Shloka 12
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
अशक्तः प्रतिसंहारे परमास्त्रस्य संयुगे । द्रौणिदीनमना राजन् द्वैपधायनमभाषत
aśaktaḥ pratisaṃhāre paramāstrasya saṃyuge | drauṇidīnamanā rājan dvaipadhāyanam abhāṣata ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: أيها الملك، في خضمّ القتال، لما عجز أشفَتّامان عن سحب السلاح السماوي الأسمى الذي أطلقه وعن إيقافه، استولى عليه كمدٌ في باطنه. ثم، وقلبه مضطرب، خاطب فياسا (دْفايبايانا) قائلاً هكذا.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights moral accountability in warfare: deploying overwhelming power without the capacity (or discipline) to restrain it leads to anguish and danger. It implies that true dharma includes foresight, self-control, and seeking wise guidance when one’s actions threaten wider harm.
During the aftermath of the night massacre, Aśvatthāman has invoked a supreme celestial weapon but cannot perform its withdrawal (pratisaṃhāra). Distressed, he turns to the sage Vyāsa (Dvaipāyana) and speaks to him, indicating a crisis caused by an uncontrollable weapon in the battlefield context.