Vasudeva Learns of Abhimanyu's Death

Verse 1 (14.61.1)

कथयन्नेव तु तदा वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् । महाभारतयुद्धं तत्कथान्ते पितुरग्रतः ॥

kathayanneva tu tadā vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān | mahābhāratayuddhaṃ tatkathānte pituragrataḥ

Mighty Vasudeva was recounting the great Bharata war in the presence of his father, and when that account came to its end,

Verse 2 (14.61.2)

अभिमन्योर्वधं वीरः सोत्यक्रामन्महामतिः । अप्रियं वसुदेवस्य माभूदिति महामनाः ॥

abhimanyorvadhaṃ vīraḥ sotyakrāmanmahāmatiḥ | apriyaṃ vasudevasya mābhūditi mahāmanāḥ

the wise and noble hero passed over the killing of Abhimanyu, thinking, "Let nothing painful reach Vasudeva."

Verse 3 (14.61.3)

मा दौहित्रवधं श्रुत्वा वसुदेवो महात्ययम् । दुःखशोकाभिसंतप्तो भवेदिति महामतिः ॥

mā dauhitravadhaṃ śrutvā vasudevo mahātyayam | duḥkhaśokābhisaṃtapto bhavediti mahāmatiḥ

"Let Vasudeva not hear of his grandson's death and be struck by this great calamity, burning with grief and sorrow," the wise one thought.

Verse 4 (14.61.4)

सुभद्रा तु तमुत्क्रान्तमात्मजस्य वधं रणे । आचक्ष्व कृष्ण सौभद्रवधमित्यपतद्भुवि ॥

subhadrā tu tamutkrāntamātmajasya vadhaṃ raṇe | ācakṣva kṛṣṇa saubhadravadhamityapatadbhuvi

But Subhadra, understanding that the account of her son's death in battle had been skipped, cried out, "Krishna, tell me of Saubhadra's death!" and fell to the ground.

Verse 5 (14.61.5)

तामपश्यन्निपतितां वसुदेवः क्षितौ तदा । दृष्ट्वैव च पपातोर्व्यां सोऽपि दुःखेन मूर्छितः ॥

tāmapaśyannipatitāṃ vasudevaḥ kṣitau tadā | dṛṣṭvaiva ca papātorvyāṃ so'pi duḥkhena mūrchitaḥ

Seeing her fallen on the ground, Vasudeva too, overcome by grief, collapsed on the earth in a faint.

Verse 6 (14.61.6)

ततः स दौहित्रवधाद्दुःखशोकसमाहतः । वसुदेवो महाराज कृष्णं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥

tataḥ sa dauhitravadhādduḥkhaśokasamāhataḥ | vasudevo mahārāja kṛṣṇaṃ vākyamathābravīt

Then, struck down with grief and sorrow at his grandson's death, Vasudeva spoke these words to Krishna, O great king.

Note on the text: Corrected तषः → ततः and दौहित्रवदाद् → दौहित्रवधाद् (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition has tataḥ … dauhitravadhād). The later word समाहतः (CE samanvitaḥ) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 7 (14.61.7)

ननु त्वं पुण्डरीकाक्ष सत्यवाग्भुवि विश्रुतः । यद्दौहित्रवधं मेऽद्य न ख्यापयसि शत्रुहन् ॥

nanu tvaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa satyavāgbhuvi viśrutaḥ | yaddauhitravadhaṃ me'dya na khyāpayasi śatruhan

Lotus-eyed one, are you not renowned on earth as one who speaks the truth? Yet today you do not tell me of my grandson's death, slayer of enemies.

Verse 8 (14.61.8)

तद्भागिनेयनिधनं तत्त्वेनाचक्ष्व मे प्रभो । सदृशाक्षस्तव कथं शत्रुभिर्निहतो रणे ॥

tadbhāgineyanidhanaṃ tattvenācakṣva me prabho | sadṛśākṣastava kathaṃ śatrubhirnihato raṇe

Tell me truly, lord, how your nephew died. How was he, with eyes so like yours, killed in battle by his enemies?

Verse 9 (14.61.9)

दुर्भरं बत वार्ष्णेय कालेऽप्राप्ते नृभिः सह । यत्र मे हृदयं दुःखाच्छतधा न विदीर्यते ॥

durbharaṃ bata vārṣṇeya kāle'prāpte nṛbhiḥ saha | yatra me hṛdayaṃ duḥkhācchatadhā na vidīryate

Alas, descendant of Vrishni, it is hard for men to bear such a loss when their time has not yet come; for my heart does not burst into a hundred pieces from grief.

