Shloka 40
Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana
निर्गुणेनापि चापेन शक्रस्य गगने पदम् अवाप्यताविवेकस्य नृपस्येव परिग्रहे
nirguṇenāpi cāpena śakrasya gagane padam avāpyatāvivekasya nṛpasyeva parigrahe
حتى بقوسٍ لا مزيةَ فيه، كأنه يظفر بموطئ قدمٍ في سماء إندرا؛ وكذلك الملكُ الذي حُرِمَ التمييز يندفع في التملّك والاقتناء، أسيرَ الطمع.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
FAQs
It marks the Kali-yuga collapse of wise judgment: rulers without discernment chase acquisition (parigraha) and status, even when unfit—driving social and moral disorder.
He uses a sharp simile: just as an inferior bow is still used to reach for Indra’s heavenly station, an undiscriminating king still strains to seize possessions and power, regardless of merit or dharma.
By highlighting the decay of dharma in Kali-yuga, the text implicitly points to Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality and the ultimate restorer of cosmic order when worldly sovereignty becomes corrupt.