Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.7.55
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesIntelligence in Understanding the Lord’s Intention
“Sūta Gosvāmī said: Just then Arjuna could understand the motive of the Lord by His equivocal orders, and thus with his sword he severed both hair and jewel from the head of Aśvatthāmā.”
What the purport teaches
- Arjuna understood the Lord’s intention through His apparently conflicting orders. With his sword, he removed Aśvatthāmā’s hair and jewel.
- Contradictory orders could not all be carried out literally, so Arjuna used his sharp intelligence to choose a compromise. This was as good as cutting off Aśvatthāmā’s head, while preserving his life.
- Aśvatthāmā was twice-born, but he had fallen from that position. Therefore, he was properly punished.
Try this today
Reread Kṛṣṇa’s orders and Arjuna’s response today, noting how Arjuna preserved life while carrying out punishment.
Ask yourself
Do I look carefully for the intention behind guidance, rather than stopping at an apparent contradiction?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.