वैशम्पायन उवाच कथयन्नेव तु सदा वासुदेवः प्रतापवान्। महाभारतयुद्धं तत्कथान्ते पितुरग्रतः॥ अभिमन्योर्वधं वीरः सोऽत्यक्रामन्महामतिः। अप्रियं वसुदेवस्य मा भूदिति महामतिः॥
Vaishampayana said After the great Vasudeva of great prowess had finished his narration of the great battle of the Bharatas before his father, it was plain that that hero had passed over the destruction of Abhimanyu. The motive of the great one was that his father might not hear what was highly unpleasant to him.
मा दौहित्रवधं श्रुत्वा वसुदेवो महात्ययम्। दुःखशोकाभिसंतप्तो भवेदिति महामतिः॥
Indeed, the intelligent Krishna did not wish that his father Vasudeva should, on hearing the dreadful intelligence of the death of his daughter's son, be afflicted with sorrow and grief.
सुभद्रा तु तमुत्क्रान्तमात्मजस्य वधं रणे। आचक्ष्व कृष्ण सौभद्रवमित्यपतद् भुवि॥
(His sister) Subhadra, noticing that the slaughter of her son had not been mentioned, addressed her brother, saying, Do you narrate the death of my son, O Krishna!-and dropped down on the earth (in a swoon).
तामपश्यन्निपतितां वसुदेवः क्षितौ तदा। दृष्ट्वैव च पपातोळें सोऽपि दुःखेन मूर्छितः॥
Vasudeva saw his daughter fallen on the ground. As soon as he saw this, he also fell down, deprived of his senses by grief.
ततः स दौहित्रवधदुःखशोकसमाहतः। वसुदेवो महाराज कृष्णं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥ ननु त्वं पुण्डरीकाक्ष सत्यवाग् भुवि विश्रुतः॥ यद् दौहित्रवधं मेऽद्य न ख्यापयसि शत्रुहन्।
(Regaining his senses) Vasudeva, afflicted with grief at the death of his daughter's son, O king, addressed Krishna, saying, O lotus-eyed one, you are famed on Earth for being truthful in speech. Why, however, O destroyer of enemies, do you not tell me today of the death of my daughter's son?
तद् भागिनेयनिधनं तत्त्वेनाचक्ष्व मे प्रभो॥ सदृशाक्षस्तव कथं शत्रुभिर्निहतो रणे।
O powerful one, tell me in full of the destruction of your sister's son! Having eyes resembling thine, alas, how was he killed in battle by enemies.
दुर्मरं बत वार्ष्णेय कालेऽप्राप्ते नृभिः सह॥ यत्र मे हृदयं दुःखाच्छतधा न विदीर्यते।
Since my heart does not from grief break into a hundred pieces, it seems, O you of the Vrishni race, that it does not die with men when its hour does not come.
किमब्रवीत् त्वां संग्रामे सुभद्रां मातरं प्रति॥ मां चापि पुण्डरीकाक्ष चपलाक्षः प्रिबो मम।
Oh, at the time of his fall, what words did he give utterance to, addressing his mother? O lotus-eyed one, what did that darling of mine, having restless eyes, say to me?
आहवं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कच्चिन्न निहतः परैः॥ कच्चिन्मुखं न गोविन्द तेनाजौ विकृतं कृतम्।
I hope he has not been killed by eneinies while retreating from battle with his back towards them? I hope, O Govinda, that his face did not become cheerless while fighting?
स हि कृष्ण महातेजाः श्लाघन्निव ममाग्रतः॥ बालभावेन विनयमात्मनोऽकथयत् प्रभुः।
He was possessed, O Krishna, of great energy. From a spirit of childishness, that powerful hero, boasting (of his prowess) in my presence, used to speak of his skill (in battle).
कच्चिन्न निकृतो बालो द्रोणकर्णकृपादिभिः॥ धरण्यां निहतः शेते तन्ममाचक्ष्व केशव।
I hope that boy does not lie on the field, killed deceitfully by Drona and Karna and Kripa and others? Do you teli me this.