Verse 10 (14.61.10)

किमब्रवीत्त्वां सङ्ग्रामे सुभद्रां मातरं प्रति । मां चापि पुण्डरीकाक्षि चपलाक्षः प्रियो मम ॥

kimabravīttvāṃ saṅgrāme subhadrāṃ mātaraṃ prati | māṃ cāpi puṇḍarīkākṣi capalākṣaḥ priyo mama

Lotus-eyed Krishna, what did my beloved boy with the restless eyes say to you in the battle, about his mother Subhadra and about me?

Verse 11 (14.61.11)

आहवं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कच्चिन्न निहतः परैः । कच्चिन्मुखं न गोविन्द तेनाजौ विकृतं कृतम् ॥

āhavaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā kaccinna nihataḥ paraiḥ | kaccinmukhaṃ na govinda tenājau vikṛtaṃ kṛtam

Was he struck down by his foes after turning his back on the fight? Govinda, was his face not twisted in distress in the battle?

Verse 12 (14.61.12)

स हि कृष्ण महातेजाः श्लाघन्निव ममाग्रतः । बालभावेन विजयमात्मनोऽकथयत्प्रभुः ॥

sa hi kṛṣṇa mahātejāḥ ślāghanniva mamāgrataḥ | bālabhāvena vijayamātmano'kathayatprabhuḥ

Krishna, that mighty and radiant boy, in his childlike way, used to boast to me of his victories, as if showing them off.

Verse 13 (14.61.13)

कच्चिन्न निकृतो बालो द्रोणकर्णकृपादिभिः । धरण्यां निहतः शेते तन्ममाचक्ष्व केशव ॥

kaccinna nikṛto bālo droṇakarṇakṛpādibhiḥ | dharaṇyāṃ nihataḥ śete tanmamācakṣva keśava

Was the boy not tricked by Drona, Karna, Kripa and the others? Does he now lie slain on the ground? Tell me that, Keshava.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रोणकर्णाकृपादिभिः → द्रोणकर्णकृपादिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; stray ा; the critical edition has droṇakarṇakṛpādibhiḥ) and तन्ममाचक्ष्वि → तन्ममाचक्ष्व (stray ि; the critical edition has ācakṣva). निकृतः (CE vikṛtaḥ) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 14 (14.61.14)

स हि द्रोणं च भीष्मं च कर्णं च बलीनां वरम् । स्पर्धते स्म रणे नित्यं दुहितुः पुत्रको मम ॥

sa hi droṇaṃ ca bhīṣmaṃ ca karṇaṃ ca balīnāṃ varam | spardhate sma raṇe nityaṃ duhituḥ putrako mama

For my daughter's son always used to vie in battle with Drona, with Bhishma, and with Karna, the foremost of the mighty.

Verse 15 (14.61.15)

एवंविधं बहु तदा विलपन्तं सुदुःखितम् । पितरं दुःखिततरं गोविन्दो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

evaṃvidhaṃ bahu tadā vilapantaṃ suduḥkhitam | pitaraṃ duḥkhitataraṃ govindo vākyamabravīt

As his father lamented at length in this way, in the depth of his grief, Govinda, even more grieved, spoke to him.

Verse 16 (14.61.16)

न तेन विकृतं वक्त्रं कृतं सङ्ग्राममूर्धनि । न पृष्ठतः कृतश्चापि सङ्ग्रामस्तेन दुस्तरः ॥

na tena vikṛtaṃ vaktraṃ kṛtaṃ saṅgrāmamūrdhani | na pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtaścāpi saṅgrāmastena dustaraḥ

He did not twist his face in distress at the head of the battle, nor did he turn his back on the fight, hard as it was to endure.

Note on the text: Corrected तेनि → तेन (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि; the critical edition has tena).

Verse 17 (14.61.17)

निहत्य पृथिवीपालान्सहस्रशतसङ्घशः । खेदितो द्रोणकर्णाभ्यां दौःशासनिवशं गतः ॥

nihatya pṛthivīpālānsahasraśatasaṅghaśaḥ | khedito droṇakarṇābhyāṃ dauḥśāsanivaśaṃ gataḥ

After killing kings in hundreds, in thousands, and in whole troops, and worn down by Drona and Karna, he came under the power of Duhshasana's son.

