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 ||
वैशंपायन म्हणाले—“अनघ अर्जुना! माझा पुत्र सुरथ याने आधीच ऐकले होते की युद्धात तुझ्या हातून माझा पिता मारला गेला. नंतर जेव्हा त्याच्या कानांवर ही वार्ता आली की तू यज्ञ-अश्वाच्या मागोमाग युद्धासाठी इथवर आला आहेस, तेव्हा पित्याच्या मृत्यूच्या दुःखाने व्याकुळ होऊन त्याने प्राणत्याग केला.”
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.