Shloka 27
अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः
ततः शरेषु क्षीणेषु धनुष्कोट्या धनंजयः जघान दस्यूंस् ते चास्य प्रहाराञ् जहसुर् मुने
tataḥ śareṣu kṣīṇeṣu dhanuṣkoṭyā dhanaṃjayaḥ jaghāna dasyūṃs te cāsya prahārāñ jahasur mune
Then, when his arrows were spent, Dhanañjaya struck the marauding dasyus with the very tip of his bow; yet, O sage, they laughed at his blows.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: The verse underscores that Arjuna’s prowess was contingent on Krishna’s sustaining grace; once that support is withdrawn, even his weapons fail to protect dharma.
Leela: Loka-rakshana
Dharma Restored: Highlights the fragility of worldly power; points to the need for divine refuge rather than reliance on arms
Concept: Martial strength and resources are impermanent; without divine support, worldly means become ineffectual.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Cultivate detachment from status and capability; invest in steady sādhana and ethical resilience rather than mere external power.
Vishishtadvaita: Jīva’s capacities are real yet dependent (śeṣatva) upon the Lord’s sanction; dependence becomes visible when grace withdraws.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
Here the dasyus represent disruptive, lawless forces; their presence highlights the kingly duty of protection and the restoration of social order (dharma) within the Purāṇic vision of sovereignty.
By depicting Dhanañjaya fighting even after his arrows are exhausted, Parāśara underscores perseverance in righteous protection—dharma is upheld through steadfast action, not merely through perfect resources.
Even in a battlefield detail, the Purāṇa frames worldly sovereignty and the re-establishment of order as ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s cosmic governance—human heroes act within the larger dharmic order sustained by the Supreme Reality.