Shloka 21
अध्याय ५५ — बाणस्य पुनर्युद्धप्रवृत्तिः
Bāṇa’s Renewed Engagement in Battle
चिक्षेप युगपद्बाणानमितांस्तत्र वीरहा । कृष्णादिसर्वयदुषु गरुडे च पृथक्पृथक्
cikṣepa yugapadbāṇānamitāṃstatra vīrahā | kṛṣṇādisarvayaduṣu garuḍe ca pṛthakpṛthak
There the slayer of heroes hurled countless arrows all at once—separately and distinctly—at Kṛṣṇa and at all the Yādavas, and also at Garuḍa.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse highlights the intensity of karmic conflict and the reach of worldly power, while implicitly pointing (in Shaiva Siddhanta terms) to the higher truth that liberation is not won by force but by the grace of Pati (Shiva) and right devotion; battles remain within the realm of māyā and destiny.
In the Yuddhakhaṇḍa, dramatic events emphasize that even great heroes and divine allies are subject to cosmic order; Saguna Shiva (worshiped as the Linga) is revered as the supreme governor who alone can dissolve bondage (pāśa) beyond the reach of weapons and rivalry.
A practical takeaway is to seek protection and inner steadiness through Shaiva discipline—japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and remembrance of Shiva—rather than relying on external strength; this aligns with the Purana’s emphasis on bhakti as the sure refuge.