Shloka 13
Chapter 14: Divyāstra-Prayoga and Ṛṣi Intervention (दिव्यास्त्रप्रयोगः ऋषिसमागमश्च)
तौ मुनी सर्वधर्मज्ञौ सर्वभूतहितैषिणौ । दीप्तयोरस्त्रयोर्म ध्ये स्थितो परमतेजसौ
tau munī sarvadharmajñau sarvabhūtahitaiṣiṇau | dīptayor astrayor madhye sthito paramatejasau ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Those two sages, knowing the whole of dharma and devoted to the welfare of all beings, stood between the two blazing weapons—radiant with supreme splendor—so as to pacify the two heroes, Aśvatthāmā and Arjuna. The scene underscores that even amid apocalyptic force, the highest authority is restraint guided by dharma and compassion for all life.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when destructive power is unleashed, dharma expresses itself as restraint and universal compassion. The sages’ act of standing between blazing astras symbolizes moral authority that prioritizes the welfare of all beings over victory or vengeance.
In the aftermath of the night massacre, Aśvatthāmā and Arjuna are poised in a deadly exchange of astras. Two supremely radiant sages, described as knowers of dharma and benefactors of all creatures, position themselves between the weapons to calm the warriors and prevent catastrophic harm.