Shloka 21
Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam
Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act
चपलाक्ष: किलातीव प्रियस्ते मधुसूदन । सुतं पश्य त्वमस्यैनं ब्रह्मास्त्रेण निपातितम्
capalākṣaḥ kilātīva priyaste madhusūdana | sutaṃ paśya tvamasyainaṃ brahmāstreṇa nipātitam ||
“Madhusūdana, narinig ko na ang mabilis ang matang si Abhimanyu ay labis na minamahal mo. Masdan mo ngayon—ito ang kanyang anak—na ibinagsak ng Brahmāstra.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral shock of deploying an ultimate weapon (Brahmāstra) against a vulnerable target and appeals to Kṛṣṇa’s personal bond with Abhimanyu to awaken protective responsibility—linking dharma to restraint in warfare and safeguarding the innocent and the continuity of the family line.
A speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana), reminding him that Abhimanyu was very dear to him, and urges him to look upon Abhimanyu’s son lying struck down by the Brahmāstra—setting up the crisis that demands Kṛṣṇa’s intervention.