अश्वत्थाम्नोपसृष्टेन ब्रह्मशीर्ष्णोरुतेजसा ।
उत्तराया हतो गर्भ ईशेनाजीवितः पुनः ॥१॥
Å›aunaka uvÄca
aÅ›vatthÄmnopasṛṣá¹ena
brahma-śīrṣṇoru-tejasÄ
uttarÄyÄ hato garbha
Ä«Å›enÄjÄ«vitaḥ punaḥ
Å›aunakaḥ uvÄca - the sage Åšaunaka said; aÅ›vatthÄmna - of AÅ›vatthÄmÄ (the son of Droṇa); upasṛṣá¹ena - by release of; brahma-śīrá¹£á¹‡Ä - the invincible weapon, brahmÄstra; uru-tejasÄ - by high temperature; uttarÄyÄḥ - of UttarÄ (mother of ParÄ«ká¹£it); hataḥ - being spoiled; garbhaḥ - womb; Ä«Å›ena - by the Supreme Lord; ÄjÄ«vitaḥ - brought to life; punaḥ - again.
The sage Åšaunaka said: The womb of UttarÄ, mother of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, was spoiled by the dreadful and invincible brahmÄstra weapon released by AÅ›vatthÄmÄ. But MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it was saved by the Supreme Lord.
The sages assembled in the forest of Naimiá¹£Äraṇya inquired from SÅ«ta GosvÄmÄ« about the birth of MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, but in the course of the narration other topics like the release of the brahmÄstra by the son of Droṇa, his punishment by Arjuna, Queen KuntÄ«devī’s prayers, the PÄṇá¸avas’ visit to the place where BhÄ«á¹£madeva was lying, his prayers and thereafter the Lord’s departure for DvÄrakÄ were discussed. His arrival at DvÄrakÄ and residing with the sixteen thousand queens, etc., were narrated. The sages were absorbed in hearing such descriptions, but now they wanted to turn to the original topic, and thus the inquiry was made by Åšaunaka Ṛṣi. So the subject of the release of the brahmÄstra weapon by AÅ›vatthÄmÄ is renewed.
