FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.4.30

अस्माल्लोकादुपरते मयि ज्ञानं मदाश्रयम् । अर्हत्युद्धव एवाद्धा सम्प्रत्यात्मवतां वर: ॥ ३० ॥
asmāl lokād uparate
[asmaal lokaad uparate]
mayi jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam
[mayi jnaanam mad-aashrayam]
arhaty uddhava evāddhā
[arhaty uddhava evaaddhaa]
sampraty ātmavatāṁ varaḥ
[sampraty aatmavataam varah]
asmāt — from this (universe) lokāt — earth uparate — having disappeared mayi — of Myself jñānam — knowledge mat-āśrayam — concerning Myself arhati — deserves uddhavaḥ — Uddhava eva — certainly addhā — directly samprati — at the present moment ātmavatām — of the devotees varaḥ — foremost.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
asmāl lokād uparate
asmāt
from this (universe)
lokāt
earth
uparate
having disappeared
mayi jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam
mayi
of Myself
jñānam
knowledge
mat-āśrayam
concerning Myself
arhaty uddhava evāddhā
arhati
deserves
uddhavaḥ
Uddhava
eva
certainly
addhā
directly
sampraty ātmavatāṁ varaḥ
samprati
at the present moment
ātmavatām
of the devotees
varaḥ
foremost.
Now I shall leave the vision of this mundane world, and I see that Uddhava, the foremost of My devotees, is the only one who can be directly entrusted with knowledge about Me.

Jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam is significant in this verse. Transcendental knowledge has three departmental divisions, namely knowledge of impersonal Brahman, knowledge of the all-pervading Supersoul and knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. Out of the three, transcendental knowledge of the Personality of Godhead has special significance and is known as bhagavat-tattva-vijñāna, specific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. This specific knowledge is realized by pure devotional service and no other means. Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) confirms this: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. “Only persons engaged in devotional service can factually know the transcendental position of the Lord.” Uddhava was considered to be the best amongst all devotees of that time, and therefore he was directly instructed by the Lord’s grace, so that people might take advantage of Uddhava’s knowledge after the disappearance of the Lord from the vision of the world. This is one of the reasons why Uddhava was advised to go to Badarikāśrama, where the Lord is personally represented by the Nara-Nārāyaṇa Deity. One who is transcendentally advanced can gain direct inspiration from the temple Deity, and thus a devotee of the Lord always takes shelter of a recognized temple of the Lord in order to make tangible advancement in transcendental knowledge by the grace of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When I leave this planet, Uddhava, the best among those who take me as their master, will be qualified to impart knowledge about me. When I disappear from this planet with my shower of sweet form, qualities and pastimes, Uddhava will be qualified to know what I know (mad-āśrayam). He is qualified, as my duplicate, to give knowledge to the sages of Badarikāśrama who want to receive knowledge from my mouth and want to see me. Ātmavatām means of those who take me, ātmā, as their master.
Krsna entrusted His knowledge to one person He had personally prepared. He still does this today. Become the kind of person who could be entrusted; the Lord is always looking for clear vessels.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'specific knowledge' would the Lord be willing to entrust you with if you were ready?
  • Which preparation step have you been avoiding that would make you a worthy carrier?
📝 My note

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