Shloka 2
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
अभिमन्योर्वध॑ वीर: सो>त्यक्रामन्महामति: । अप्रियं वसुदेवस्य मा भूदिति महामति:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | abhimanyor vadhaṁ vīraḥ so ’tyakrāman mahāmatiḥ | apriyaṁ vasudevasya mā bhūd iti mahāmatiḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang bayaning dakila at marunong ay sadyang lumampas sa salaysay ng pagpaslang kay Abhimanyu, iniisip, “Huwag sanang may di-kanais-nais na mangyari kay Vasudeva.” Dahil sa maingat na karunungan, inalis niya ang masakit na pangyayaring iyon upang ang nakatatanda ay hindi masaktan ng matinding dalamhati sa pagkarinig ng pagkamatay ng kanyang apo.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wisdom includes sensitivity: even truthful speech may be ethically moderated when it would cause needless anguish to an innocent elder. The verse highlights compassionate restraint—avoiding harsh or grief-inducing details when no dharmic purpose is served by stating them at that moment.
In the course of recounting the war story, the narrator notes that the speaker intentionally skips the episode of Abhimanyu’s death, fearing it would bring painful grief to Vasudeva upon hearing of his grandson’s fate.