Shloka 42
Balarāma Humbles the Kurus and Rescues Sāmba
जलयानमिवाघूर्णं गङ्गायां नगरं पतत् । आकृष्यमाणमालोक्य कौरवा: जातसम्भ्रमा: ॥ ४२ ॥ तमेव शरणं जग्मु: सकुटुम्बा जिजीविषव: । सलक्ष्मणं पुरस्कृत्य साम्बं प्राञ्जलय: प्रभुम् ॥ ४३ ॥
jala-yānam ivāghūrṇaṁ gaṅgāyāṁ nagaraṁ patat ākṛṣyamāṇam ālokya kauravāḥ jāta-sambhramāḥ
Als die Kauravas sahen, dass ihre Stadt, fortgeschleift, wie ein Floß auf dem Meer schwankte und im Begriff war, in die Ganga zu stürzen, ergriff sie panische Furcht. Um ihr Leben zu retten, suchten sie mit ihren Familien beim Herrn Zuflucht; Sāmba und Lakṣmaṇā voranstellend, falteten sie die Hände und flehten den Erhabenen an.
The city of Hastināpura began to roll about like a raft in a stormy sea. The frightened Kauravas, to quickly appease the Lord, immediately brought Sāmba and Lakṣmaṇā and placed them in front.
FAQs
In this verse, the Kauravas are described as panicking when their city is dragged like a boat on the Gaṅgā, showing how worldly power collapses before superior, divinely-backed strength.
They saw their own city being forcibly pulled and made to sway, an overwhelming threat that exposed their inability to control the situation.
Pride in position and security can vanish suddenly; steadiness comes from humility and taking shelter of the Lord rather than relying only on external power.