Shloka 14
Janmaveśma-praveśa and Uttarā’s Śaraṇāgati
Entry into the Birth-Chamber and Uttarā’s Appeal
अभिमन्यो: सुतो वीर न संजीवति यद्ययम् । जीवति त्वयि दुर्धर्ष कि करिष्याम्यहं त्वया,“दुर्धर्ष वीर! यदि तुम्हारे जीते-जी अभिमन्युके इस बालकको जीवनदान न मिला तो तुम मेरे किस काम आओगे
abhimanyoḥ suto vīra na saṃjīvati yady ayam | jīvati tvayi durdharṣa kiṃ kariṣyāmy ahaṃ tvayā ||
毗舍波耶那说：“噢，英雄！若阿毗曼纽之子不能复生，那么纵使你仍在世，噢，不可攻破者，你于我何用？若在你尚存之时，这阿毗曼纽之子仍不得生命，你的神勇对我的所求又有何价值？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores ethical accountability: mere survival or martial strength is meaningless if it cannot protect the vulnerable and preserve the rightful lineage. Valor is measured by its service to dharma—here, safeguarding the future through the child of a fallen hero.
In the post-war context, the speaker stresses the urgency of saving Abhimanyu’s child. Addressing a powerful warrior as “durdharṣa,” he argues that if the child is not restored to life, the warrior’s continued life and prowess are of no practical or moral use.