Shloka 6
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
विसृष्टस्य रणे तस्य परमास्त्रस्य संग्रहे । अशक्तः पाण्डवादन्य: साक्षादपि शतक्रतु:
visṛṣṭasya raṇe tasya paramāstrasya saṅgrahe | aśaktaḥ pāṇḍavād anyaḥ sākṣād api śatakratuḥ ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Cuando aquel misil supremo fue soltado en la batalla, ningún otro entre los Pāṇḍava tuvo el poder de retirarlo y reabsorberlo; en verdad, ni siquiera Śatakratu (Indra) podía hacerlo. El pasaje subraya la grave responsabilidad que acompaña a las armas divinas: una vez desatadas, su retorno es extraordinariamente difícil, y sólo un maestro en destreza y contención puede impedir su curso devastador.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that the use of supreme weapons demands exceptional restraint: releasing a divine missile is easy compared to recalling it, and true mastery lies in the ability to control and withdraw destructive power.
Vaiśampāyana remarks that once the supreme weapon was discharged in battle, recalling it was beyond everyone’s capacity—so difficult that even Indra is said to be unable—implying that only Arjuna had the skill to withdraw it after release.