Shloka 21
Arjuna’s Lament, the End of the Yadus, and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure
तद्वै धनुस्त इषव: स रथो हयास्ते सोऽहं रथी नृपतयो यत आनमन्ति । सर्वं क्षणेन तदभूदसदीशरिक्तं भस्मन्हुतं कुहकराद्धमिवोप्तमूष्याम् ॥ २१ ॥
tad vai dhanus ta iṣavaḥ sa ratho hayās te so ’haṁ rathī nṛpatayo yata ānamanti sarvaṁ kṣaṇena tad abhūd asad īśa-riktaṁ bhasman hutaṁ kuhaka-rāddham ivoptam ūṣyām
Tengo el mismo arco Gāṇḍīva, las mismas flechas, el mismo carro y los mismos caballos; y soy el mismo Arjuna ante quien los reyes se inclinaban. Pero sin el Señor Śrī Kṛṣṇa, en un instante todo quedó vacío y sin eficacia: como verter ghee sobre cenizas, amontonar riqueza con una varita mágica o sembrar en tierra estéril.
As we have discussed more than once, one should not be puffed up by borrowed plumes. All energies and powers are derived from the supreme source, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and they act as long as He desires and cease to function as soon as He withdraws. All electrical energies are received from the powerhouse, and as soon as the powerhouse stops supplying energy, the bulbs are of no use. In a moment’s time such energies can be generated or withdrawn by the supreme will of the Lord. Material civilization without the blessing of the Lord is child’s play only. As long as the parents allow the child to play, it is all right. As soon as the parents withdraw, the child has to stop. Human civilization and all activities thereof must be dovetailed with the supreme blessing of the Lord, and without this blessing all advancement of human civilization is like decoration on a dead body. It is said here that a dead civilization and its activities are something like clarified butter on ashes, the accumulation of money by a magic wand and the sowing of seeds in a barren land.
FAQs
This verse states that even Arjuna’s famed weapons, chariot, and honor became empty and ineffective the moment they were separated from the Lord—showing that real power rests in the Lord’s presence and grace.
In the narrative, Arjuna recognizes that his victories were enabled by Krishna; once Krishna departed, Arjuna’s worldly supports appeared “īśa-rikta”—void of the Lord—and thus practically powerless.
Use skills and resources responsibly, but anchor confidence in devotion and remembrance of God; without spiritual connection, achievements can feel hollow and unstable, like wealth lost by illusion.