Shloka 16
Brahmāstra-pratisaṃhāraḥ, Parīkṣit-nāmakaraṇam, Nagarotsava-varṇanam
Withdrawal of the Brahmāstra; Naming of Parīkṣit; Description of Civic Festivities
श्रुत्वा स तस्या विपुलं विलापं पुरुषर्षभ: । उपस्पृश्य ततः कृष्णो ब्रह्मास्त्रं प्रत्यसंहरत्,उसका महान् विलाप सुनकर पुरुषोत्तम श्रीकृष्णने आचमन करके अभश्वत्थामाके चलाये हुए ब्रह्मास्त्रको शान्त कर दिया
śrutvā sa tasyā vipulaṃ vilāpaṃ puruṣarṣabhaḥ | upaspṛśya tataḥ kṛṣṇo brahmāstraṃ pratyasaṃharat |
श्रुत्वा तस्या विपुलं विलापं पुरुषर्षभः । उपस्पृश्य ततः कृष्णो ब्रह्मास्त्रं प्रत्यसंहरत् ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic restraint: even the most formidable force (Brahmāstra) must be checked when it threatens the blameless. Kṛṣṇa’s composed, ritualized action models disciplined power used for protection rather than retaliation.
After hearing a woman’s anguished lament—arising from the danger posed by Aśvatthāman’s Brahmāstra—Kṛṣṇa performs ācamana and then neutralizes/withdraws the Brahmāstra, preventing its destructive effect.