Questions tagged [weapon]
For questions about Astra (Sanskrit: अस्त्र), a divine/supernatural weapon like Brahmaastra, Trishul, Sudarshana Chakra etc.
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Was Vasishtha's Brahmadanda a weapon or was it an embodiment of a Brahmin's Tapas?
"danda" just means stick - so it is unlikely that it was a weapon. So when vishwamitra attacked vasishtha - did Vasishtha just use his stick to focus the power of his tapas to repel ...
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1answer
92 views
Where can I find the details about the weapons that kshatriyas had at olden times?
Are there any Vedas, Puranas, or holy scripts that contain their descriptions?
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65 views
Durga Devi's Weapon that killed Mahishasura?
The Legend of Durga , slaying the demon Mahisha talks about that the gods combined their energies (shakti) into the female form of Durga, a fierce manifestation of the Goddess (Devi). She received all ...
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2answers
192 views
The other bow of Shiva - Ajagava
Lord Shiva had 2 bows - Pinaka and Ajagava. There are few stories associated with the first bow Pinaka like Sita swayamvar.
Are there any distinct stories/incidents associated with Ajagava that have ...
3
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1answer
135 views
Was Vibhishana powerful?
We all know that Vibhishana was a Brahmin-Daitya/Brahmin-Rakshasa and was an ardent follower of Lord Rama. But I think he didn't kill even a single person in the Rama-Ravana war. So, in my view, he ...
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413 views
What was Karna's Nagastra?
In the Mahabharat there is an incident between the final encounter of Arjuna and Karna where Karna used his Nagastra against Arjuna.
The Suta's son then fixed on his bow-string that foe-killing, ...
4
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1answer
136 views
Are Itihasas and Puranas the only classes of scripture in which celestial weapons are used?
Ramayana, Mahabharata and many Puranas relate conflicts in which Divyastras like Brahmastra get used.
Do these weapons occur in earlier scriptures like Vedas and Brahmanas or any scriptures written ...
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76 views
Why is the bow regarded as the foremost of weapons?
In this section of the Mahabharata, Nakula says:
The bow, O grandsire, is regarded as the foremost of weapons in this world.
My question is, what reason does the Mahabharata give for the bow being ...
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2answers
113 views
What are the specific qualities of Lord Shiva's trishul?
Does any epic or purana describes about Lord Shiva's trishul briefly? Specially Shiva Purana & Mahabharata, if I'm not wrong, Upamanyu had described something about Shiva's trishul to Lord Krishna ...
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1answer
256 views
How powerful was Brahmastra? [duplicate]
There's a weapon discussed in Mahabharata called Brahmastra. Maybe Bhishma and Drona had this weapon.
How powerful was it? If any person used it, would it destroy whole world? Was there any technique/...
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78 views
Are there any dedicated Scriptures, that explain these various weapons, vyuhs and war tactics in details?
As I am reading through the Mahabharata (currently on the Drona Parva), I am truly amazed by the amount of details of war that are mentioned.
The types and varieties of weapons are mind-blowing, ...
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177 views
Who gave Vajra or thunderbolt to Indra - Dadhichi or Usana?
In puranas Dadhichi is primarily known for sacrificing his life so the Devas, or benevolent celestial beings, could make the weapon called "Vajra" from his bones. After being driven out from Svarga, ...
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3answers
818 views
Primary weapon of kalki
Many of the avatars of Vishnu that has happened, who were supposed to kill someone or destroy something has some kind of primary weapons.
Though they all can use various kinds of weapons, but had one ...
3
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1answer
2k views
When paramatma can control souls why does he need various weapons?
When paramatma can control his own souls why does he fight with weapons ?
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4answers
629 views
How knowledge of weapons (shastra) शस्त्र got lost?
How did the knowledge of great weapons like Bramhastra got lost in Hinduism tradition? As can be seen in Ramayan and Mahabharat, Gurus used to give knowledge of weapons to their shishya which were ...
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3answers
652 views
Did anyone ever receive Lord Shiva's Trishul as a boon?
In Hindu mythology,different weapons have been received from Lord Shiva.But I was wondering if there is any mention of anyone receiving Lord Shiva's Trishul as a boon.
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2answers
879 views
What is the significance of PAsha and Ankusha?
What is the importance PAsha and Ankusha in Devi's hands?
