TEXT 55
suta uvaca
arjunah sahasajnaya
harer hardam athasina
manim jahara murdhanyam
dvijasya saha-murdhajam
SYNONYMS
sutahSuta Gosvami; uvacasaid; arjunahArjuna; sahasajust at that time; ajnayaknowing it; harehof the Lord; hardammotive; athathus; asinaby the sword; manimthe jewel; jaharaseparated; murdhanyamon the head; dvijasyaof the twice-born; sahawith; murdhajamhairs.
TRANSLATION
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 Asvatthama.
PURPORT
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 Asvatthama. This was as good as cutting off his head, and yet his life was saved for all practical purposes. Here Asvatthama is indicated as twice-born. Certainly he was twice-born, but he fell down from his position, and therefore he was properly punished.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/7/55

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada