sÅ«ta uvÄca
arjunaḥ sahasÄjñÄya
harer hÄrdam athÄsinÄ
maṇiá¹ jahÄra mÅ«rdhanyaá¹
dvijasya saha-mūrdhajam
sÅ«taḥ - SÅ«ta GosvÄmÄ«; uvÄca - said; arjunaḥ - Arjuna; sahasÄ - just at that time; ÄjñÄya - knowing it; hareḥ - of the Lord; hÄrdam - motive; atha - thus; asinÄ - by the sword; maṇim - the jewel; jahÄra - separated; mÅ«rdhanyam - on the head; dvijasya - of the twice-born; saha - with; mÅ«rdhajam - hairs.
Contradictory orders of different persons are impossible to carry out. Therefore a compromise was selected by Arjuna by his sharp intelligence, and he separated the jewel from the head of AÅ›vatthÄmÄ. This was as good as cutting off his head, and yet his life was saved for all practical purposes. Here AÅ›vatthÄmÄ is indicated as twice-born. Certainly he was twice-born, but he fell down from his position, and therefore he was properly punished.