I didn't see these in Sri Parvathi's hands, as Sri Parvathi either holding Kumara in one hand and Lotus in another hand, when along with ...
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Why is the holding of Chakra different in different images of Vishnu
In northern parts of India, Sri Vishnu holds Sudarshana Chakra on His forefinger. But in the Southern parts of India, He is seen holding the chakra within two fingers (as seen in the enclosed images).
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85 views
Has any Asura or Rakshasa destroyed a city with an Astra, like the Brahmastra?
It is recorded in the Puranas and Itihasas that Krishna and Shiva destroyed some cities, like Kashi and Tripura respectively, with astras and other celestial weapons.
My question is, has any Asura (...
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1answer
138 views
Do Hindu scriptures allow the use of weapons of mass destruction like the Brahmastra to annihilate the civilian population of a foreign country?
In the Mahabharata, Krishna destroyed the city Kashi with his Sudarshana Chakra.
Is the use of Brahmastras and other celestial Astras, akin to weapons of mass destruction, to destroy entire cities ...
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56 views
Could anybody learn the secrets of celestial weapons? [duplicate]
I think there is some condemnation of Drona the Brahmin for encroaching on the realm of warriors. Is there a prohibition on non-Kshatriyas learning those weapons?
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1answer
69 views
Which weapon did a lot of actual damage from a single use?
The big name weapons like Brahmastra are often neutralized by the same or similar weapon. When was the most damage inflicted by a single use of a weapon?
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1answer
112 views
Was the “yawning weapon” used in the Banasura war used on any other occasion in any scripture?
The "yawning weapon", which was used during Banasura war, has to be one of the strangest weapons mentioned in scriptures.
Was it used on any other occasions?
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2answers
336 views
Is the roudra weapon really the same weapon as the pashupata weapon?
As I know, when Arjuna did penance to Indra, Shiva referred to the pashupata weapon as "roudra" but also as a pashupata, implying that it is another name of the weapon according to Shiva:
'"O great ...
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3answers
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Why don't the Vanaras use weapons?
I want to know why the Vanara never used weapons such as swords, bows, chakras, clubs, etc., since it has always been shown in Valmiki Ramayana that the Vanara as Hanuman and Sugriva used wrestling, ...
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73 views
How was the succession sequence of the Sudarshana Chakra among the avatars of Vishnu?
I know that the Sudarshana Chakra is one of the most powerful weapons in Hinduism, just as I know that it is associated with Vishnu along with being the weapon that he used the most.
But I want to ...
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0answers
42 views
Vaataakarshanashtra (वाताकर्षणास्त्र - a weapon which removes air or O2 from atmosphere)
Shree Navanathas are described to possess Vaataakarshana Astra (वाताकर्षणास्त्र - a weapon which removes air or O2 from atmosphere) in 'Shree Navanath Kathaasaar'.
But I didn't come across any ...
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1answer
748 views
What are the bows of the warriors of the Mahabharata? [closed]
I want to know what were the names of the bows of the warriors of the Mahabharata, their abilities and how they got them
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1answer
492 views
What is the story of Vijaya bow?
Who was the original owner of Vijaya bow?
However it is wielded by Indra Dev, Parashurama and Karna. Who created this bow?
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328 views
A Time Bomb placed in Patal lok
In 99th Adhyay of Udhyog-Parv of Mahabharat.
When Krishna went to Hastinapur as a peace delegate.
In the assembly of Hastinapur, Devrishi Narad told a story about his visit to Patal-Lok with Matli (...
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1answer
636 views
Significance of weapons in Vishnu's Chaturvyuha avatars
I read somewhere that the combination of weapons in the four hands of Vishnu's chaturvyuha avatars results in 4 factorial or 24 combinations of Vishnu's tattvas but what do each of these signify?
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2answers
507 views
When did Vishnu destroy trident of Shiva?
Vishnu Sahasranama stotram consist of thousand names of Lord Vishnu. The most popular one is from Anushasana parva of Mahabharata which was said by Bhishma to Yudhishtira. But there are other versions ...
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107 views
Information on list of Sri Vishnu's weapons requested
Sri Madhvacharya, the propagator of Dvaita siddanta and the Brahma sampradaya, has authored a book called TantrasArasaMgraha.