Verse 18 (14.61.18)

एको ह्येकेन सततं युध्यमानो यदि प्रभो । न स शक्येत सङ्ग्रामे निहन्तुमपि वज्रिणा ॥

eko hyekena satataṃ yudhyamāno yadi prabho | na sa śakyeta saṅgrāme nihantumapi vajriṇā

If he had been fighting one against one, lord, he could not have been killed in battle even by the wielder of the thunderbolt.

Verse 19 (14.61.19)

समाहूते च सङ्ग्रामे पार्थे संशप्तकैस्तदा । पर्यवार्यत संक्रुद्धैः स द्रोणादिभिराहवे ॥

samāhūte ca saṅgrāme pārthe saṃśaptakaistadā | paryavāryata saṃkruddhaiḥ sa droṇādibhirāhave

But when Partha had been called away to battle by the Samshaptakas, Drona and the others, enraged, surrounded him in the fight.

Verse 20 (14.61.20)

ततः शत्रुवधं कृत्वा सुमहान्तं रणे पितः । दौहित्रस्तव वार्ष्णेय दौःशासनिवशं गतः ॥

tataḥ śatruvadhaṃ kṛtvā sumahāntaṃ raṇe pitaḥ | dauhitrastava vārṣṇeya dauḥśāsanivaśaṃ gataḥ

Then, father, after making a very great slaughter of the enemy in the battle, your grandson, descendant of Vrishni, came under the power of Duhshasana's son.

Note on the text: Corrected रेणे → रणे (misprint in Wikisource; stray े; the critical edition has raṇe). पितः (CE pituḥ) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 21 (14.61.21)

नूनं च स गतः स्वर्गं जहि शोकं महामते । न हि व्यसनमासाद्य सीदन्ति कृतबुद्धयः ॥

nūnaṃ ca sa gataḥ svargaṃ jahi śokaṃ mahāmate | na hi vyasanamāsādya sīdanti kṛtabuddhayaḥ

Surely he has gone to heaven. Cast off your grief, wise one: those of resolute mind do not sink when misfortune comes.

Note on the text: Second half-line differs from the critical edition (CE: sīdante sannarāḥ kva cit); Wikisource reading kept as a recension variant.

Verse 22 (14.61.22)

द्रोणकर्णप्रभृतयो येन प्रतिसमासिताः । रणे महेन्द्रप्रतिमाः स कथं नाप्नुयाद्दिवम् ॥

droṇakarṇaprabhṛtayo yena pratisamāsitāḥ | raṇe mahendrapratimāḥ sa kathaṃ nāpnuyāddivam

He who held back Drona, Karna and the others, who were like Mahendra in battle, how could he fail to reach heaven?

Verse 23 (14.61.23)

स शोकं जहि दुर्धर्ष मा च मन्युवशं गमः । शस्त्रपूतां हि स गतिं गतः परपुरंजयः ॥

sa śokaṃ jahi durdharṣa mā ca manyuvaśaṃ gamaḥ | śastrapūtāṃ hi sa gatiṃ gataḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ

Cast off your sorrow, unassailable one, and do not fall under its power. That conqueror of hostile cities has gone to the destination that weapons purify.

Note on the text: Corrected जुर्धर्ष → दुर्धर्ष (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition has durdharṣa).

Verse 24 (14.61.24)

तस्मिंस्तु निहते वीरे सुभद्रेयं स्वसा मम । दुःखार्ताऽथो पृथां प्राप्य कुररीव ननाद ह ॥

tasmiṃstu nihate vīre subhadreyaṃ svasā mama | duḥkhārtā'tho pṛthāṃ prāpya kurarīva nanāda ha

When that hero was slain, this sister of mine, Subhadra, crushed by grief, went to Pritha and cried out like a female osprey.

Note on the text: Corrected सुतं → पृथां (misprint in Wikisource; 'having reached her son' cannot stand, since the son is the one who has died, and the next verse has Subhadra go on to Draupadi 'also' (च), after Kunti, who answers her in the verses that follow; the critical edition has pṛthāṃ prāpya).

Verse 25 (14.61.25)

द्रौपदीं च समासाद्य पर्यतप्यत दुःखिता । आर्ये क्व दारकाः सर्वे द्रष्टुमिच्छामि तानहम् ॥

draupadīṃ ca samāsādya paryatapyata duḥkhitā | ārye kva dārakāḥ sarve draṣṭumicchāmi tānaham

And reaching Draupadi, she lamented in her sorrow: "Noble lady, where are all the boys? I wish to see them."

