Shloka 5
Brahmāstra-pratisaṃhāraḥ, Parīkṣit-nāmakaraṇam, Nagarotsava-varṇanam
Withdrawal of the Brahmāstra; Naming of Parīkṣit; Description of Civic Festivities
प्रतिलभ्य तु सा संज्ञामुत्तरा भरतर्षभ । अड्कमारोप्य त॑ पुत्रमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्,भरतश्रेष्ठ! थोड़ी देर बाद उत्तरा जब होशमें आयी, तब उस मरे हुए पुत्रको गोदमें लेकर यों कहने लगी--
pratilabhya tu sā saṁjñām uttarā bharatarṣabha | aṅkam āropya taṁ putram idaṁ vacanam abravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana said: After a short while, Uttarā regained consciousness. Taking that son upon her lap, she spoke these words—an image that underscores the depth of maternal grief and the moral weight of loss in the aftermath of war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and emotional consequences of violence: even when dharma is pursued through conflict, its aftermath is borne by the vulnerable—here, a mother confronting the loss of her child—inviting compassion and moral reflection.
Uttarā, having fainted, regains consciousness. She lifts her son onto her lap and begins to speak, setting up a lament or appeal that follows in the subsequent verses.