स हि द्रोणं च भीष्मं च कर्णं च बलिनां वरम्॥ स्पर्धते स्म रणे नित्यं दुहितुः पुत्रको मम।
That son of my daughter always used to challenge Bhishma and that foremost of all powerful warriors, viz., Karna, in battle.
एवंविधं बहु तदा विलपन्तं सुदुःखितम्॥ पितरं दुःखिततरो गोविन्दो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। न तेन विकृतं वक्त्रं कृतं संग्राममूर्धनि॥ न पृष्ठत: कृतश्चापि संग्रामस्तेन दुस्तरः।
His father who, from excess of grief, bewailed thus, Govinda, more afflicted than he, answered in these words, His face did not become cheerless as he fought in the van of battle. Dreadful though that battle was, he diu not turn his back upon it.
निहत्य पृथिवीपालान् सहस्रशतसंघशः॥ खेदितो द्रोणकर्णाभ्यां दौःशासनिवशं गतः।
Having killed hundreds and thousands of kings of Earth, he was distressed by Drona and Karna and at last was killed by the son of Dushasana.
एको होकेन सततं युध्यमाने यदि प्रभो॥ न स शक्येत संग्रामे निहन्तुमपि वज्रिणा।
If, O lord, he had been encountered, one to one, without intermission, he was incapable of being killed in battle by even the holder of the thunder-bolt.
समाहृते च संग्रामात् पार्थे संशप्तकैस्तदा॥ पर्यवार्यत संक्रुद्धैः स द्रोणादिभिराहवे।
When his father Arjuna was withdrawn from the main body by the Samsaptakas, Abhimanyu was surrounded by the enraged Kaurava-heroes headed by Drona in battle.
ततः शत्रुवधं कृत्वा सुमहान्तं रणे पितः॥ दौहित्रस्तव वार्ष्णेय दौःशासनिवशं गतः।
Then, O father, after he had killed a very large number of enemies in battle, your daughter's son at last succumbed to the son of Dushasana.
नूनं च स गतः स्वर्गे जहि शोकं महामते॥ न हि व्यसनमासाद्य सीदन्ति कृतबुद्धयः।
Forsooth, he has gone to the celestial region! Kill this grief of thine, O you of great intelligence! They who who are of purified understandings never languish when they meet with any calamity.
द्रोणकर्णप्रभृतयो येन प्रतिसमासिताः॥ रणे महेन्द्रप्रतिमाः स कथं नाप्नुयाद् दिवम्।
He by whom Drona and Karna and others were checked in battle, heroes who were equal to Indra himself in power, why would not he ascend to the celestial region.
स शोकं जहि दुर्धर्ष मा च मन्युवशं गमः॥ शस्त्रपूतां हि स गतिं गतः परपुरंजयः।
O irresistible one, do you kill this grief of thine! Do not allow yourself to be swayed by anger. That conqueror of hostile cities has attained to that sanctified and which depends upon death at the edge of weapons.
तस्मिंस्तु निहते वीरे सुभद्रेयं स्वसा मम॥ दुःखार्ताधो सुतं प्राप्य कुररीव ननाद ह।
After the fall of that hero, this my sister Subhadra, stricken with grief, bewailed aloud, when she saw Kunti, like a female as prey.
द्रौपदी च समासाद्य पर्यपृच्छत दुःखिता॥ आर्ये क्व दारकाः सर्वे द्रष्टुमिच्छामि तानहम्।
When she met Draupadi, she asked her in grief, O reverend lady, where are all our sons? I wish to see them.
अस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वास्ताः कुरुयोषितः॥ भुजाभ्यां परिगृह्येनां चुक्रुशुः परमार्तवत्॥
Hearing her lamentations, all the Kauravaladies embraced her and wept sitting around her.
उत्तरां चाब्रवीद् भद्रे भर्ता स क्व नु ते गतः। क्षिप्रमागमनं मह्यं तस्य त्वं वेदयस्व ह॥
Seeing (her daughter-in-law) Uttara, she said, O blessed girl, where has your husband gone? when he returns, do you without losing a moment apprise me of it.
ननु नामाद्य वैराटि श्रुत्वा मम गिरं सदा। भवनान्निष्पतत्याशु कस्मान्नाभ्येति ते पतिः॥
Alas, O daughter of Virata, as soon he heard my voice, he used to come out of his chamber without the loss of a moment. Why does not your husband come out today.
