Text 19] The Son of Drona Punished 341

by his daughter and began to follow her, which infuriated Siva, who
attacked Brahma with his trident. Brahmaji fled in fear of his life. As far
as arka is concerned, there is a reference in the Vamana Purana. There was
a demon by the name Vidyunmali who was gifted with a glowing golden
airplane which travelled to the back of the sun, and night disappeared
because of the glowing effulgence of this plane. Thus the sun-god became
angry, and with his virulent rays he melted the plane. This enraged Lord
Siva. Lord Siva then attacked the sun-god, who fled away and at last fell
down at Kasi (Varanasi), and the place became famous as Lolarka.

TEXT 19

TAMARA «| TATA |
wa waht aa oat RAAT: 112811

yadasaranam atmanam
atk sata sranta-vajinam
astram brahma-siro mene
atma-tranam dvijatma-jah

yada—when; asaranam—without being alternatively protected; dtmanam
—his own self; aiksata—saw; sranta-vajinam—the horses being tired; astram
—weapon; brahma-sirah—the topmost or ultimate (nuclear); mene—applied;
atma-tranam—just to save himself; dvija-atma-jah—the son of a brahmana.

TRANSLATION

When the son of the brahmana [ Asvatthama] saw that his horses were
tired, he considered that there was no alternative for protection outside
his using the ultimate weapon, the brahmstra [nuclear weapon].

PURPORT

In the ultimate issue only, when there is no other alternative, the
nuclear weapon called the brahmastra is applied. The word dvijatma-jah is
significant here because Asvatthama, although the son of Dronacarya, was
not exactly a qualified brahmana. The most intelligent man is called a
brahmana, and it is not an hereditary title. ASvatthama was also formerly
called the brahma-bandhu or the friend of a brahmana. Being a friend of a
brahmana does not mean that one is brahmana by qualification. A friend
