Shloka 40

Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

वैराटि नेह संतापस्त्वया कार्यों हानिन्दिते | भर्तरें प्रति सुश्रोणि गर्भस्थं रक्ष वै शिशुम्‌

Transliteration

Vairāṭi neha santāpas tvayā kāryo hānindite | bhartāraṁ prati suśroṇi garbhasthaṁ rakṣa vai śiśum ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô princesse de Virāṭa, irréprochable, ne te laisse pas ici envahir par le chagrin à cause de ton époux. Ô dame aux hanches gracieuses, protège l’enfant dans ton sein — le nourrisson, fils d’Abhimanyu.»

Word by Word

• वैराटि: O princess of Virāṭa
• वैराटि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराटी (विराट-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• संतापः: grief, distress
• संतापः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संताप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: by you / for you (as agent)
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• कार्यः: to be done; to be undertaken
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (कृत्य-प्रत्यय: कार्य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हा: alas!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा

• अनिन्दिते: O blameless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिन्दित
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• भर्तरम्: husband
• भर्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards; with regard to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• सुश्रोणि: O fair-hipped one (beautiful woman)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुश्रोणि
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• गर्भस्थम्: situated in the womb
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रक्ष: protect!
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• शिशुम्: the child, infant
• शिशुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Uttarā (Virāṭa’s daughter; addressed as Vairāṭī)
• Virāṭa
• Abhimanyu
• the unborn child in the womb (Abhimanyu’s son)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges restraint from debilitating grief and emphasizes dharma as protective responsibility—especially safeguarding new life even amid personal loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses Virāṭa’s daughter (Uttarā), consoling her over her husband Abhimanyu and instructing her to protect the unborn child in her womb.