War Weapons (2): Astras (Introduction)

Astras are divine, celestial weapons that are incredible in nature. Some astras are given distinct names after particular devas. These are unique in name as well as in character. They are used only one at a time. They are mystical and devoid of fixed form. They were not easily available. They could be obtained only with tremendous effort. They had to be used judiciously. Humans could only use these divine weapons owned and granted by celestials or sages.

Nītiprakāśikā provides an elaborate list of these weapons under the divisions of muktāmuktāyudhas and mantramuktāyudhas^[1]. The muktāmuktayudhas are further classified into the sopasaṃhāra and upasaṃhāra types and in general they are termed as saṃhāra weapons.

The story about the origin of weapons in general including the saṃhāra weapons is narrated by Brahmā to Pṛthu. According to this narration–

(i) Asi or Khaḍga was created by Brahmā specifically and independently for vanquishing the evil-doers (Nītiprakāśikā I. 42ab):

³⁴ The list of mantramuktāyudhas in their two divisions as sopasaṃhāra and upasaṃhāra given in the Nītiprakāśikā is almost identical with the list given by the Rāmāyaṇa in the Bālakāṇḍa when Viśvāmitra gave these missiles to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. A table comparing them is given as Appendix III.

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(ii) The thirty-two śastras (discussed in the previous section III. 1) were created out of the bones of sage Dadhīci (Nītiprakāśikā II. 56):

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(iii) The saṃhāra weapons were born as children to the two wives of sage Bhṛśāśva, Jayā and Suprabhā.

Jayā got a boon from Brahmā whereby she gave birth to śastras and astras; Suprabhā also became the mother of fifty missiles (Nītiprakāśikā 43-5):

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The text further adds that saṃhāra weapons are invincible and powerful; some of them, which are originally śastras become astras when they are infused with the power of mantras and the respective gods (Nītiprakāśikā I. 46):

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The commentary on this explains the term saṃhāra as that which thwarts the weapons of the enemies–

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Tattvavivṛti further draws support from Mantramahodadhi which states the same as–[...] and explains that by the use of mantras, the śastras turn into astras. This happens because of the power of the devatā invoked by the mantra and not on its own.

Because of this potency of the mantra even a piece of grass becomes powerful enough to dispel the effects of mighty weapons:

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With this preamble given in the first sarga of Nītiprakāśikā, the second sarga, entitled ‘Dhanurvedaviveka Kathana’, deals with enumeration and description of the thirty two śastras (beginning with Dhanus) and the enumeration of the saṃhāra weapons divided into two groups as sopasaṃhāra and upasaṃhāra weapons (totalling hundred).

Before looking into the list of saṃhāra weapons, an interesting observation is recorded here–Both Oppert and V.R.R.Dikshitar give the division of saṃhāra weapons as–Sopasaṃhāras 44 and Upasaṃhāras 55 (together falling under the category of Muktāmuktāyudhas) and the Mantramuktāyudhas 6. But, the commentary makes it clear in the second sarga (on verses37-9) that Jayā, the elder wife of sage Bhṛśāśva produced fifty weapons (śastras and astras)–the 44 Sopasaṃhāras and the 6 Mantramuktāyudhas; Suprabhā, the younger one gave birth to all the Upasaṃhāra weapons totalling fifty.

Oppert and V.R.R.Dikshitar seem to have wrongly included the Asurāstrās (demonic weapons)–Kaṅkāla, Mausala, Kāpila, Kaṅkaṇa and paiśāca to the list of Upasaṃhāra weapons.

The commentary in its avatarikā to verse 35 explains that earlier forty four astras were given as Sopasaṃhāras. Now Upasaṃhāra astras number forty nine.

It explains that five astras among them have the power to nullify the effects of the five asurāstras:

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Thus the five Asurāstras get overpowered by–Satyavān, Sarvadamana, Kāmarūpa, Yogandhara and Alakṣya–the astras which fall into the group of the forty nine upasaṃhārās.

The text on this reads (Nītiprakāśikā II. 35-6):

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The commentary further adds that these asurāstras are created by Maya, Śambara, Mārīca, Vidyujjihvā and Indrajit.

The commentary also gives the information that Suprabhā, the second wife of sage Bhṛśāśva, with forethought gave birth to the five missiles that could demolish the five asurāstras besides those that would be created:

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Concluding the list of upasaṃhāra astras, the text remarks that including these five powerful astras, there are forty nine in total.

The astra, ‘sarvamocana’ ‘redeemer of all’, the last and great (mahān) son of Suprabhā is also added to the list (verses 37-8):

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Thus the forty nine upasaṃhāra astras and the sarvamocana astra total to fifty as they are recorded as the sons of Suprabhā.

In the avatārikā on II. 39, the commentator says that by enlisting these six the sons of Jayā, first wife of sage Bhṛśāśva being fifty gets covered:

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In other words, the sopasaṃhāra astras counting forty four getting added to the six mantramukta astras should form the fifty sons of Jayā.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The list of mantramuktāyudhas in their two divisions as sopasaṃhāra and upasaṃhāra given in the Nītiprakāśikā is almost identical with the list given by the Rāmāyaṇa in the Bālakāṇḍa when Viśvāmitra gave these missiles to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. A table comparing them is given as Appendix III.