SB 1.7.27 (1964)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 27
Sri Bhagwan Uvacha Bethwa idam drona putrasya brahmam astram pradarshitam Na eva asou veda samharam pranabadha upasthite
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Sri Bhagawan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uvacha—said, Bethwa—just know it from me, Idam—this, Dronaputrasya—of the son of Drona, Brahma-mastram—hymns of brahma weapon (nuclear), Pradrashitam—exhibited, Na—not, Eva—even, Asou—he, Veda—know it, Samaharam—retraction, Pranabadha—extinction of life, Upastithe—being imminent.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said—"just know it from Me that It is an act of the son of Drona by throwing the hymns of nuclear energy (Brahmastra) and the fellow does not know how to retract the glare. He has done it helplessly being afraid of imminent extiction of life.
PURPORT
The Brahmastra is similar to the modern nuclear weapon manipuated by atomic energy. The atomic energy works wholly on total combustibility and so also the Brahmastra also acts. It creates an intolerable heat similar to the atomic radiation but the difference is that atomic bombs are gross type of nuclear weapons, whereas Brahmastra is a subtle type of weapon produced by chanting the relative hymns. It is a different science and in the days gone by such science was cultivated in the land of Bharatvarsa. The subtle science of chanting hymns is also material and it has yet to be known by the modern material scientists. Subtle material science is not spiritual but it has direct relation with spiritual method which is still more subtler. Such a subtle chanter of the hymns did know bothwise namely how to apply the weapon as well as how to retract it. That was perfect knowledge. But the son of Dronacharya 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 a son of a Brahmin he should not have so many mistakes and for such gross negligence of duty he was to be punished by the Lord Himself.