The Passing Away of Bhīṣmadeva in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Verse 15 (SB 1.9.15)

SB 1.9.14

SB 1.9.16

SB 1.9.15 • मूल श्लोक

यत्र धर्मसुतो राजा गदापाणिर्वृकोदर: । कृष्णोऽस्त्री गाण्डिवं चापं सुहृत्कृष्णस्ततो विपत् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

yatra dharma-suto rājā gadā-pāṇir vṛkodaraḥ kṛṣṇo ’strī gāṇḍivaṁ cāpaṁ suhṛt kṛṣṇas tato vipat

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

yatra — where there is; dharma-sutaḥ — the son of Dharmarāja; rājā — the King; gadā-pāṇiḥ — with his mighty club in hand; vṛkodaraḥ — Bhīma; kṛṣṇaḥ — Arjuna; astrī — carrier of the weapon; gāṇḍivam — Gāṇḍīva; cāpam — bow; suhṛt — well-wisher; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; tataḥ — thereof; vipat — reverse.

Translation

“Oh, how wonderful is the influence of inevitable time! It is irreversible — otherwise, how can there be reverses in the presence of King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of the demigod controlling religion; Bhīma, the great fighter with a club; the great bowman Arjuna with his mighty weapon Gāṇḍīva; and above all, the Lord, the direct well-wisher of the Pāṇḍavas?”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda

As far as the material or spiritual resources were required, there was no scarcity in the case of the Pāṇḍavas. Materially they were well equipped because two great warriors, namely Bhīma and Arjuna, were there. Spiritually the King himself was the symbol of religion, and above all of them the Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, was personally concerned with their affairs as the well-wisher. And yet there were so many reverses on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. Despite the power of pious acts, the power of personalities, the power of expert management and the power of weapons under the direct supervision of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas suffered so many practical reverses, which can only be explained as due to the influence of kāla, inevitable time. Kāla is identical with the Lord Himself, and therefore the influence of kāla indicates the inexplicable wish of the Lord Himself. There is nothing to be lamented when a matter is beyond the control of any human being.