Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Weapons of Shiva’ of the study on the Rudra-Shiva concept in the Vedic and Puranic literature, starting with the concept of God as contemplated by the Rishis (Vedic sages). These pages further deal with the aspects, legends, iconography and eulology of Rudra-Shiva as found in the Samhitas, Brahamanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Sutras and Puranas. The final chapters deal with descriptions of his greatness, various incarnations and epithets.
3. Weapons of Śiva
Śiva carries in his one hand a trident called Vijaya[1] and an arrow called Pāśupata.[2] A reference has been found in another chapter where Śiva is said to be the wielder of another bow named Ajagava.[3] He holds arrows, quiver and a sword in his hands.[4] He also bears a staff and a noose,[5] an iron club,[6] a spear with sharp edges, a discus, a bow named Pināka, an arrow[7] and an axe[8] in his hands. A reference has been found in the Vāyu Purāṇa where Lord Śiva is said to be the bearer of a thunderbolt in his hands.[9] He is portrayed as mace-bearer, the wielder of Khatvāṅga and Jharjhara (drum or cymbal).[10] Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā Apte defines the term jharjhara as a sort of drum.[11] He holds in his left hand a weapon called Paṭṭiśa.[12] He is the wielder of a trident, axe, iron club, discus, javelin and noose.[13] In another context, it is said that he holds in his hands different types of weapons, viz. trident, skull, noose, staff, bow, arrow, Ḍamaru, drum and sword.[14] The Śiva Purāṇa mentions that Śiva sounded his Ḍamaru on seeing the approaching Śaṅkhacūḍa.[15] From this reference, it can be known that he is carrying a musical instrument, Ḍamaru in his hand.
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[3]:
(a) kapardena virājantaṃ triśūlājagavāyudham || Ibid., 3.15.46 (b) pārṣṇigrāho’bhavadevaḥ pragṛhyājagavandhanuḥ || Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.90.31
[4]:
sa śūlahastaśśaratūṇadhārī...khaṅgī triśūlī lakutī kapardī caturbhujo gauratarākṛtirhi || Śiva-purāṇa, 2.5.44.40-41
[6]:
triśūlapattiśadharaṃ vyāghracarmāvṛtam || Ibid., 2.5.35.4
[8]:
mṛgapativaracarmavāsase te pṛthuparaśo ca namo’stu śaṅkarāya || Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa, 1.27.100
[9]:
kuliśodyotitakarambhābhirjvalitamūrdhajam | Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.30.127
[12]:
Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.39.270
[13]:
śūlaṭaṅkagadācakrakuntapāśāddharam | varadābhayahastaṃ ca dīpicarmottarīyakam || Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.98.165
[14]:
[15]:
āyāntaṃ taṃ nirīkṣyaiva ḍamarudhvanimādarāt | Śiva-purāṇa, 2.5.39.19