Shloka 23
Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam
Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act
मया चैतत् प्रतिज्ञातं रणमूर्थनि केशव । अभिमनयौ हते वीर त्वामेष्याम्यचिरादिति,“केशव! मैंने युद्धके मुहानेपर यह प्रतिज्ञा की थी कि “मेरे वीर पतिदेव! यदि आप मारे गये तो मैं शीघ्र ही परलोकमें आपसे आ मिलूगी
mayā caitat pratijñātaṃ raṇamūrdhani keśava | abhimanyau hate vīra tvām eṣyāmy acirād iti ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Keśava, di hadapan medan perang aku telah bersumpah begini: ‘Wahai Abhimanyu yang gagah, jika engkau gugur, aku akan segera menyusulmu ke alam sana tanpa berlengah.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of a pratijñā (solemn vow): words spoken in the crucible of war and grief are treated as binding, reflecting the Mahābhārata’s emphasis on personal integrity and the dharmic seriousness of promises.
Vaiśampāyana reports a vow made on the battlefield: upon Abhimanyu’s death, the speaker declares an intention to follow him swiftly to the next world, expressing intense bereavement and unwavering attachment.