Shloka 20
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
अस्त्रमस्त्रेण तु रणे तव संशमयिष्यता । विसृष्टमर्जुनेनेदं पुनश्न प्रतिसंहृतम्
astram astreṇa tu raṇe tava saṁśamayīṣyatā | visṛṣṭam arjunenedam punaś ca pratisaṁhṛtam ||
ヴィヤーサは言った。「この武器をアルジュナが戦のただ中で放ったのは、汝の武器を己の武器によって鎮め、無力化するためにほかならぬ。いまやその目的を果たしたゆえ、彼は再びそれを引き戻したのだ。」
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, righteous conduct requires proportionality and restraint: a weapon may be used to neutralize a threat, but once the danger is checked it should be withdrawn rather than pursued for needless destruction.
Vyāsa explains that Arjuna discharged his astra specifically to counter and calm the opponent’s astra on the battlefield, and then recalled his own weapon after accomplishing that purpose.