Shloka 39
यादवक्षयः, बलराम-निर्याणम्, कृष्णस्य उपसंहारः (प्रभासे विनाशः)
जघ्नुः परस्परं ते तु शस्त्रैर् दैवबलात्कृताः क्षीणशस्त्राश् च जगृहुः प्रत्यासन्नाम् अथैरकाम्
jaghnuḥ parasparaṃ te tu śastrair daivabalātkṛtāḥ kṣīṇaśastrāś ca jagṛhuḥ pratyāsannām athairakām
Driven onward by the force of fate, they struck one another down with their weapons; and when their weapons were spent, they seized what lay close at hand—stalks of eraka reeds—and continued the slaughter.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How the quarrel culminated in mutual killing and the role of daiva.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: grave
Concept: Power, weapons, and kinship collapse under fate when self-control is lost; worldly supports prove fragile.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Cultivate dispassion and humility; do not rely on status or force—strengthen inner discipline and devotion.
Vishishtadvaita: The jīva’s vulnerability under karma/daiva underscores dependence on the Lord’s grace; true refuge lies in surrender (śaraṇāgati), not worldly might.
FAQs
It frames the mutual slaughter as being propelled by providence, highlighting how conflict can appear inevitable when dharma collapses and passions dominate.
He depicts a grim progression: combat continues even after weapons are gone, as fighters seize whatever is nearby—showing how rage overrides restraint and order.
Even when the verse focuses on human violence and fate, the Purana’s broader frame treats history as unfolding under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, where daiva ultimately belongs to the cosmic governance of the Lord.