Shloka 24
अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः
वह्निना ये ऽक्षया दत्ताः शरास् ते ऽपि क्षयं ययुः युध्यतः सह गोपालैर् अर्जुनस्य भवक्षये
vahninā ye 'kṣayā dattāḥ śarās te 'pi kṣayaṃ yayuḥ yudhyataḥ saha gopālair arjunasya bhavakṣaye
Even the arrows that Fire had bestowed as “inexhaustible” were spent, when Arjuna fought together with the cowherds; for destiny’s force had turned toward his undoing.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Devotional
Quality: revealing
Concept: All conditioned powers—even those called ‘inexhaustible’—are exhausted by time and destiny; only the Supreme is truly akṣaya (imperishable).
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Do not anchor identity in gifts, titles, or past successes; cultivate remembrance of the imperishable through daily bhakti and contemplation.
Vishishtadvaita: The ‘akṣaya’ of worldly boons is conditional; true akṣayatva belongs to Nārāyaṇa alone, while created powers persist only by his will as inner ruler and cause.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
It illustrates that even divinely granted powers are subordinate to the higher order of destiny and dharma operating within Vishnu’s cosmic governance.
By showing that success is not merely a product of weaponry or boons; when one’s allotted course (bhāgya/daiva) turns, even extraordinary aids lose efficacy.
The verse implicitly affirms Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty over causality: all powers—elemental, martial, or magical—function only within the limits of the divine cosmic order he upholds.