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 ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Arjuna — le héros Pāṇḍava — demeurait fidèle au vœu de vérité, discipliné dans la retenue du brahmacarya et obéissant à l’ordre de son maître ; c’est pourquoi il retira et rappela de nouveau cette arme. Le vers souligne que, même au cœur de la guerre, la maîtrise morale de soi et la fidélé aux vœux comme à la direction du guru gouvernent l’usage de la puissance.
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self-restraint, and obedience to rightful guidance (guru/authority) determine when a weapon should be used or withdrawn.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.