SB 1.7.55

Synonyms

sūtaḥ — Śrī Sūta; uvāca — said; atha — thereupon [anantaram eva²⁰⁸]; arjunaḥ — Arjuna; sahasā — immediately; ājñāya — understood [jñātvā²⁰⁹]; hārdam — the heart [or the intent (abhiprāyam)]; hareḥ — of Hari, Kṛṣṇa [that to do both was not impossible, since this is what He had ordained (na hy aśakyam ubhayaṁ vidadhyāt), therefore, Arjuna determined that this is what he must do (ataeva mayā kartavyam iti niścitety arthaḥ)]; asinā — [and] with his sword [khaḍgena²¹⁰]; jahāra — cut off [cicheda]; maṇim — the gem; mūrdhanyam — positioned on the head [mūrdhni bhavam]; dvijasya — of the twice-born [Aśvatthāmā]; saha-mūrdhajam — along with his hair [lit., along with that which grows from his head, meaning his hair (mūrdhajāḥ keśās taiḥ sahitam); (sa-keśam)²¹¹]; [In this case, although the two words mūrdhanyam and mūrdhajam refer to objects that are situated on the head, they nonetheless signify the head itself by metaphorical transference of meaning (śira-stham api vastu lakṣaṇayā śirah śabdenocyata iti). Thus to cut off these two objects was to cut off his head (śiraś cheda eva). In the literal sense, however, his head was not to be cut off (abhidhayā tu na śira-cheda iti). In this manner, Aśvatthāmā was both killed and not killed (aśvathāmo vadho’vadhaś ca kṛta ity arthaḥ)].

Translation