SECTION LXIX
"Vaisampayana said, 'The helpless Uttara, desirous of getting back her
child, having indulged in these piteous lamentations, fell down in
affliction on the earth like a demented creature. Beholding the princess
fallen on the earth deprived of her son and with her body uncovered,
Kunti as also all the (other) Bharata ladies deeply afflicted, began to
weep aloud. Resounding with the voice of lamentation, the palace of the
Pandavas, O king, was soon converted into a mansion of sorrow where
nobody could remain. Exceedingly afflicted by grief on account of her
son, Virata's daughter, O king, seemed to be struck down for some time by
sorrow and cheerlessness. Regaining consciousness, O chief of Bharata's
race, Uttara took up her child on her lap and said these words: Thou art
the child of one who was conversant with every duty. Art thou not
conscious then of the sin thou committest, since thou dost not salute
this foremost one of the Vrishni's race? O son, repairing to thy sire
tell him these words of mine, viz.,--it is difficult for living creatures
to die before their time comes, since though reft of thee, my husband,
and now deprived of my child also, I am yet alive when I should die,
unendued as I am with everything auspicious and everything possessed of
value.--O mighty-armed one, with the permission of king Yudhishthira the
just I shall swallow some virulent poison or cast myself on the blazing
fire. O sire, difficult of destruction is my heart since, though I am
deprived of husband and child, that heart of mine does not yet break into
a thousand pieces. Rise, O son and behold this thy afflicted
great-grandmother. She is deeply afflicted with grief, bathed in tears,
exceedingly cheerless, and plunged in an ocean of sorrow. Behold the
reverend princess of Panchala, and the helpless princess of the Satwata
race. Behold myself, exceedingly afflicted with grief, and resembling a
deer pierced by a hunter. Rise, O child, and behold the face of this lord
of the worlds, that is endued with great wisdom, and possessed of eyes
like lotus-petals and resembling thy sire of restless glance. Beholding
Uttara, who indulged in these lamentations, fallen on the earth, all
those ladies, raising her, caused her to sit up. Having sat up, the
daughter of the king of the Matsyas, summoning her patience, joined her
hands in reverence and touched the earth with her head for saluting
Kesava of eyes like the petals of the lotus. That foremost of beings,
hearing those heart-rending lamentations of hers, touched water and
withdrew the (force of the) Brahma-weapon.[185] That hero of unfading
glory, belonging to the race of the Dasarhas, promised to give the child
his life. Then he of pure soul, said these words in the hearing of the
whole universe,--'O Uttara, I never utter an untruth. My words will prove
true. I shall revive this child in the presence of all creatures. Never
before have I uttered an untruth even in jest. Never have I turned back
from battle. (By the merit of those acts) let this child revive! As
righteousness is dear to me, as Brahmanas are specially dear to me, (by
the merit of that disposition of mine) let Abhimanyu's son, who is born
dead, revive! Never hath a misunderstanding arisen between me and my
friend Vijaya. Let this dead child revive by that truth! As truth and
righteousness are always established in me, let this dead child of
Abhimanyu revive (by the merit of these)! As Kansa and Kesi have been
righteously slain by me, let this child revive today by that truth!'
After these words were uttered by Vasudeva, that child, O foremost one of
Bharata's race, became animate and began gradually to move, O monarch.'
