Shloka 21
Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam
Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act
चपलाक्ष: किलातीव प्रियस्ते मधुसूदन । सुतं पश्य त्वमस्यैनं ब्रह्मास्त्रेण निपातितम्,“मधुसूदन! सुनती हूँ कि चंचल नेत्रोंवाले अभिमन्यु आपको बहुत ही प्रिय थे। उन्हींका बेटा आज ब्रह्मास्त्रकी मारसे मरा पड़ा है। आप इसे आँख भरकर देख लीजिये
capalākṣaḥ kilātīva priyaste madhusūdana | sutaṃ paśya tvamasyainaṃ brahmāstreṇa nipātitam ||
"Madhusūdana, I have heard that the quick-eyed Abhimanyu was exceedingly dear to you. Look now upon this—his son—struck down by the Brahmāstra."
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral shock of deploying an ultimate weapon (Brahmāstra) against a vulnerable target and appeals to Kṛṣṇa’s personal bond with Abhimanyu to awaken protective responsibility—linking dharma to restraint in warfare and safeguarding the innocent and the continuity of the family line.
A speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana), reminding him that Abhimanyu was very dear to him, and urges him to look upon Abhimanyu’s son lying struck down by the Brahmāstra—setting up the crisis that demands Kṛṣṇa’s intervention.