Shloka 10
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
सत्यव्रतधर: शूरो ब्रह्मचारी च पाण्डव: | गुरुवर्ती च तेनास्त्रं संजहारार्जुन: पुन:
satyavratadharaḥ śūro brahmacārī ca pāṇḍavaḥ | guruvartī ca tenāstraṃ saṃjahārārjunaḥ punaḥ ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Arjuna—el héroe Pāṇḍava—era firme en el voto de la verdad, disciplinado en la continencia del brahmacarya y obediente al mandato de su maestro; por ello, una vez más retiró y llamó de vuelta aquella arma. El verso subraya que, aun en la guerra, el autocontrol ético y la fidelidad a los votos y a la guía del guru rigen el uso del poder.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power must be governed by dharma: truthfulness, self-restraint, and obedience to rightful guidance (guru/authority) determine when a weapon should be used or withdrawn.
Arjuna, characterized by vows of truth and disciplined conduct, follows his teacher’s instruction and therefore retracts/recalls the invoked weapon (astra) again.