Ūṣā-Haraṇa, Bāṇāsura’s Pride, and Aniruddha’s Capture
Prelude to Hari–Śaṅkara Conflict
स तं प्रविष्टं वृतमाततायिभि- र्भटैरनीकैरवलोक्य माधव: । उद्यम्य मौर्वं परिघं व्यवस्थितो यथान्तको दण्डधरो जिघांसया ॥ ३१ ॥
sa taṁ praviṣṭaṁ vṛtam ātatāyibhir bhaṭair anīkair avalokya mādhavaḥ udyamya maurvaṁ parighaṁ vyavasthito yathāntako daṇḍa-dharo jighāṁsayā
เมื่อมาธวะอนิรุทธะเห็นพาณาสุระเข้ามาพร้อมกองทหารติดอาวุธมากมาย ก็ยกกระบองเหล็กขึ้นและยืนมั่นคง พร้อมจะฟาดผู้ใดที่เข้าจู่โจม เขาดุจความตายถือคทาแห่งทัณฑ์
The club was not made of ordinary iron but of a special kind called muru.
This verse shows Kṛṣṇa, seeing violent attackers, raising His weapon and standing like Death itself—indicating that protecting dharma includes restraining and punishing murderous aggressors.
The comparison highlights Kṛṣṇa’s unstoppable power in battle: when He resolves to protect and to remove violent opposition, His presence becomes as decisive as Death carrying its staff.
Stand firmly for dharma: protect the innocent, set strong boundaries against harm, and act decisively (without hatred) when confronting wrongdoing.