Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 17
The Curse on the Yadus Begins: Kṛṣṇa’s Plan to Withdraw His Dynasty
तच्छ्रुत्वा तेऽतिसन्त्रस्ता विमुच्य सहसोदरम् । साम्बस्य ददृशुस्तस्मिन् मुषलं खल्वयस्मयम् ॥ १७ ॥
tac chrutvā te ’ti-santrastā vimucya sahasodaram sāmbasya dadṛśus tasmin muṣalaṁ khalv ayasmayam
Ao ouvirem a maldição dos sábios, os rapazes, tomados de pavor, descobriram depressa o ventre de Sāmba e viram que ali havia, de fato, uma maça de ferro.
Upon hearing the words of the Vaiṣṇavas, headed by Nārada, the Yadu boys lifted the garment covering Sāmba’s abdomen and saw the fruit of the offense they had committed against Vaiṣṇavas by their deceit: an actual club was there to destroy their dynasty. This example shows that in a polluted society the club of duplicity can never bring the peace found in the society of devotees. Rather, such duplicity smashes all the nondevotional activities and whimsical doctrines of the pseudodevotees. The Yadu boys were wary about jeopardizing their advanced position and indeed had been thinking that as long as they kept their trickery concealed, others would never be able to detect such sophisticated cheating. Nonetheless, they were unable to protect their family from the reaction of their grievous offense against the devotees of the Lord.
FAQs
It signifies the tangible manifestation of a curse and the beginning of the chain of events leading to the Yādavas’ destruction—an instrument through which inevitable destiny unfolds.
Because the prank suddenly turned real and ominous: the appearance of an iron club indicated that a powerful curse had taken effect and would bring grave consequences.
Arrogant joking and disrespect toward saints can have serious repercussions; humility, restraint in speech, and reverence for dharma protect one from avoidable disaster.