Shloka 3
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
मा दौहित्रवरध॑ श्रुत्वा वसुदेवो महात्ययम् । दुःखशोकाभिसंतप्तो भवेदिति महामति:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! प्रतापी वसुदेवनन्दन भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण जब पिताके सामने महाभारतयुद्धका वृत्तान्त सुना रहे थे, उस समय उन्होंने उस कथाके बीचमें जान-बूझकर अभिमन्युवधका वृत्तान्त छोड़ दिया। परम बुद्धिमान् वीर श्रीकृष्णने सोचा, पिताजी अपने नातीकी मृत्युका महान् अमंगलजनक समाचार सुनकर कहीं दुःख-शोकसे संतप्त न हो उठें। इनका अप्रिय न हो जाय। इसीसे वह प्रसंग नहीं सुनाया
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mā dauhitra-vadhaṁ śrutvā vasudevo mahātyayam | duḥkha-śokābhisantāpto bhaved iti mahāmatiḥ ||
ఆయన ఇలా అనుకున్నాడు—“మనవడి వధవార్త విని వసుదేవుడు మహావిపత్తుగా భావించి, దుఃఖశోకాలతో కుంగిపోకూడదు.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical speech and compassionate restraint: even truthful narration may be moderated to prevent needless harm, especially when it would intensify a loved one’s grief. Wisdom (mahāmati) includes sensitivity to the listener’s emotional capacity.
In the surrounding account, Kṛṣṇa is recounting the events of the Mahābhārata war to his father Vasudeva. He deliberately omits the episode of Abhimanyu’s killing, fearing that hearing of his grandson’s death would plunge Vasudeva into overwhelming sorrow.