Shloka 18
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
'पाण्डवोंके विनाशका संकल्प लेकर छोड़ा गया यह दिव्यास्त्र आज समस्त पाण्डुपुत्रोंकी जीवनशून्य कर देगा ।।
kṛtaṃ pāpam idaṃ brahman roṣāviṣṭena cetasā | vadham āśāsya pārthānāṃ mayāstraṃ sṛjatā raṇe ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच— ब्रह्मन्, रोषाविष्टेन चेतसा पार्थानां वधमाशास्य रणे मयास्त्रं सृजता कृतं पापमिदं महत्। पाण्डवविनाशसंकल्पेन विसृष्टं दिव्यमेतदस्त्रमद्य पाण्डुसुतान् सर्वान् प्राणशून्यान् करिष्यति।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that actions driven by anger and the wish to exterminate others—even in war—carry moral culpability. It frames the discharge of a powerful weapon as pāpa because the motive is wrathful vengeance rather than righteous duty.
In the Sauptika episode’s aftermath, the speaker reports a confession-like admission: a combatant has released an astra on the battlefield with the intention of killing the Pārthas (Pandavas), and recognizes the act as a grave sin born of rage.