Shloka 54
वसुदेव–अर्जुन संवादः
Vasudeva–Arjuna Dialogue in the Aftermath of Dvārakā
ततोडर्जुनो धर्नुर्दिव्यं गाण्डीवमजरं महत् | आरोपयितुमारेभे यत्नादिव कथंचन
tato 'rjuno dhanuḥ divyaṃ gāṇḍīvam ajaraṃ mahat | āropayitum ārebhe yatnād iva kathaṃcana ||
Then Arjuna set himself to string his divine bow, the mighty, ageless Gāṇḍīva. Yet, despite earnest effort, he could scarcely manage to raise and fit it—signaling a grave turning of fortune and the waning of heroic power after the great war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the greatest worldly prowess is not permanent; when time (kāla) turns and merit is exhausted, strength and mastery can diminish. The verse underscores humility before fate and the ethical insight that power is contingent, not a fixed possession.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna tries to ready his famed divine bow Gāṇḍīva, but he struggles to string or even properly raise it. This moment foreshadows the weakening of the old heroic order in the Mausala Parva’s aftermath.