40. ARJUNA RECEIVES PAASHUPATA ASTRA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > KAIRAATA PARVA > CHAPTER 40 - ARJUNA RECEIVES PAASHUPATA ASTRA

“Devadeva said, ‘You were in your former life Nara, the friend of Naaraayana. In Badari (present-day Badrinath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand state, India), you were engaged in fierce Tapas for several thousands of years. In you as well as in Vishnu – that first of beings (Purushottma in Sanskrit) – dwells great might. You both, by your might (Tejas in Sanskrit), hold the universe; O lord, taking up that fierce bow whose twang resembled the deep roar of the clouds, you, as well as (Sri) Krishna, punished the Daanavaas during the coronation of Shakra (Lord Indra). This Gaandeeva is that bow, O Paarthaa (Arjuna), fit for your hands. O foremost of beings (Purushasttama in Sanskrit), I snatched it from you, helped by my powers of illusion (Maayaa in Sanskrit). This couple of arrow baskets, fit for you, will again be inexhaustible, O Paarthaa! O son of the Kuru race, your body will be free from pain and disease. Your prowess is incapable of being baffled (Satya Paraakrama in Sanskrit). I have been pleased with you. O first of beings (Purushottama in Sanskrit), you ask of me the boon that you desire. O punisher of all enemies, O giver of proper respect, (to those deserving it) not even in heaven is there any being who is equal to you, nor any Kshatriya who is your superior.’

“Arjuna said, ‘O Bhagawan having the bull for your sign (Lord Shiva), if You will grant me my desire, I ask of You, O lord that fierce divine weapon (Divyaastra in Sanskrit) wielded by You and called Brahmashira – that weapon of terrific prowess (Bhima Paraakramam in Sanskrit) which destroys, at the end of the Yuga the entire universe – that weapon by the help of which, O Mahadeva, I may under Your grace, obtain victory in the terrible conflict which shall take place between myself (on one side), and Karna and Bhishma and Kripa and Drona (on the other) – that weapon by which I may consume in battle Daanavaas, Raakshasas, evil spirits (Bhoota in Sanskrit), Pishaachaas, Gandharvas and Nagas – that weapon which when hurled with Mantras produces arrows by thousands and fierce-looking maces and arrows like snakes of deadly poison, and by means of which I may fight with Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Karna of ever abusive tongue, O illustrious destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga (Lord Shiva), this is my foremost desire, viz., that I may be able to fight with them and obtain success.’

“Bhava replied, ‘O powerful one (Arjuna), I will give to you that favourite weapon of mine called the Paashupata. O Paandavaa, you are capable of holding, hurling, and withdrawing it. Neither the chief of Devas Himself (Lord Indra), nor Yama, nor the king of the Yakshas (Kubera), nor Varuna, nor Vayu, knows it. How could men know anything of it? But, O Paarthaa, this weapon should not be hurled without adequate cause; for if hurled at any enemy of little might (Tejas in Sanskrit) it may destroy the whole universe. In the three worlds with all their mobile and immobile creatures, there is none who is incapable of being slain by this weapon. It may be hurled by the mind, by the eye, by words, and by the bow.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Hearing these words, the Paarthaa (Arjuna) purified himself. Approaching the lord of the universe with fixed attention, he said, ‘Instruct me!’ Mahadeva then imparted to that best of Paanadavaas the knowledge of that weapon looking like the embodiment of Yama, together with all the mysteries about hurling and withdrawing it. That weapon from that time began to wait upon Arjuna as it did upon Shankara (Lord Shiva), the lord of (Devi) Uma. Arjuna also gladly accepted it. At the moment the whole earth, with its mountains, woods, trees, seas, forests, villages, towns and mines, trembled. The sounds of conchs (Shankha in Sanskrit), drums (Dundubhi in Sanskrit) and trumpets (Beri in Sanskrit) by thousands began to be heard. At that moment hurricanes and whirlwinds began to blow. Devas and Daanavaas saw that terrible weapon in its embodied form stay by the side of Arjuna of immeasurable energy. Whatever of evil (Ashubham in Sanskrit) there had been in the body of Phaalguna (Arjuna) of immeasurable energy was all dispelled by the touch of the three-eyed deity (Lord Shiva). The three-eyed Deva (Lord Shiva) then commanded Arjuna, saying, ‘You go into heaven (Swargam in Sanskrit).’ Arjuna then, O king (Janamejaya), worshipping the Deva with bent head, gazed at Him with joined hands. Then the lord of all the dwellers of heaven, the deity of blazing splendour having His abode on (Kailaasa) mountain, the husband of (Devi) Uma, the god of passions under complete control (Lord Shiva), the source of all blessings, Bhava gave to Arjuna, that foremost of men, the great bow called Gaandeeva, destructive of Daanavaas and Pishaachaas. Eeshwara, then leaving that blessed mountain with snowy plateaus, vales and caves, favourite resort of sky-travelling Maharishis, went up, accompanied by (Devi) Uma into the skies, in the sight of that foremost of men (Arjuna).’”