Shloka 19
Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon
Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15
व्यास उवाच अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरस्तात विद्वान् पार्थो धनंजय: । उत्सृष्टवान्न रोषेण न नाशाय तवाहवे,व्यासजीने कहा--तात! कुन्तीपुत्र धनंजय भी तो इस ब्रह्मास्त्रके ज्ञाता हैं; किंतु उन्होंने रोषमें भरकर युद्धमें तुम्हें मारनेके लिये उसे नहीं छोड़ा है
vyāsa uvāca | astraṃ brahmaśirastāta vidvān pārtho dhanaṃjayaḥ | utsṛṣṭavān na roṣeṇa na nāśāya tavāhave ||
ویاس نے کہا— بیٹے! پارتھ دھننجے بھی برہماشیراس اَستر کا جاننے والا ہے؛ مگر اس نے نہ غصّے میں، نہ جنگ میں تمہاری ہلاکت کے لیے اسے چھوڑا ہے۔
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one possesses overwhelming power (a supreme astra), dharma requires restraint: weapons should not be used from anger or for sheer annihilation. Mastery is shown not only by knowledge of weapons but by ethical control over their use.
Vyāsa points out that Arjuna also knows the Brahmaśiras weapon, yet he does not unleash it in rage to destroy his opponent in battle. The statement functions as a moral contrast, implicitly censuring reckless, wrath-driven deployment of catastrophic astras.