Shloka 29
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
स पूर्व पितरं श्रुत्वा हतं युद्धे त्वयानघ,“निष्पाप अर्जुन! मेरे पुत्र सुरथने पहलेसे सुन रखा था कि अर्जुनके हाथसे ही मेरे पिताकी मृत्यु हुई है। इसके बाद जब उसके कानोंमें यह समाचार पड़ा है कि तुम घोड़ेके पीछे-पीछे युद्धके लिये यहाँतक आ पहुँचे हो तो वह पिताकी मृत्युके दुःखसे आतुर हो अपने प्राणोंका परित्याग कर बैठा है
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 ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: “Wahai Arjuna yang tidak bercela, anakku Suratha telah pun mendengar sejak awal bahawa ayahku telah terbunuh di medan perang oleh tanganmu. Kemudian, apabila khabar sampai ke telinganya bahawa engkau telah tiba di sini mengejar kuda korban Aśvamedha, bersedia untuk bertempur, dia—ditenggelami dukacita atas kematian ayahnya—telah meninggalkan nyawanya.”
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.