Shloka 23
Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam
Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act
मया चैतत् प्रतिज्ञातं रणमूर्थनि केशव । अभिमनयौ हते वीर त्वामेष्याम्यचिरादिति
mayā caitat pratijñātaṃ raṇamūrdhani keśava | abhimanyau hate vīra tvām eṣyāmy acirād iti ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô Keśava, au tout premier front du champ de bataille, j’ai fait ce vœu : “Ô Abhimanyu, héros vaillant, si tu es tué, je viendrai te rejoindre sans tarder dans l’autre monde.”»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of a pratijñā (solemn vow): words spoken in the crucible of war and grief are treated as binding, reflecting the Mahābhārata’s emphasis on personal integrity and the dharmic seriousness of promises.
Vaiśampāyana reports a vow made on the battlefield: upon Abhimanyu’s death, the speaker declares an intention to follow him swiftly to the next world, expressing intense bereavement and unwavering attachment.