Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 4

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

सुभद्रा तु तमुत्क्रान्तमात्मजस्य वर्ध रणे । आचक्ष्व कृष्ण सौभद्रवधमित्यपतद्‌ भुवि

subhadrā tu tam utkrāntam ātmajasya vṛddha-raṇe | ācakṣva kṛṣṇa saubhadra-vadham iti apatad bhuvi ||

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。だがスバドラーは、わが子の死の報がまだ語られていないのを見て、クリシュナに言い添えた。「兄上、サウバドラ(アビマンニュ)の討たれたことも語ってください。」そう言い終えるや、彼女は気を失って大地に倒れ伏した――戦後の語りに保たれていた沈黙の堤を、悲嘆が破ったのである。

सुभद्राSubhadrā
सुभद्रा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुभद्रा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उत्क्रान्तम्departed (dead)
उत्क्रान्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्-क्रम्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
आत्मजस्यof (her) son
आत्मजस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मज
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
वर्धtell / relate (lit. cause to grow; used as 'say')
वर्ध:
TypeVerb
Rootवर्ध्
Formलोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
आचक्ष्वtell / declare
आचक्ष्व:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-चक्ष्
Formलोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Atmanepada
कृष्णO Kṛṣṇa
कृष्ण:
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सौभद्रof Abhimanyu (son of Subhadrā)
सौभद्र:
TypeNoun
Rootसौभद्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
वधम्killing, death
वधम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अपतत्fell down
अपतत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअव-पत्
Formलङ् (imperfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
भुविon the ground
भुवि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभू
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
S
Subhadrā
K
Kṛṣṇa
S
Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
E
Earth (bhūmi)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical weight of war’s consequences: even when victory or duty is discussed, the unspoken truth of personal loss demands acknowledgment. Dharma is not only action in battle but also truthful remembrance and compassionate speech toward the bereaved.

Subhadrā realizes that the account being narrated has not explicitly mentioned her son Abhimanyu’s death. She urges Kṛṣṇa to speak of Saubhadra’s slaying as well, and immediately collapses in a faint from overwhelming grief.