Shloka 53
अजुन उवाच भीम नारायणास्त्रे मे गोषु च ब्राह्मणेषु च । एतेषु गाण्डिवं न्यस्यमेतद्धि व्रतमुत्तमम्,अर्जुन बोले--भैया भीमसेन! नारायणास्त्र, गौ और ब्राह्मण--इनके समक्ष गाण्डीव धनुषको नीचे डाल दिया जाय; यही मेरा उत्तम व्रत है
arjuna uvāca bhīma nārāyaṇāstre me goṣu ca brāhmaṇeṣu ca | eteṣu gāṇḍīvaṁ nyasyam etad dhi vratam uttamam ||
অৰ্জুনে ক’লে— “ভাই ভীম, নাৰায়ণাস্ত্ৰ প্ৰৱৰ্তিত থাকিলে—আৰু গাই আৰু ব্ৰাহ্মণৰ সন্মুখত—মই গাণ্ডীৱ ধনুখন তলত থ’ম। এইয়েই মোৰ সৰ্বোত্তম ব্ৰত।”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid warfare, dharma requires restraint: in the presence of sacred beings (brāhmaṇas) and protected life (cows), and when a divine weapon like the Nārāyaṇa Astra is involved, Arjuna chooses non-aggression—symbolized by laying down the Gāṇḍīva—as a supreme vow.
Arjuna addresses Bhima and declares his resolve that under specific conditions—particularly when the Nārāyaṇa Astra is operative and when cows and brāhmaṇas are present—he will not fight but will set aside his bow, indicating a deliberate pause or withdrawal in obedience to dharmic limits.