Shloka 5
Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise
सदैवाहं न मामेवमुपरोद्धुं त्वमर्हसि ।
अशक्तमुपकाराय शक्तमाराधयस्व भोः ॥
sadaivāhaṃ na mām evam uparoddhuṃ tvam arhasi / aśaktam upakārāya śaktam ārādhayasva bhoḥ
I am ever thus; do not obstruct me in this manner. One who is incapable cannot render aid—therefore worship one who is capable, O sir.
FAQs
One should seek aid and refuge in the truly competent principle—ultimately the divine power—rather than clinging to inadequate supports; the verse also teaches not to impose expectations on one who cannot fulfill them.
Didactic counsel within ākhyāna; it supports the purāṇic goal of teaching dharma through exemplars rather than enumerating sarga/manvantara data.
The aśakta/śakta polarity can be read inwardly: do not rely on the weakened, sense-bound self; worship (align with) the empowered consciousness (śakti) that alone can ‘help’ liberation and right action.