Shloka 10
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
किमब्रवीत् त्वां संग्रामे सुभद्रां मातरं प्रति
Vaiśampāyana uvāca:
kim abravīt tvāṁ saṅgrāme Subhadrāṁ mātaraṁ prati,
kaccin mukhaṁ na Govinda tenājau vikṛtaṁ kṛtam |
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“在战场上，他关于母亲苏跋陀罗对你说了什么？噢，戈文达，在那场厮杀中，他的面容可曾因恐惧而扭曲？他是否因畏惧而转身背敌，遂遭杀害；还是他镇定不失，从容而殒？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle: even in death, one should not succumb to fear, turn one’s back, or lose composure. It also reflects the ethical weight placed on courage and honorable conduct as measures of dharma in warfare.
Vaiśampāyana reports a question addressed to Kṛṣṇa (Govinda) about Abhimanyu’s final moments: what message he conveyed regarding his mother Subhadrā, and whether he died with courage—without fear, disgrace, or a distorted face—thus probing the manner of his death and his adherence to warrior honor.