yatra dharma-suto rājā gadā-pāṇir vṛkodaraḥ kṛṣṇo 'strī gāṇḍivaṁ cāpaṁ suhṛt kṛṣṇas tato vipat
Synonyms
yatra—where there is; dharma-sutaḥ—the son of Dharma Raja; rājā—hands with his mighty club; gadā-pāṇiḥ—Bhima; vṛkodaraḥ—Arjuna; kṛṣṇaḥ—carrier of weapon; astrī—of the name; gāṇḍivam—arrows; cāpam—wellwisher; suhṛt—Lord Krishna the Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇaḥ—thereof; tataḥ—reverse.
Translation
Oh wonderful is the influence of the inevitable time, otherwise how there can be reverses where there is King Yudhisthir the son of the demigod controlling religion, where there is Bhima the great fighter with club, where there is the great bowman Arjuna and the great weapon Gandiba and above all where there is the Lord as directly the wellwisher of the Pandavas.
Purport
So far material or spiritual resources are required there were no scarcity in the case of the Pandavas. Materially they were well equipped because the two great warriors namely Bhima and Arjuna were there. Spiritually the king himself was the symbol of religion and above all of them the Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna was personally concerned with their affairs as directly the well wisher. And yet there were so many reverses on the side of the Pandavas. 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 Krishna and still the Pandavas suffered so much practical reverses which can only be explained as due to the influence of Kala the inevitable time. Kala is identical with the Lord Himself and, therefore, influence of Kala means the inexplicable wish of the Lord Himself. There was nothing to be lamented when the matter is beyond the control of any human being.