Shloka 13

Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam

Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act

Devanagari script

वार्ष्णेय मधुहन्‌ वीर शिरसा त्वां प्रसादये । द्रोणपुत्रास्त्रनिर्दग्धं जीवयैनं॑ ममात्मजम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

vārṣṇeya madhuhan vīra śirasā tvāṁ prasādaye |

droṇaputrāstra-nirdagdhaṁ jīvayainaṁ mamātmajam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Oh héroe de los Vṛṣṇis, oh matador de Madhu: inclino mi cabeza ante ti y suplico tu gracia. Mi hijo ha sido abrasado por el arma del hijo de Droṇa; devuélvele la vida a este hijo mío».

Word by Word

• वार्ष्णेय: O descendant of Vृष्णि
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मधुहन्: O slayer of Madhu
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुहन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शिरसा: with (my) head
• शिरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रसादये: I propitiate / I seek to please
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रसादय् (प्र + सद्/साद् caus.)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रोणपुत्रास्त्रनिर्दग्धम्: burnt by the weapon of Droṇa’s son
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोणपुत्र-अस्त्र-निर्दग्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जीवय: revive (you revive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीवय् (caus. of √जीव्)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एनम्: this (one), him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मम: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• आत्मजम्: son
• आत्मजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa (Vārṣṇeya, Madhuhan)
• Aśvatthāman (Droṇaputra)
• Astra (weapon/missile)
• the child/son (Parīkṣit, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical turn from vengeance to protection: in the aftermath of war, the highest dharma is compassion and preservation of life and lineage. It also shows humility and surrender—seeking remedy through righteous, divine agency rather than further violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

A grieving mother (contextually Uttarā) appeals to Kṛṣṇa, addressing him by clan and heroic epithets, and begs him to revive her son who has been burned by Aśvatthāman’s weapon. The plea frames Kṛṣṇa as the refuge capable of countering the catastrophic effects of astras.