In the same book, under adhyAya 4, verse 18-20, Sri Madhvacharya lists ...
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253 views
Gayatri mantras of Sri Vishnu's weapons
The commonly known weapons of Sri Vishnu are five in number - Panchajanya, Sudarshana, Sharanga, Nandaki and Koumodaki. Among the above 5, the Gayatri mantra of the first 2 are used in Pooja vidhana. ...
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141 views
What is the story of Vishwakarma creating the Saunanda mace used by Balrama?
The Markandeya Puran Section 1.11.5 mentions the following story:
There lives a highly powerful and fierce Danava in Rasatala. He makes the earth yawn and therefore he is called Kujrimbha. Whatever ...
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1answer
211 views
Mentioning of firearms or cannons in Hinduism Scriptures?
The two wikipedia articles says
The earliest known depiction of cannon appeared in Song
dynasty China as early as the 12th century, however solid
archaeological and documentary evidence of ...
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1answer
514 views
Any connection between Brahmastra and Brahmadanda?
I was reading an article here that states:
Brahmastra (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मास्त्र, Brahmāstra) was a weapon created
by the creator Brahma, for the purpose of upholding Dharma and Satya
(truth). ...
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4answers
800 views
Did Vishnu ever use his mace Kaumodaki?
He used the Chakra a lot and also his bow. I can't think of an occasion when he used his mace either as himself or an avatar.
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458 views
Source and location and authenticity of below mentioned verses about a weapon of Mahabaratha
There are a lot of posts on the internet claiming that nuclear weapons were mentioned in Mahabaratha and were used in war.
1) Please link to the verses which mention nuclear or similar weapons ...
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1answer
760 views
Manthra of Asthras
In ancient Indian warfare Sastras and Astras were used. Sastra is a physical weapon that cuts/injures/kills/enemy while an Astra has a mantra associated with its use (projection).
What records do we ...
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1answer
825 views
Which verses from Gita were referred by J Robert Oppenheimer (the father of atomic bomb)?
Julius Robert Oppenheimer was the son of a German Jewish migrant to USA. Under his supervision, the Manhattan project was carried, which ultimately resulted in first modern nuclear weapons. Eventually ...
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1answer
2k views
Which scriptures describe about Bhima and Hanuman's Gada (club or blunt mace)?
Is there any scriptures which describes about the name, size, weight of their Gada? And how they got them?
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1answer
167 views
Was there any warrior who never used celestial wepons?
We know that most of the warriors used some kind of celestial weapons i.e. astra/shastra.
Was there any warrior who fought on his own power? I mean the power created by himself and not acquired from ...
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838 views
Who is Vijayavalli, wife of the Sudarshana Chakra?
I just performed a Griha Pravesam, the Hindu house warming ceremony, and I noticed an interesting Mantra that the priest chanted. The Mantra, which I assume was from the Pancharatra Agamas, was ...
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0answers
134 views
Does Rig Veda talk about Vishnu using weapons?
There is very little anthropomorphic description of Vishnu in the Rig Veda. He assists Indra in his battles, but it is not clear if he himself is depicted as fighting.
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131 views
What are 36 kinds of weapons & tactics of the war?
In Shiv Rahasya on 11th chapters Lord Shiva giving commandments to Kaliyuga people. Here is characteristics of a King.
The King shall favour peace above war. He shall not start a war without just ...
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581 views
Did Lord Krishna stop the knowledge of Divya-astras from coming to Kali-yuga?
Did Lord Krishna stop the knowledge of Divya-astras from coming to kali-yuga?
If yes, please provide the scriptural reference.
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1answer
2k views
Did Arjuna really lose his powers after departure of Shri Krishna? [duplicate]
According to Mausala Parva: Section 8, Arjuna says to Vaishampayana rishi:
In my very sight, O Brahmana, thousands of Vrishni ladies were carried away by the Abhiras of the country of the five ...
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2answers
1k views
Where did Lord Shiva's trident come from?
Where did it actually come from? I have many stories from many friends about how Lord Shiva's trident came. But I want to know the real way that it had formed.
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0answers
60 views
Sequence of weapons in Vishnu's hands [duplicate]
I have seen idols of Lord Vishnu having the Shankh, Chakra, Gada,Padma(Lotus) at different locations of 4 hands. Are there any logic,myth behind it ? Which position is true and original?
