SB 1.7.27 The Son of Drona Punished
TEXT 27
sri-bhagavan uvaca
vetthedam drona-putrasya
brahmam astram pradarsitam
naivasau veda samharam
prana-badha upasthite
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uvaca--said; vettha--just know from Me; idam--this; drona-putrasya--of the son of Drona; brahmam astram--hymns of the brahma (nuclear) weapon; pradarsitam--exhibited; na--not; eva--even; asau--he; veda--know it; samharam--retraction; prana-badhe--extinction of life; upasthite--being imminent.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Know from Me that this is the act of the son of Drona. He has thrown the hymns of nuclear energy [brahmastra], and he does not know how to retract the glare. He has helplessly done this, being afraid of imminent death.
The brahmastra is similar to the modern nuclear weapon manipulated by atomic energy. The atomic energy works wholly on total combustibility, and so the brahmastra also acts. It creates an intolerable heat similar to atomic radiation, but the difference is that the atomic bomb is a gross type of nuclear weapon, whereas the brahmastra is a subtle type of weapon produced by chanting hymns. It is a different science, and in the days gone by such science was cultivated in the land of Bharata-varsa. The subtle science of chanting hymns is also material, but it has yet to be known by the modern material scientists. Subtle material science is not spiritual, but it has a direct relationship with the spiritual method, which is still subtler. A chanter of hymns knew how to apply the weapon as well as how to retract it. That was perfect knowledge. But the son of Dronacarya, who made use of this subtle science, did not know how to retract. He applied it, being afraid of his imminent death, and thus the practice was not only improper but also irreligious. As the son of a brahmana, he should not have made so many mistakes, and for such gross negligence of duty he was to be punished by the Lord Himself.
SB 1.7.28
The Son of Drona Punished
TEXT 28
na hy asyanyatamam kincid
astram pratyavakarsanam
jahy astra-teja unnaddham
astra-jno hy astra-tejasa
SYNONYMS
na--not; hi--certainly; asya--of it; anyatamam--other; kincit--anything; astram--weapon; prati--counter; avakarsanam--reactionary; jahi--subdue it; astra-tejah--the glare of this weapon; unnaddham--very powerful; astra-jnah--expert in military science; hi--as a matter of fact; astra-tejasa--by the influence of your weapon.
TRANSLATION
O Arjuna, only another brahmastra can counteract this weapon. Since you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon's glare with the power of your own weapon.
PURPORT
For the atomic bombs there is no counterweapon to neutralize the effects. But by subtle science the action of a brahmastra can be counteracted, and those who were expert in the military science in those days could counteract the brahmastra. The son of Dronacarya did not know the art of counteracting the weapon, and therefore Arjuna was asked to counteract it by the power of his own weapon.
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