Shloka 21
अभिमन्युविलापः (Abhimanyu-vilāpa) — Uttarā’s lament, observed and framed by Gandhārī
“आपको युद्धस्थलमें बहुत-से महारथियोंद्वारा मारा गया देख आपके पिता पुरुषसिंह वीर पाण्डव अर्जुन कैसे जी रहे हैं?
yuddhasthale bahubhir mahārathair hataṁ tvāṁ dṛṣṭvā tava pitā puruṣasiṁhaḥ vīraḥ pāṇḍavaḥ arjunaḥ kathaṁ jīvati?
Melihat engkau gugur di medan perang oleh ramai maharathi, bagaimana ayahandamu—Arjuna, wira Pāṇḍava, singa di antara manusia—masih mampu terus hidup?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the human cost of war: even the greatest heroes are morally and emotionally tested when confronted with the death of loved ones. It points to the tension between kṣatriya-duty in battle and the enduring obligations of family and compassion.
Vaiśampāyana reports a lamenting question addressed to the slain person: since you were killed on the battlefield by many mighty warriors, how can your father Arjuna—renowned for strength and valor—still remain alive, implying overwhelming grief and shock in the war’s aftermath.