Verse 26 (14.61.26)

अस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वास्ताः कुरुयोषितः । भुजाभ्यां परिगृह्यैनां चुक्रुशुः परमार्तवत् ॥

asyāstu vacanaṃ śrutvā sarvāstāḥ kuruyoṣitaḥ | bhujābhyāṃ parigṛhyaināṃ cukruśuḥ paramārtavat

Hearing her words, all those Kuru women took her in their arms and wailed in the deepest anguish.

Verse 27 (14.61.27)

उत्तरां चाब्रवीद्भद्रे भर्ता स क्व नु ते गतः । क्षिप्रमागमनं मह्यं तस्य त्वं वेदयस्व ह ॥

uttarāṃ cābravīdbhadre bhartā sa kva nu te gataḥ | kṣipramāgamanaṃ mahyaṃ tasya tvaṃ vedayasva ha

She said to Uttara, "Fair one, where has your husband gone? Quickly let him know that he must come to me.

Note on the text: The first half-line is narration and the rest is Subhadra's speech, so the verse stays with Krishna as narrator. Wikisource reads उत्तरां चाब्रवीद्भद्रे (CE: cābravīd bhadrā bhadre); recension variant, kept.

Verse 28 (14.61.28)

ननु नामाद्य वैराटि श्रुत्वा मम गिरं सदा । भवनान्निष्पतत्याशु कस्मान्नाभ्येति ते पतिः ॥

nanu nāmādya vairāṭi śrutvā mama giraṃ sadā | bhavanānniṣpatatyāśu kasmānnābhyeti te patiḥ

Daughter of Virata, whenever he heard my voice he would always hurry out of the house at once. Why does your husband not come to you now?

Note on the text: Speech of Subhadra reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 29 (14.61.29)

अभिमन्योऽनुशयिनो मातुलास्ते महारथाः । कुशलं चाब्रुवन्सर्वे त्वां युयुत्सुमिहागतम् ॥

abhimanyo'nuśayino mātulāste mahārathāḥ | kuśalaṃ cābruvansarve tvāṃ yuyutsumihāgatam

Abhimanyu, your maternal uncles, those great warriors who are so devoted to you, have all asked after your welfare, now that you have come here eager to fight.

Note on the text: Speech of Subhadra reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse. अनुशयिनः (CE: kuśalinaḥ) is a recension variant, kept; taken here as 'attached, devoted'.

Verse 30 (14.61.30)

आचक्ष्व मेऽद्य सङ्ग्रामं यथापूर्वमरिन्दम । कस्मादेवं विलपतीं नाद्येह प्रतिभाषसे ॥

ācakṣva me'dya saṅgrāmaṃ yathāpūrvamarindama | kasmādevaṃ vilapatīṃ nādyeha pratibhāṣase

Tell me about the battle today, tamer of foes, as you always did. Why do you not answer me now, when I am lamenting like this?"

Note on the text: Speech of Subhadra reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 31 (14.61.31)

एवमादि तु वार्ष्णेय्यास्तस्यास्तत्परिदेवितम् । श्रुत्वा पृथा सुदुःखार्ता शनैर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥

evamādi tu vārṣṇeyyāstasyāstatparidevitam | śrutvā pṛthā suduḥkhārtā śanairvākyamathābravīt

Hearing such lamentation from the Vrishni lady, Pritha, deeply afflicted, spoke slowly.

Verse 32 (14.61.32)

सुभद्रे वासुदेवेन तथा सात्यकिना रणे । पित्रा च लालितो बालः स हतः कालधर्मणा ॥

subhadre vāsudevena tathā sātyakinā raṇe | pitrā ca lālito bālaḥ sa hataḥ kāladharmaṇā

Subhadra, the boy was cherished by Vasudeva, by Satyaki in the war, and by his father, yet he was struck down by the law of Time.

Note on the text: Kunti's speech reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse. लालितः (CE pālitaḥ) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 33 (14.61.33)

ईदृशो मर्त्यधर्मोऽयं मा शुचो यदुनन्दिनि । पुत्रो हि तव दुर्धर्षः सम्प्राप्तः परमां गतिम् ॥

īdṛśo martyadharmo'yaṃ mā śuco yadunandini | putro hi tava durdharṣaḥ samprāptaḥ paramāṃ gatim

Such is the law for mortals; do not grieve, delight of the Yadus. Your unassailable son has reached the highest state.

