Shloka 29
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
स पूर्व पितरं श्रुत्वा हतं युद्धे त्वयानघ
sa pūrvaṃ pitaraṃ śrutvā hataṃ yuddhe tvayānagha | niṣpāpa arjuna! me putraḥ surathena pūrvaṃ śrutaṃ yadarjunahastenaiva me pituḥ mṛtyur abhavat | tataḥ paścāt yadā tasya karṇayoḥ samācāraḥ patitaḥ yattvaṃ aśvasya pṛṣṭhataḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ yuddhāya ihāvatīrṇaḥ, tadā sa pituḥ mṛtyu-duḥkhena āturaḥ san prāṇān parityaktavān ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : «Ô Arjuna sans faute, mon fils Suratha avait déjà entendu auparavant que mon père avait été tué au combat par ta main. Puis, lorsque la nouvelle parvint à ses oreilles que tu étais venu jusqu’ici, à la poursuite du cheval du sacrifice, prêt à livrer bataille, lui—accablé par le chagrin de la mort de son père—renonça à la vie.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the lingering moral and emotional aftermath of war: even a righteous victory can generate enduring grief and secondary harms. It implicitly warns that acts done in battle ripple through families and generations, demanding sensitivity and restraint in the exercise of power.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Suratha, having long known that Arjuna killed his grandfather, later hears that Arjuna has arrived in pursuit of the Aśvamedha horse and is prepared to fight. Overcome by renewed sorrow and agitation, Suratha gives up his life.