Remembering the Lord, Uddhava was overwhelmed by an intense
sentiment of love, and wiping the tears from his eyes, he informed him
about the disappearance of Krishna and the destruction of his dynasty. The
two great devotees found comfort in discussing between themselves about
Lord Krishna and his activities during his mission.
Uddhava recalled the various stages of Krishna's life, up to the moment
when he had left his family and had gone to the bank of the river Sarasvati.
Sitting under a young banyan tree, Krishna appeared completely peaceful,
although he had abandoned all the comforts of his palaces. Uddhava had
followed him because he could not stay away from him, and this was how
Maitreya found them during his pilgrimage, and he remained in their
company to discuss about transcendental knowledge. So Uddhava advised
Vidura to search for Maitreya, who was a friend of Vyasa and thus older
than Vidura, to learn from him that same knowledge that had been
explained by Lord Krishna."
After spending some days in the company of Uddhava, talking about the
disappearance of Lord Krishna and his dynasty, Vidura traveled towards the
Ganges in search of Maitreya, who resided in Haradvara. When he arrived
in the presence of the great sage, Vidura asked him to explain how the Lord
incarnates in this world, and how we can serve the Lord with devotion.
Maitreya welcomed him affectionately, accepting him as the worthy son of
Vyasa and especially as the incarnation of Yamaraja, the Lord of Death, the
eternal companion of God.
He immediately started to explain how at the beginning of creation, Lord
Vishnu awakens material energy, manifesting the universal form. He first
created Brahma and the Devas - Agni, Varuna, the Asvini kumaras, Surya,
Vayu and the directions of space - as manifestations of his own divine
being, and gave them the knowledge and power to manifest and rule the
universe. After one thousand celestial years, material energy generated the
living beings according to their tendencies and identifications.
Vidura asked: "In what way the unchangeable Lord, who is transcendental
and always satisfied in himself, comes into contact with the material nature
and her activities without being touched by the influence of the gunas? How
does the individual soul, who is pure awareness, slide into ignorance and
remains trapped there? And since the Lord resides in the heart of all living
beings, why do living beings engage in activities that lead to sufferings and
disaster?"
