कच्चित्स कदनं कृत्वा परेषां कुरुनन्दन। स्वर्गतोऽभिमुखः सङ्ख्ये युध्यमानो नरर्षभैः
Did Abhimanyu, O joy of the Kurus, after striking down many foes, ascend to heaven in battle, facing the warriors like a hero?
स नूनं बहुभिर्यत्तैर्युध्यमानो नरर्षभैः। असहायः सहायार्थी मामनुध्यातवान्ध्रुवम्
Surely, while fighting those many mighty warriors, alone and seeking help, he must have remembered me—of that there is no doubt.
पीड्यमानः शरैर्बालस्तात साध्वभिधाव माम्। इति विप्रलपन्मन्ये नृशंसैर्भुवि पातितः
Pressed by arrows, that boy must have cried out, 'Father, come quickly to me!'—lamenting thus, he was cruelly struck down on the earth.
अथवा मत्प्रसूतः स स्वस्रीयो माधवस्य च। सुभद्रायां च सम्भूतो न चैवं वक्तुमर्हति
Or perhaps, being my own son, and the nephew of Madhava, born of Subhadra, he would not have spoken so.
वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं सुदृढं मम। अपश्यतो दीर्घबाहुं रक्ताक्षं यन्न दीर्यते
Truly, my heart must be made of adamant, so firm that it does not break even as I see my long-armed, red-eyed son no more.
कथं बाले महेष्वासा नृशंसा मर्मभेदिनः। स्वस्रीये वासुदेवस्य मम पुत्रेऽक्षिपञ्शरान्
How could cruel warriors, skilled in piercing vital points, shoot arrows at my son—the nephew of Vasudeva, a mere boy, yet a mighty archer?
यो मां नित्यमदीनात्मा प्रत्युद्गम्याभिनन्दति। उपयान्तं रिपून्हत्वा सोऽद्य मां किं न पश्यति
He, who always greeted me joyfully, never downcast, returning victorious from battle—why does he not come to me today?
नूनं स पातितः शेते धरण्यां रुधिरोक्षितः। शोभयन्मेदिनीं गात्रैरादित्य इव पातितः
Surely, he lies fallen on the earth, bathed in blood, his body adorning the ground like the sun fallen from the sky.
सुभद्रामनुशोचामि या पुत्रमपलायिनम्। रणे विनिहतं श्रुत्वा शोकार्ता वै विनङ्क्षति
I grieve for Subhadra, who, upon hearing that her son—who never fled from battle—has been slain, will be consumed by sorrow.
सुभद्रा वक्ष्यते किं मामबिमन्युमपश्यती। द्रौपदीं चैव दुःखार्तां किं वा वक्ष्यामि तामहम्
What will Subhadra say to me, when she does not see Abhimanyu? And what shall I say to Draupadi, who is also stricken with grief?
वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं यन्न यास्यति। सहस्रधा वधूं दृष्ट्वा रुदतीं शोककर्शिताम्
Truly, my heart must be made of adamant, for it does not shatter into a thousand pieces upon seeing the bride, weeping and wasted by sorrow.
हृष्टानां धार्तराष्ट्राणां सिंहनादो मया श्रुतः। युयुत्सुश्चापि कृष्णेन श्रुतो वीरानुपालभन्
I have heard the lion's roar of the delighted sons of Dhritarashtra, and Yuyutsu too has told Krishna of the fate of the heroes.
अशक्नुवन्तः पार्थस्य बालं हत्वा महाबलम्। किं न लज्जन्त्यधर्मज्ञाः पार्थिवा दृश्यतां बलम्
Unable to overcome the mighty son of Partha, they killed a youth; do those ignorant of righteousness not feel shame? Let the strength of the kings be seen.
किं तयोर्विप्रियं कृत्वा केशवार्जुनयोर्मृधे। सिंहवन्नदथ प्रीताः शोककाल उपस्थिते
Having done harm to Keshava and Arjuna in battle, will you roar like lions in delight when the time of sorrow arrives?
आगमिष्यति वः क्षिप्रं फलं पापस्य कर्मणः। अधर्मो हि कृतस्तीव्रः कथं स्यादफलश्चिरम्
The fruit of your sinful deed will come to you swiftly; for when severe unrighteousness is committed, how can its result be delayed long?
