about the destination of those who are overwhelmed with devotional feelings for the Lord?” Vasudeva was also feeling anxiety because on the one hand he was aware that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but at the same time he treated the Lord as his beloved son. In the relationship between the father and son, sometimes the father must chastise the son and restrict him in various ways. In this way Vasudeva was feeling that undoubtedly he had offended the Lord in his attempt to train Lord Kṛṣṇa as his son. However, Lord Kṛṣṇa is actually pleased when a pure devotee becomes absorbed in parental love for Him and thus devotedly tries to care for Him just as loving parents care for a small child. Kṛṣṇa reciprocates the intense devotional feelings of such devotees by actually appearing before them as a young boy and acting just like their son. As mentioned in this verse, the demons actually chastised Kṛṣṇa with feelings of enmity. Nevertheless, such demons attained liberation due to their absorption in Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, what to speak of the destination of Vasudeva, who chastised Kṛṣṇa due to his overwhelming parental love for Him? The conclusion is that the devotees of the Lord should never consider Vasudeva and Devakī to be ordinary, conditioned souls. Their relationship with Lord Kṛṣṇa is completely on the transcendental platform of vātsalya-rasa, or parental love for the Personality of Godhead. It has nothing to do with the parental love of the material world, which is based on a mood of sense gratification, since the parents see their children as objects of material enjoyment.