Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 20
The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Departure
शरेषु हीयमानेषु भज्यमानेसु धन्वसु । शस्त्रेषु क्षीयमानेषु मुष्टिभिर्जह्रुरेरका: ॥ २० ॥
śareṣu hīyamāneṣu bhajyamāneṣu dhanvasu śastreṣu kṣīyamāneṣu muṣṭibhir jahrur erakāḥ
Quand leurs flèches furent épuisées, leurs arcs brisés et les autres armes usées, ils saisirent à mains nues les hautes tiges d’eraka (canne).
FAQs
In Bhagavatam 11.30.20, when arrows and weapons were exhausted and bows broke, the Yadavas grabbed reeds in their fists and continued fighting—showing the unstoppable momentum of the divinely-arranged destruction of the clan.
He is narrating to King Parīkṣit how the fratricidal conflict escalated beyond ordinary warfare, culminating in the Yadavas using reeds—an outward sign that destiny (under the Lord’s arrangement) was bringing the dynasty’s earthly pastimes to a close.
Material supports can fail at any moment; therefore, one should not rely on power or possessions for security, but cultivate steady devotion and clarity of purpose before circumstances force change.