O original Lord, the Supreme Person, you stand beyond the reach of nature and illusion. By the sheer power of your consciousness, you cast aside all delusion and remain ever established in your own Self, one without a second. It is you alone, by your own strength, who bestows the highest good—dharma and all virtues—upon living beings, even as their minds are bewildered by your own māyā. Thus, you have taken birth on this earth, appearing in this incarnation, to relieve the world of its burdens and, again and again, to be the constant object of meditation for your devoted ones. But now, O God of gods, what is this terrible force, and from where does it come? I do not know. From all sides, a blazing and dreadful energy is approaching, threatening everything. The Blessed Lord replied, “Know this to be the Brahmāstra weapon, unleashed by the son of Droṇa. He does not know how to withdraw it, for death is near him. There is no other weapon that can counteract this force; only another Brahmāstra, invoked by one skilled in weapons, can subdue such power.” Hearing these words, Arjuna, the great hero and destroyer of enemies, circumambulated the Lord, touched water for purification, and invoked his own Brahmāstra to counter the weapon hurled by the son of Droṇa. The energies of both weapons, meeting and enveloped by arrows, covered the earth and sky, blazing like the fire of the sun. The burning radiance scorched the three worlds, and all beings, terrified, thought the final fire of destruction had come. Observing the chaos and turmoil among the people, and recalling the instructions of Vāsudeva, Arjuna withdrew both weapons, pacifying the worlds. Then, swiftly approaching the fierce son of Gautamī, whose eyes were red with anger, Arjuna bound him with ropes as one binds a wild animal. As Arjuna dragged the bound enemy, intending to take him to the camp, the lotus-eyed Lord, angered by the crime, addressed Arjuna: “O Pārtha, do not spare this one! Kill this so-called brāhmaṇa, who, though a brāhmaṇa in name, slew innocent, sleeping children at night. One who knows dharma does not kill an enemy who is intoxicated, distracted, insane, asleep, a child, a woman, helpless, surrendered, unarmed, or afraid. But this cruel, compassionless man has destroyed the lives of others for his own gain; such a sinner's death is preferable, for by such acts a man falls down. And you promised Draupadī, in my presence, ‘I will bring you the head of that arrogant slayer of your sons.’ Therefore, let this sinful one be slain—he is an aggressor, a killer of kin, guilty of vile acts displeasing to his master, and has brought disgrace to his lineage.” Though urged by Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, considering the path of dharma, could not bring himself to kill the son of his teacher, even though he was a great offender. Returning to their camp, Arjuna reported to his grieving wife, Draupadī, who mourned her slain sons. Seeing the son of Droṇa brought like an animal, bound with ropes, his face downcast in shame, deprived of his former glory by Kṛṣṇa’s will, Kṛpī, his gentle and compassionate mother, bowed low, overcome with sorrow. Unable to bear the sight of her son bound and dragged, Kṛpī pleaded, “Release him! Release him! He is a brāhmaṇa, truly a guru. The secret science of archery, its use and withdrawal, and the array of weapons—all this you learned from his father by his favor. That venerable Droṇa now remains in the form of his son; half of himself lives on in me, his mother. Therefore, O knower of dharma, O great one, your noble and honored family should not incur infamy by such an act. Let his mother Gautamī, devoted to her husband, not weep as I, with a face wet with tears, have wept for my dead sons. If the brāhmaṇa lineage is angered by unruly kṣatriyas, that lineage quickly destroys them and their kin, even if they are pure.” King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, accepted the queen’s words, which were righteous, impartial, and compassionate. Nakula, Sahadeva, Yuyudhāna, Dhanañjaya, the divine son of Devakī, and many others, both men and women, were present there. But Bhīma, enraged, insisted that death was the proper fate for one who, without cause, killed sleeping children—not for the sake of his master or himself. Hearing the words of Bhīma and Draupadī, the four-armed Lord looked kindly at his friend and spoke with a gentle smile: “A brāhmaṇa, even if an aggressor, should not be killed; yet an aggressor deserves death. I have taught both sides—uphold my instruction. Fulfill the promise you made to Kuru, which you gave to comfort your beloved; and what is dear to Bhīmasena, to Draupadī, and to me as well.” Suddenly perceiving the Lord’s intention, Arjuna took his sword and cut off the jewel, along with the hair, from the head of the twice-born one. Releasing him, still bound and with his brilliance dimmed by the sin of killing a child, deprived of his jewel’s radiance, Arjuna led him out of the camp. Shaving the head, taking away wealth, and expelling from the community—this is the punishment for those who are brāhmaṇa in name only; there is no other. All the Pāṇḍavas, stricken with grief for their sons, together with Kṛṣṇā, performed the necessary rites for the dead, such as carrying out the bodies. At this point, the seventh chapter begins. Śrī Bhagavān said: “What you have asked of me, O greatly fortunate one, is exactly what I wish to do. Brahmā, Śiva, and all the guardians of the worlds desire to dwell in my realm.” Meanwhile, the people flourished in happiness. The loving couple cared for their children, delighting in their cooing and babbling speech. By the gentle touch of their wings, their soft calls, and their charming gestures as the little ones approached, the parents—free from sorrow—felt joy. Yet, their hearts, bound by affection and deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā, became troubled as they nurtured their children and the people around them.