Shloka 25
Arjuna’s Lament, the End of the Yadus, and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure
जलौकसां जले यद्वन्महान्तोऽदन्त्यणीयस: । दुर्बलान्बलिनो राजन्महान्तो बलिनो मिथ: ॥ २५ ॥ एवं बलिष्ठैर्यदुभिर्महद्भिरितरान् विभु: । यदून्यदुभिरन्योन्यं भूभारान् सञ्जहार ह ॥ २६ ॥
jalaukasāṁ jale yadvan mahānto ’danty aṇīyasaḥ durbalān balino rājan mahānto balino mithaḥ
王よ、海において大きく強い水の生きものが小さく弱いものを呑み込むように、地の重荷を軽くするため至上主は、ヤドゥ族のうち強き者に弱き者を、また大なる者に小なる者を、互いに滅ぼさせ給うた。
In the material world the struggle for existence and survival of the fittest are laws because in the material world there is disparity between conditioned souls due to everyone’s desire to lord it over the material resources. This very mentality of lording it over the material nature is the root cause of conditioned life. And to give facility to such imitation lords, the illusory energy of the Lord has created a disparity between conditioned living beings by creating the stronger and the weaker in every species of life. The mentality of lording it over the material nature and the creation has naturally created a disparity and therefore the law of struggle for existence. In the spiritual world there is no such disparity, nor is there such a struggle for existence. In the spiritual world there is no struggle for existence because everyone there exists eternally. There is no disparity because everyone wants to render service to the Supreme Lord, and no one wants to imitate the Lord in becoming the beneficiary. The Lord, being creator of everything, including the living beings, factually is the proprietor and enjoyer of everything that be, but in the material world, by the spell of māyā, or illusion, this eternal relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is forgotten, and so the living being is conditioned under the law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest.
FAQs
In this verse, Śukadeva explains that worldly life often mirrors the aquatic world: the strong prey upon the weak, showing the nature of material power when unchecked by dharma.
He is describing the harsh dynamics of worldly power and conflict to help Parīkṣit understand the conditions of the age and the need to take shelter of higher spiritual truth beyond material strength.
Recognize exploitation and rivalry as symptoms of material consciousness, and consciously choose dharmic conduct—protecting the vulnerable and anchoring decisions in devotion and ethics rather than raw power.