Draupadī Meets Kṛṣṇa’s Queens — Narratives of the Lord’s Marriages and the Queens’ Bhakti
आदाय व्यसृजन् केचित् सज्यं कर्तुमनीश्वरा: । आकोष्ठं ज्यां समुत्कृष्य पेतुरेकेऽमुना हता: ॥ २२ ॥
ādāya vyasṛjan kecit sajyaṁ kartum anīśvarāḥ ā-koṣṭhaṁ jyāṁ samutkṛṣya petur eke ’munāhatāḥ
Sebagian mengangkat busur itu, tetapi tak sanggup memasang talinya, lalu melemparkannya karena kesal. Sebagian lagi berhasil menarik tali hingga ke ujung busur, namun busur itu memantul balik dan menjatuhkan mereka ke tanah.
This verse shows that even physically strong warriors become powerless—some cannot even string their bows, and others collapse—when confronted by Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s superior divine potency.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes opposing fighters who attempted to draw their bows fully (to the ear) but were struck down by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, indicating the Lord’s effortless dominance.
Relying on ego and brute force fails before higher reality; humility and surrender to the Supreme (and acting in dharma) is safer and ultimately victorious.