अभिमन्यो कुशलिनो मातुलास्ते महारथाः। कुशलं चाब्रुवन् सर्वे त्वां युयुत्सुमिहागतम्॥
Alas, O Abhimanyu, your maternal uncles, powerful car-warriors, are all hale. They used to bless you when they saw you come here prepared to go out for battle.
आचक्ष्व मेऽद्य संग्रामं यथापूर्वमरिंदम। कस्मादेवं विलपतीं नाघेह प्रतिभाषसे॥
Do you tell me the incidents of battle today as before, O chastiser of enemies. Oh, why do you not answer me today, me who am weeping so bitterly?
एवमादि तु वार्ष्णेय्यास्तस्यास्तत्परिदेवितम्। श्रुत्वा पृथा सुदुःखार्ता शनैर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥ सुभद्रे वासुदेवेन तथा सात्यकिना रणे। पित्रा च लालितो बालः स हतः कालधर्मणा॥
Hearing these lamentations of this daughter of the Vrishni-race, Pritha, deeply stricken with grief, addressed her and slowly said, O Subhadra, though protected by Vasudeva and Satyaki and by his own father, your youthful son has yet been killed. That slaughter is due to the influence of Time.
ईदृशो मर्त्यधर्मोऽयं मा शुचो यदुनन्दिनि। पुत्रो हि तव दुर्घर्षः सम्प्राप्तः परमां गतिम्॥
O daughter of Yadu's race, mortal your son was. Do not grieve. Irresistible in battle, your son has, forsooth, attained to the highest end.
कुले महति जातासि क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम्। मा शुचश्चपलाक्षं त्वं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणे॥
You are born in a high family of great Kshatriyas. Do not grieve, O you of restless glances, O girl of eyes like lotus petals!
उत्तरां त्वमवेक्षस्व गुर्विणी मा शुचः शुभे। पुत्रमेषा हि तस्याशु जनयिष्यति भाविनी॥
Do you cast your eyes on Uttara, who is quick with child. O blessed lady do not give way to grief. This auspicious girl will soon bring forth a son to that hero!
एवमाश्वासयित्वैनां कुन्ती यदुकुलोद्वह। विहाय शोकं दुर्धर्षे श्राद्धमस्य ह्यकल्पयत्॥ समनुज्ञाप्य धर्मज्ञं राजानं भीममेव च। यमौ यमोपमौ चैव ददौ दानान्यनेकशः॥ ततः प्रदाय बहीर्गा ब्राह्मणाय यदूद्वह। समाहृष्य तु वार्ष्णेयी वैराटीमब्रवीदिदम्॥ वैराटि नेह संतापस्त्वया कार्यो ह्यनिन्दिते। भर्तारं प्रति सुश्रोणि गर्भस्थं रक्ष वै शिशुम्॥
Having comforted her, thus, Kunti, knowing every duty, O perpetuator, of Yadu's race, casting off her grief, O irresistible one, made arrangements for Abhimanyu's obsequial rites, with the permission of king Yudhishthira and Bhima, and the twins (viz., Nakula and Sahadeva) who in prowess resembled Yama himself. She also made many presents to the Brahmanas, and bestowed upon them many kine, O perpetuator of Yadu's race. Then the Vrishni-dame (Kunti), comforted a little, addressed the daughter of Virata , saying, O faultless daughter of Virata, you should not grieve! For the sake of your husband, O you of round hips, protect the child in your womb.
एवमुक्त्वा ततः कुन्ती विरराम महाद्युते। तामनुज्ञाप्य चैवेमां सुभद्रां समुपानयम्॥
Having said these words, O you of great splendour Kunti ceased. With her perinission I have brought Subhadra here.
एवं स निधनं प्राप्तो दौहित्रस्तव मानद। संतापं त्यज दुधर्ष मा च शोके मनः कृथाः॥
It was thus, O giver of honours, that your daughter's son was killed. Cast off your burning grief, O irresistible one! Indeed, do not set your heart on sorrow. burning grief, O irresistible one! Indeed, do not set your heart on sorrow.