Shloka 3
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
मा दौहित्रवरध॑ श्रुत्वा वसुदेवो महात्ययम् । दुःखशोकाभिसंतप्तो भवेदिति महामति:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mā dauhitra-vadhaṁ śrutvā vasudevo mahātyayam | duḥkha-śokābhisantāpto bhaved iti mahāmatiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “The wise one thought, ‘If Vasudeva were to hear of the killing of his grandson, that would be a great calamity; he would be overwhelmed by grief and sorrow.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical speech and compassionate restraint: even truthful narration may be moderated to prevent needless harm, especially when it would intensify a loved one’s grief. Wisdom (mahāmati) includes sensitivity to the listener’s emotional capacity.
In the surrounding account, Kṛṣṇa is recounting the events of the Mahābhārata war to his father Vasudeva. He deliberately omits the episode of Abhimanyu’s killing, fearing that hearing of his grandson’s death would plunge Vasudeva into overwhelming sorrow.