FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.10

अभिद्रवति मामीश शरस्तप्तायसो विभो । कामं दहतु मां नाथ मा मे गर्भो निपात्यताम् ॥ १० ॥
abhidravati mām īśa
[abhidravati maam eesha]
śaras taptāyaso vibho
[sharas taptaayaso vibho]
kāmaṁ dahatu māṁ nātha
[kaamam dahatu maam naatha]
mā me garbho nipātyatām
[maa me garbho nipaatyataam]
abhidravati — coming towards mām — me īśa — O Lord śaraḥ — the arrow tapta — fiery ayasaḥ — iron vibho — O great one kāmam — desire dahatu — let it burn mām — me nātha — O protector mā — not me — my garbhaḥ — embryo nipātyatām — be aborted.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
abhidravati mām īśa
abhidravati
coming towards
mām
me
īśa
O Lord
śaras taptāyaso vibho
śaraḥ
the arrow
tapta
fiery
ayasaḥ
iron
vibho
O great one
kāmaṁ dahatu māṁ nātha
kāmam
desire
dahatu
let it burn
mām
me
nātha
O protector
mā me garbho nipātyatām
mā
not
me
my
garbhaḥ
embryo
nipātyatām
be aborted.
O my Lord, You are all-powerful. A fiery iron arrow is coming towards me fast. My Lord, let it burn me personally, if You so desire, but please do not let it burn and abort my embryo. Please do me this favor, my Lord.

This incident took place after the death of Abhimanyu, the husband of Uttarā. Abhimanyu’s widow, Uttarā, should have followed the path of her husband, but because she was pregnant, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, a great devotee of the Lord, was lying in embryo, she was responsible for his protection. The mother of a child has a great responsibility in giving all protection to the child, and therefore Uttarā was not ashamed to express this frankly before Lord Kṛṣṇa. Uttarā was the daughter of a great king, the wife of a great hero, and student of a great devotee, and later she was the mother of a good king also. She was fortunate in every respect.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O powerful lord! This arrow of burning iron is pursuing me. O Lord! Let it burn me up! But let it not kill my child!
Commentary

“You are praying for your life even though you are now without your husband Abhimanyu. Are you not ashamed?” I am not praying for my life. I am praying for my son’s life.

She begged: burn me personally if You wish, but spare the embryo. The mother's instinct is to take the burn herself. Love is willingness to absorb cost to protect another.
Reflection Questions
  • For whom would I willingly take the harm if I had to?
  • Where am I asked to absorb something so another can grow?
📝 My note

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