After the Fall of the Yādavas
Following the tragic destruction of the Yādava dynasty at Prabhāsakṣetra, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, wandered alone through the quiet forest, His mission on Earth complete.
He had fulfilled every aspect of His avatāra:
- Protected dharma
- Annihilated demoniac rulers
- Blessed the Earth with transcendental pastimes
- Recited the Bhagavad-gītā on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra
- Nurtured the Vrajavāsīs with love
- And orchestrated the divine plan in both Dvārakā and Hastināpura
Yet now, with the Yadu dynasty destroyed, the Lord prepared to end His visible pastimes on Earth.
The Curse of Gāndhārī and the Will of the Lord
Years earlier, Queen Gāndhārī, the pious mother of the Kauravas, had cursed Kṛṣṇa in sorrow after witnessing the annihilation of her sons in the war. Though she knew His divine nature, she lamented:
“As You allowed this destruction to unfold, may You too suffer the loss of Your kin!”
Kṛṣṇa smiled and accepted her curse, for it was aligned with His own plan. Now, at Prabhāsa, that curse had been fulfilled. With compassion, Kṛṣṇa prepared to depart, as the time of His earthly līlā had reached its conclusion.
The Deer Hunter’s Arrow
Kṛṣṇa reclined peacefully beneath a tree, in a serene mood of detachment. Dressed in yellow silk, shining like the sun, He appeared like an ordinary hunter to one named Jara, who wandered nearby with a bow.
Seeing the Lord’s lotus foot from a distance, Jara mistook it for the face of a deer and released an arrow. It struck Kṛṣṇa in the sole of His foot—the only vulnerable spot, as ordained by His own līlā.
Jara ran to the scene and, upon seeing whom he had struck, fell at the Lord’s feet in terror and remorse.
Kṛṣṇa’s Forgiveness and Revelation
Kṛṣṇa smiled kindly at the hunter and spoke with affection:
“Do not fear, O Jara. This was My desire. You were Vāli in your past life, and I had promised you a chance to strike Me in return. Now My pastimes here are complete.”
He blessed the hunter, who fell to the ground in tears of devotion. Kṛṣṇa, still radiant, then revealed His divine form, effulgent and eternal, as the Supreme Lord of all creation.
Return to the Eternal Abode
At that moment, celestial beings descended to offer prayers. The skies rained flowers. The Earth trembled gently. The Lord of the Universe closed His eyes and returned to His eternal Goloka abode, beyond the reach of time and space.
His departure marked the end of Dvāpara-yuga and the beginning of Kali-yuga, the age of darkness. Yet He left behind the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, His devotees, and His teachings to guide the fallen souls of this age.
Daruka and the Final Message
Kṛṣṇa’s charioteer Dāruka, who had been searching for Him, arrived at the spot and saw the divine signs. Kṛṣṇa gave him final instructions to inform Vasudeva, Devakī, and the residents of Dvārakā about His departure, and to guide the remaining survivors to safety in Indraprastha under the care of Arjuna.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- The Lord’s pastimes on Earth have a divine purpose and a divinely orchestrated conclusion.
- Kṛṣṇa’s departure was not death—it was His return to the spiritual world, after fulfilling His līlā.
- Even a hunter, by Kṛṣṇa’s grace, can attain liberation when the Lord chooses to bless.
- In Kali-yuga, the only shelter is the Lord’s name, His devotees, and His teachings, especially the Bhāgavatam.
- Kṛṣṇa’s presence never ends—it remains in His holy names, His stories, and His devotees’ hearts.
Origin of the Story: Harivamsa Purana 3 – Chapters 138–139: The Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa and the End of His Manifest Pastimes
