Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis)
by S. Anusha | 2016 | 34,012 words
This page relates ‘Popular Astra-prayogas of Ramayana War’ of the study on the Nitiprakasika by Vaisampayana which deals primarily with with Dhanurveda, i.e., the science of war, weapons and military strategies of ancient Indian society. It further contains details on Niti-shastra, i.e., the science of politics and state administration but most verses of the Nitiprakashika deal with the classification and description of different varieties of weapons, based on the four groups of Mukta, Amukta, Muktamukta and Mantramukta.
Popular Astra-prayogas of Rāmāyaṇa War
(a) Rāvaṇa’s Āsura missile shot multitude of arrows.
(b) Rāvaṇa used a weapon made by Maya that shot forth shining spears, maces and nooses.
(c) Rāvaṇa’s Saurāṣṭra gave out large and shining cakras
(d) Rāma’s Raudra, Pāvaka and Gārutmata missiles created multiplicity of arrows.
(e) Indrajit could bindHanumān with his Brahmāstra. He also bound Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with his Nāgāstra.
Missiles countered by other missiles:
| Divine countered by Divine | ||
| Missile | Counter | Instance |
| Āgneyāstra | Āgneyāstra | Lakṣmaṇa countered Atikāya’s astra: mutally burnt |
| Āgneyāstra | Sūryāstra | To counter Lakṣmaṇa’s Āgneyāstra Atikāya used this; mutally burnt |
| Tvāṣṭra Aiṣika | Aindrāstra | Lakṣmaṇa countered Atikāya |
| Yāmya | Vāyavya | Lakṣmaṇa countered Atikāya |
| Raudra Parama | Āsura Āsura | Rāvaṇa countered both sent Rāma |
| Āsura | Pāvaka | Rāma counterd Rāvaṇa |
| Glowing weapon of māyā | Gāndharva | Rāma counterd Rāvaṇa |
| Gāndharva Daiva | Gāndharva Daiva | Rāma counterd Rāvaṇa |
| Rākṣasa | Gārutmata | Rāvaṇa’s missile sent forth smokes which were countered by Rāma’s garuḍa birds |
| Divine countered by Non-Divine | ||
| Saurāstra | Arrows | Rāma cut cakras out of Rāvaṇa’s missile |
| Sūla | Arrows | Rāma cut Makarākṣa’s S śūla using four arrows |
| Invincible Astras | ||
| Brahmāstra | Atikāya’s and Rāvaṇa’s end | |
| Śakti | Used by Rāvaṇa on Lakṣmaṇa | |
| Pāvaka | Missile which killed Makarākṣa (yuddha. 79. 45-6) | |
| Aindrāstra | Indrajit’s end (yuddha. 91.75) | |