Shloka 1
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
अप-#-कात पञ्चदशो<् ध्याय: वेदव्यासजीकी आज्ञासे अर्जुनके द्वारा अपने अस्त्रका उपसंहार तथा अभश्रत्थामाका अपनी मणि देकर पाण्डवोंके गर्भोपर दिव्यास्त्र छोड़ना वैशम्पायन उवाच दृष्टवैव नरशार्दूल तावग्निसमतेजसौ । गाण्डीवधन्वा संचिन्त्य प्राप्तकालं महारथ: । संजहार शरं दिव्यं त्वरमाणो धनंजय:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | dṛṣṭvaiva naraśārdūla tāv agnisamatejasau | gāṇḍīvadhanvā saṃcintya prāptakālaṃ mahārathaḥ | saṃjahāra śaraṃ divyaṃ tvaramāṇo dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Ó tigre entre os homens! Assim que Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna), o grande arqueiro portador do Gāṇḍīva, avistou aqueles dois sábios fulgurantes como o fogo, ponderou sobre o que o momento exigia. Então, com decisão veloz, o grande guerreiro de carro começou a recolher e a conter o seu projétil divino—preferindo o autocontrole oportuno à força desenfreada diante do sagrado.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in extreme conflict, dharma requires sensitivity to context: recognizing sanctity (the presence of sages) and the demands of the moment (prāptakāla), a warrior should restrain destructive power rather than unleash it impulsively.
Arjuna sees two fire-bright sages and, realizing the situation calls for restraint, quickly begins the withdrawal (saṃhāra) of a divine missile he had set in motion or prepared to use.