न ह्यस्यान्यतमं किंचिदस्त्रं प्रत्यवकर्शनम् जह्यस्त्रतेज उन्नद्धमस्त्रज्ञो ह्यस्त्रतेजसा
na hy asyānyatamaṁ kiñcid astraṁ praty avakarśanam jahy astra-teja unnaddham astra-jño hy astra-tejasā
Synonyms
na—not; hi—certainly; asya—of it; anyatamam—other; kiñcit—anything; astram—weapon; prati—counter; avakarśanam—reactionary; jahi—subdue it; astra-tejaḥ—the glare of this weapon; unnaddham—very powerful; astra-jñaḥ—O expert in military science; hi—as a matter of fact; astra-tejasā—by the influence of your weapon..
Translation
O Arjuna, only another brahmāstra can counteract this weapon. Since you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon's glare with your own weapon.
Purport
For the atomic bombs there is no counterweapon to neutralize the effects. But by subtle science the action of a brahmāstra can be counteracted, and those who were expert in the military science in those days could counteract the brahmāstra. The son of Droṇācārya did not know the art of counteracting the weapon, and therefore Arjuna was asked to counteract it by the power of his own weapon.