karmāni puṇya-nivahāni su-mańgalāni
gāyaj-jagat-kali-malāpaharāṇi kṛtvā
kālātmanā nivasatā yadu-deva-gehe
piṇḍārakaḿ samagaman munayo nisṛṣṭāḥ
viśvāmitro 'sitaḥ kaṇvo
durvāsā bhṛgur ańgirāḥ
kaśyapo vāmadevo 'trir
vasiṣṭho nāradādayaḥ
karmani -- fruitive rituals; punya -- piety; nivahani -- which bestow; su-mangalani -- most auspicious; gayat -- chanting (about which); jagat -- for the whole world; kali -- of the current, degraded age; mala -- the impurities; apaharani -- which take away; kritva -- having performed; kala-atmana -- by Him who is the very personification of time; nivasata -- residing; yadu-deva -- of the lord of the Yadus (King Vasudeva); gehe -- in the home; pindarakam -- to the pilgrimage site known as Pindaraka; samagaman -- they went; munayah -- the sages; nisrishtah -- being let out; visvamitrah asitah kanvah -- the sages Visvamitra, Asita and Kanva; durvasah bhriguh angirah -- Durvasa, Bhrigu and Angira; kasyapah vamadevah atrih -- Kasyapa, Vamadeva and Atri; vasishthah narada-adayah -- Vasishtha, Narada and others.
The sages Visvamitra, Asita, Kanva, Durvasa, Bhrigu, Angira, Kasyapa, Vamadeva, Atri and Vasishtha, along with Narada and others, once performed fruitive rituals that award abundant pious results, bring great happiness and take away the sins of Kali-yuga for the whole world by merely being recounted. The sages duly executed these rituals in the home of the chief of the Yadus, Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krishna. After Lord Krishna, who was staying in Vasudeva's house as time personified, respectfully sent the sages off at the conclusion of the ceremonies, they went to the holy place called Pindaraka.
In this verse, Sukadeva Gosvami begins to narrate the story of the brahminical curse that arose against the Yadu dynasty by the Lord's desire. According to Sridhara Svami, certain religious rituals, such as the asvamedha-yajna, generate pious reactions. On the other hand, activities such as caring for one's children give immediate pleasure in the present only, whereas rituals performed as atonement take away sinful reactions. But the religious activities mentioned in verse 11, which are indicated by the words karmani punya-nivahani su-mangalani gayaj-jagat-kali-malapaharani, were pious in all respects. They produced abundant pious results and great joy and were so potent that merely glorifying these rituals relieves one from all the sinful reactions of Kali-yuga.
The sages called to Vasudeva's house to perform such auspicious religious activities were satisfied with proper gifts and then sent by Krishna to Pindaraka, a nearby holy place situated about two miles from the Arabian Sea on the coast of Gujarat. Its current name is still Pindaraka.
Significantly, Lord Krishna is mentioned here as kalatmana, the form of time, or the Supersoul. In the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to Arjuna as time personified, appearing on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra to destroy all the kings and armies who constitute a burden to the earth. Similarly, kalatmana nivasata yadu-deva-gehe: Krishna was staying in the home of His father Vasudeva as time personified, thus indicating that the time was approaching for the destruction of His own dynasty according to His desire.