इति तान्परिभाषन्वै वैश्यापुत्रो महामतिः। अपायाच्छस्त्रमुत्सृज्य कोपदुःखसमन्वितः
Thus, rebuking them, the wise son of a merchant, filled with anger and grief, departed, casting aside his weapon.
किमर्थमेतन्नाख्यातं त्वया कृष्ण रणे मम। अधक्ष्यं तानहं क्रूरांस्तदा सर्वान्महारथान्
Krishna, why did you not tell me this in battle? I would have burned those cruel great chariot-warriors then and there.
पुत्रशोकार्दितं पार्थं ध्यायन्तं साश्रुलोचनम्। निगृह्य वासुदेवस्तं पुत्राधिभिरभिप्लुतम्। मैवमित्यब्रवीत्कृष्णस्तीव्रशोकसमन्वितम्
Vasudeva restrained Partha, who was overwhelmed with grief for his son, lost in thought with tear-filled eyes, and said to him, 'Do not be thus,' though he was himself filled with intense sorrow.
सर्वेषामेष वै पन्थाः शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्। क्षत्रियाणां विशेषेण येषां नः शस्त्रजीविका
This is indeed the path for all valiant warriors who do not turn back, especially for Kshatriyas whose livelihood is the weapon.
एषा वै युध्यमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्। विहिता सर्वशास्त्रज्ञैर्गतिर्मतिमतां वर
This is the destiny prescribed by all the learned in the scriptures for those who fight bravely and do not retreat, O best of the wise.
ध्रुवं हि युद्धे मरणं शूरामामनिवर्तिनाम्। गतः पुण्यकृतां लोकानभिमन्युर्न संशयः
For those valiant ones who do not turn back, death in battle is certain; Abhimanyu has surely attained the worlds of the righteous, there is no doubt.
एतच्च सर्ववीराणां काङ्क्षितं भरतर्षभ। सङ्ग्रामेऽभिमुखा मृत्युं प्राप्नुयामेति मानद
This is what all heroes desire, O bull among the Bharatas: to meet death face to face in battle, O giver of honor.
स च वीरान्रणे हत्वा राजपुत्रान्महाबलान्। वीरैराकाङ्क्षितं मृत्युं सम्प्राप्तोऽभिमुखं रणे
He, having slain mighty royal sons in battle, has attained the death longed for by heroes, meeting it face to face in the fight.
मा शुचः पुरुषव्याघ्र पूर्वैरेष सनातनः। धर्मकृद्भिः कृतो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां रणे क्षयः
Do not grieve, tiger among men; this is the ancient law established by the righteous for Kshatriyas: destruction in battle.
इमे ते भ्रातरः सर्वे दीना भरतसत्तम। त्वयि शोकसमाविष्टे नृपाश्च सुहृदस्तव
All your brothers, O best of the Bharatas, are afflicted and dejected, as are the kings and your friends, seeing you overwhelmed by grief.
एतांश्च वचसा साम्ना समाश्वासय मानद। विदितं वेदितव्यं ते न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि
Comfort them with gentle words, O giver of honor; you know what is to be known, you should not give in to sorrow.
एवमाश्वासितः पार्थः कृष्णेनाद्भुतकर्मणा। ततोऽब्रवीत्तदा भ्रातॄन्सर्वान्पार्थः सगद्गदम्
Thus consoled by Krishna, the doer of wondrous deeds, Partha then spoke to all his brothers, his voice choked with emotion.
स दीर्घबाहुः पृथ्वंसो दीर्घराजीवलोचनः। अभिमन्युर्यथा वृत्तः श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं तथा
That long-armed, broad-shouldered, lotus-eyed Abhimanyu—tell me exactly how he met his end.
सनागस्यन्दनहयान्सङ्ग्रामे निहतान्मया। क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यन्ति ते नूनं मम पुत्रं निहत्य वै
Having slain elephants, chariots, and horses in battle, they will soon see my son, indeed, slain by me.
कथं च वः कृतास्त्राणां सर्वेषां शस्त्रपाणिनाम्। सौभद्रो निधनं गच्छेद्वज्रिणापि समागतः
How did Saubhadra meet his end among you all, skilled in weapons and bearing arms, even with the wielder of the thunderbolt present?