Shloka 3
Chapter 54
अश्वपृष्ठे गजस्कन्धे रथोपस्थेऽस्त्रकोविदाः ।
मुमुचुः शरवर्षाणि मेघा अद्रिष्वपो यथा ॥
aśva-pṛṣṭhe gaja-skandhe rathopasthe 'stra kovidāḥ / mumucuḥ śara-varṣāṇi meghā adriṣv apo yathā //
Waffenkundige Krieger zu Pferd, auf Elefanten und auf Streitwagen ließen Ströme von Pfeilen niedergehen, wie Wolken Regenvorhänge über die Berge ergießen.
This verse paints the battlefield as a vast, overwhelming spectacle. The Bhāgavatam uses a natural metaphor—clouds raining over mountains—to convey both the density and inevitability of the arrow-shower. The warriors are described as astra-kovidāḥ, skilled in weapons, indicating trained martial discipline rather than chaotic violence. Yet, despite the formidable display of military power, the narrative context of Canto 10 repeatedly teaches that material strength, strategy, and weaponry cannot override the Supreme Lord’s will. In Kṛṣṇa-līlā, such scenes highlight the contrast between human pride in force and the ultimate sovereignty of Bhagavān, who protects His devotees and fulfills His divine purpose.
FAQs
This verse compares the arrow-shower to rainclouds pouring on mountains, showing the battle’s overwhelming intensity while implying that such force still remains under the Lord’s control.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates these events to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the Rukmiṇī-haraṇa narrative.
When pressures come in torrents, the Bhāgavatam reminds us that skill and strength matter, but refuge in Bhagavān and steadiness in dharma are ultimately sustaining.