Shloka 51
इत्युच्य देव॑ स तु सव्यसाची नमस्कृत्वा ब्रह्मणे सोडमितात्मा । तदुत्तमं ब्राह्ममसहामस्त्र प्रादुक्षक्रे मनसा यद् विधेयम्
ity ucyā deva sa tu savyasācī namaskṛtvā brahmaṇe so 'mitātmā | tad uttamaṁ brāhmam asahām astraṁ prāduṣcakre manasā yad vidheyam ||
Sañjaya dit : Ayant ainsi parlé, Savyasācin Arjuna—l’archer ambidextre, à l’âme sans bornes—s’inclina avec vénération devant Brahmā. Puis il fit apparaître l’arme suprême et irrésistible de Brahmā, le Brahmāstra, qui ne doit être employé que par la seule puissance de l’esprit. Ce moment souligne que, même dans la guerre, les forces les plus redoutables s’appellent avec retenue, respect et discipline intérieure, non par simple fureur.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint in the use of overwhelming power: even the most destructive weapon is invoked with reverence (bowing to Brahmā) and controlled inner discipline (mental employment), implying that force must remain governed by dharma and prescribed limits.
After speaking, Arjuna pays homage to Brahmā and then brings forth the Brahmāstra—described as supreme and irresistible—whose activation is performed mentally, signaling a decisive escalation in the battle while emphasizing controlled, rule-bound deployment.