Shloka 50
Subhadrā-vilāpaḥ — Subhadrā’s Lament for Abhimanyu
Droṇa-parva 55
पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथा: । अयज्वानमदाक्षिण्यमश्रि श्रैत्येत्युदाहरत्,वैत्य सुृंजय! धर्म, ज्ञान, वैराग्य तथा ऐश्वर्य--इन चारों बातोंमें राजा मरुत्त तुमसे बढ़कर थे और तुम्हारे पुत्रसे भी अधिक पुण्यात्मा थे। तुम्हारे पुत्रने न तो कोई यज्ञ किया था और न उसमें कोई उदारता ही थी। अत: उसको लक्ष्य करके तुम चिन्ता न करो-- नारदजीने राजा सूंजयसे यही बात कही
putrāt puṇyataras tubhyaṁ mā putram anutapyathāḥ | ayajvān amadākṣiṇyam aśrīś caittya ity udāharat, vaittya sṛñjaya |
नारद उवाच—पुत्रात् पुण्यतरास्तुभ्यं सन्ति; तस्मात् तं पुत्रमनुतप्य मा शुचः। नासौ यज्ञैः समायुक्तो न च दाक्षिण्यदानैः; अयज्वा ह्यदाक्षिण्यः। एतद्विदित्वा, हे सृञ्जय, तादृशपुत्रनिमित्तं शोकः मा त्वां ग्रसतु। इत्येवं नारदः सृञ्जयं राजानं धर्मार्थं प्रति समाश्वासयामास।
(नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nārada teaches that grief should be guided by dharma: one should not cling to mere biological ties when the person lacked virtue. Ethical worth—sacrifice, generosity, and righteous conduct—determines true praiseworthiness, not simply being one’s child.
Nārada addresses King Sṛñjaya, who is distressed about his son. He consoles and corrects him by stating that the son was not a sacrificer and was ungenerous, and therefore Sṛñjaya should not be overwhelmed by sorrow for him.