Shloka 10

Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon

Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15

Devanagari script

सत्यव्रतधर: शूरो ब्रह्मचारी च पाण्डव: | गुरुवर्ती च तेनास्त्रं संजहारार्जुन: पुन:

Transliteration

satyavratadharaḥ śūro brahmacārī ca pāṇḍavaḥ | guruvartī ca tenāstraṃ saṃjahārārjunaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Arjuna—vị anh hùng Pāṇḍava—kiên trì giữ lời thệ chân thật, nghiêm cẩn trong tiết chế brahmacarya, và vâng theo mệnh lệnh của thầy; vì thế chàng lại thu hồi và gọi vũ khí ấy trở về. Câu kệ nhấn mạnh rằng ngay giữa chiến tranh, việc dùng quyền lực vẫn phải được dẫn dắt bởi tự chủ đạo đức và lòng trung tín với giới nguyện cùng lời chỉ dạy của guru.

Word by Word

• सत्यव्रतधरः: bearer of a true vow
• सत्यव्रतधरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यव्रतधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूरः: heroic, brave
• शूरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate student; one observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुवर्ती: obedient to the teacher; acting according to the guru
• गुरुवर्ती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुवर्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तेन: therefore; by that (reason)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संजहार: withdrew, recalled, drew back
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍava
• astra (divine weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power must be governed by dharma: truthfulness, self-restraint, and obedience to rightful guidance (guru/authority) determine when a weapon should be used or withdrawn.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, characterized by vows of truth and disciplined conduct, follows his teacher’s instruction and therefore retracts/recalls the invoked weapon (astra) again.