Shloka 40
Jarāsandha’s Siege of Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma’s Victory, and the Founding of Dvārakā amid Kālayavana’s Threat
आयोधनगतं वित्तमनन्तं वीरभूषणम् । यदुराजाय तत् सर्वमाहृतं प्रादिशत्प्रभु: ॥ ४० ॥
āyodhana-gataṁ vittam anantaṁ vīra-bhūṣaṇam yadu-rājāya tat sarvam āhṛtaṁ prādiśat prabhuḥ
แล้วพระกฤษณะทรงนำทรัพย์ทั้งหมดที่ตกอยู่ในสนามรบ—คือเครื่องประดับนับไม่ถ้วนของเหล่าวีรชนที่ล้มตาย—ไปถวายแด่กษัตริย์แห่งยทุ
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī adds that jeweled ornaments had also been collected from the horses and other animals. What might be added here, for the sake of the squeamish, is that Jarāsandha came to Mathurā with the clear intention of slaughtering every last man in the city, including Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. It is out of the causeless mercy of the Lord that He gives the conditioned souls a taste of their own medicine and thus helps them become more sensitive to the laws of nature and the existence of a Supreme Godhead. Ultimately, Kṛṣṇa awarded Jarāsandha and others killed on the battlefield spiritual liberation. The Lord is strict, but He is not malicious. In fact, He is an ocean of mercy.
FAQs
This verse shows Kṛṣṇa ensuring that the wealth and ornaments gathered from the battlefield are properly collected and respectfully delivered to the rightful Yadu king, aligning victory with dharmic order rather than personal gain.
Because Ugrasena was the acknowledged ruler of the Yadus; Kṛṣṇa, though supreme, honored proper governance and restored royal authority by placing the gains under the king’s custody.
It teaches responsible stewardship: even when one has power or success, one should act with integrity, respect rightful authority, and use resources in a principled, dharmic way rather than for ego or personal hoarding.