Uddhava Remembers Krishna

Uddhava, his face washed by tears because of disturbance due to prema, describes the pastimes of Krishna in Vraja until the rasa dance. Uddhava who was fainting because of increased prema due to separation  from Krishna, spoke without being able to reply to the questions of Vidura. This shows his condition. He began to remember the Lord when his fainting was broken by the loud questions of Vidura.

Playing as a boy of five years, he worshipped a five-year old form of Krishna using articles of worship he had made. Though his mother called him for breakfast, he did not want to eat since he had not completed his worship. Even though years passed he did not age, being under the influence of service to Krishna. Another meaning is ‘’Under the influence of service performed at the proper time, he did not age.”

When he recovered from fainting by the questions of Vidura, Uddhava, exclaimed, ‘’Oh! I have been separated from my master!’’ He remained silent for forty-eight minutes because of relishing the nectar of Krishnas beauty which he had attained by meeting the Lord directly by remembering his lotus feet. He became submerged in the sweetness of prema which appeared when the pain of separation from Krishna increased. This made him forget his previous pain. He remained in this blissful state. His whole body was filled with sprouting hairs, like sprouts of trees or shrubs. He also became stunned. Tears flowed from his closed eyes. Vidura understood that Uddhava had become successful because he had attained prema, as indicated by his symptoms, and because of that prema, he was absorbed completely in the melting of his heart for the Lord. First he was absorbed in prema, and then he was absorbed in sneha, the next stage of pure love.

From the world of the Lord from Dwarka which is filled with eternal pastimes and which he had attained due to his intense prema, he returned to external consciousness again, attracted by the questions of Vidura. A second time his trance was broken. He became amazed by remembering the skill with which Krishna had performed acts such as relieving the world of its burden.

— From ‘Sarartha darshini, Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur’s commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgvatam Canto 3: The Status Quo » Chapter 2 Uddhava Remembers Kṛṣṇa » Verses: 1 to 6