Shloka 23
Uttarā-vilāpaḥ and Kṛṣṇasya satya-vacanenābhi-mañyu-jasyābhijīvanam
Uttarā’s Lament and the Revival of Abhimanyu’s Son by Krishna’s Truth-Act
मया चैतत् प्रतिज्ञातं रणमूर्थनि केशव । अभिमनयौ हते वीर त्वामेष्याम्यचिरादिति
mayā caitat pratijñātaṃ raṇamūrdhani keśava | abhimanyau hate vīra tvām eṣyāmy acirād iti ||
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“噢，凯沙瓦，我在战阵最前沿曾立下誓言：‘英勇的阿毗曼纽啊，若你战死，我必不迟疑，速赴来世与你相会。’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of a pratijñā (solemn vow): words spoken in the crucible of war and grief are treated as binding, reflecting the Mahābhārata’s emphasis on personal integrity and the dharmic seriousness of promises.
Vaiśampāyana reports a vow made on the battlefield: upon Abhimanyu’s death, the speaker declares an intention to follow him swiftly to the next world, expressing intense bereavement and unwavering attachment.