Note on the text: Kunti's speech reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 34 (14.61.34)

कुले महति जातासि क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम् । मा शुचश्चपलाक्षं त्वं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणे ॥

kule mahati jātāsi kṣatriyāṇāṃ mahātmanām | mā śucaścapalākṣaṃ tvaṃ padmapatranibhekṣaṇe

You were born into a great family of noble kshatriyas, lotus-eyed one; do not grieve for that boy with the restless eyes.

Note on the text: Kunti's speech reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 35 (14.61.35)

उत्तरां त्वमवेक्षस्व गुर्विणीं मा शुचः शुभे । पुत्रमेषा हि तस्याशु जनयिष्यति भामिनी ॥

uttarāṃ tvamavekṣasva gurviṇīṃ mā śucaḥ śubhe | putrameṣā hi tasyāśu janayiṣyati bhāminī

Look to Uttara, who is with child; do not grieve, gracious one. That lovely woman will soon bear his son."

Note on the text: Kunti's speech reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 36 (14.61.36)

एवमाश्वासयित्वैनां कुन्ती यदुकुलोद्वह । विहाय शोकं दुर्धर्षं श्राद्धमस्य ह्यकल्पयत् ॥

evamāśvāsayitvaināṃ kuntī yadukulodvaha | vihāya śokaṃ durdharṣaṃ śrāddhamasya hyakalpayat

Having comforted her in this way, Kunti, O pride of the Yadu line, put away her unbearable grief and arranged the funeral rites for him.

Verse 37 (14.61.37)

समनुज्ञाप्य धर्मज्ञं राजानं भीममेव च । यमौ यमोपमौ चैव ददौ दानान्यनेकशः ॥

samanujñāpya dharmajñaṃ rājānaṃ bhīmameva ca | yamau yamopamau caiva dadau dānānyanekaśaḥ

Taking leave of the king who knows dharma, and of Bhima and of the twins, who were like Yama himself, she gave many gifts.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads धर्मज्ञं (CE: dharmajñā); recension variant, kept.

Verse 38 (14.61.38)

ततः प्रदाय बह्वीर्गा ब्राह्मणेभ्यो यदूद्वह । समाहृष्य तु वार्ष्णेयी वैराटीमब्रवीदिदम् ॥

tataḥ pradāya bahvīrgā brāhmaṇebhyo yadūdvaha | samāhṛṣya tu vārṣṇeyī vairāṭīmabravīdidam

Then, after giving many cows to the brahmins, O scion of the Yadus, the Vrishni lady, now somewhat heartened, spoke to Virata's daughter in these words.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads समाहृष्य (CE: samahṛṣyata); recension variant, kept. वार्ष्णेयी here is Kunti.

Verse 39 (14.61.39)

वैराटि नेह संतापस्त्वया कार्यो ह्यनिन्दिते । भर्तारं प्रति सुश्रोणि गर्भस्थं रक्ष वै शिशुम् ॥

vairāṭi neha saṃtāpastvayā kāryo hyanindite | bhartāraṃ prati suśroṇi garbhasthaṃ rakṣa vai śiśum

Daughter of Virata, blameless one, you must not give way to grief here. For the sake of your husband, fair-hipped one, guard the child in your womb."

Note on the text: Kunti's speech reported inside Krishna's account (no heading on the page); given to her as it fills the whole verse.

Verse 40 (14.61.40)

एवमुक्त्वा ततः कुन्ती विरराम महाद्युते । तामनुज्ञाप्य चैवेमां सुभद्रां समुपानयम् ॥

evamuktvā tataḥ kuntī virarāma mahādyute | tāmanujñāpya caivemāṃ subhadrāṃ samupānayam

Having said this, Kunti fell silent, radiant one; and with her leave I have brought Subhadra here.

Note on the text: The page prints समुपानयम् (first person, 'I brought'); the critical edition has the same.

Verse 41 (14.61.41)

एवं स निधनं प्राप्तो दौहित्रस्तव मानद । संतापं त्यज दुर्धर्ष मा च शोके मनः कृथाः ॥

evaṃ sa nidhanaṃ prāpto dauhitrastava mānada | saṃtāpaṃ tyaja durdharṣa mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ

So your grandson met his death, giver of honour. Put away your grief, unassailable one, and do not let your mind dwell on sorrow.