ऐंद्रास्त्र

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Aindrāstra  : (aindram astram) nt.: Name of a missile special to Indra; also known as Indrāstra, Māhendrāstra, Śakrāstra.


A. Users: According to Bhīṣma, known to Arjuna and (perhaps) to Kṛṣṇa 6. 116. 38; but it was known to Droṇa 7. 166. 2; Mādhava (Sātyaki) learnt it from Vijaya (Arjuna) 6. 78. 39; it was once used even by Yudhiṣṭhira 7. 132. 32.


B. Description: heavenly (divya) 4. 58. 8, an excellent missile (astravara 6. 55. 120; uttamāstra 6. 55. 111); bright like the sun (ādityasaṁkāśa) 4. 58. 8; extremely terrible (sughora) 6. 55. 110, 127; destructive like the end of the aeon (yugāntakalpa) 6. 55. 127.


C. Mode of use: Certain mantras were recited over the bow, the bow-string, and the arrow at the time of releasing it (abhinyamantrayat 8. 66. 48; anumantrya 8. 66. 49), following certain prescriptions (vidhivat 6. 55. 110); the verb often used with regard to its use is ‘to bring forth, to manifest’ (prāduṣkṛ) 6. 55. 110; 7. 68. 21; 7. 132. 31, 32; 8. 19. 22; 8. 37. 31; (ud īraya) 6. 77. 40.


D. Effect: Its primary effect was to produce a shower of arrows by releasing a single arrow 6. 55. 111, (120); 6. 77. 41; 6. 78. 37, 40; 7. 68. 21; 8. 19. 22; 8. 37. 31; 8. 66. 49; (4. 58. 9); the arrows became hard like vajra 3. 168. 2; the arrows (due to the effect of the mantras) became lustrous (tejomayā bāṇāḥ) 8. 66. 50, or appeared like bright fire (vimalāgnivarṇa) 6. 55. 111; when released the missile gave rise to a wonderful sight in the mid-region (prāduścakārādbhutam antarikṣe 6. 55. 110).


E. Its use (principally by Arjuna):

(1) In the epic war: (i) When Arjuna was attacked by Bhīṣma, Duryodhana, Bhūriśravas and Śalya, he put to use the Māhendra astra by forcefully drawing the Gāṇḍīva bow 6. 55. 106-110; (ii) when Arjuna was surrounded by thousands of kings (rājasahasrāṇi 6. 77. 32) and his normal arrows were not enough to ward off their arrows, Arjuna brought forth his Aindra astra and successfully repelled the arrows of the enemies 6. 77. 40-41; (iii) when Arjuna was attacked by Śrutāyus and Acyutāyus who showered arrows on the right and left of Arjuna and attacked him with tomara and śūla respectively, Arjuna manifested Śākra astra to take care of the weapons of the enemies and kill both of them 7. 68. 7-13, 21; (iii) when attacked by the Saṁśaptakas all together, Arjuna manifested Aindra astra to cut down all sorts of weapons of the enemies as also to cut off their limbs and chariots 8. 19. 22-29; (iv) when Arjuna was severely struck on his chest by Suśarman, he produced Aindra astra 8. 37. 30-31; (v) used by Arjuna to combat Karṇa's Brahmāstra 8. 66. 48-50; (vi) used by Arjuna to combat the Aindra astra used by Droṇa 7. 163. 28; (vii) used, together with Vāyavya, by Droṇa against Yudhiṣṭhira; the latter combated both of them with Māhendra astra 7. 132. 31, 32; (viii) used by Sātyaki to fight with the demon Alambusa; it reduced to ashes the māyā employed by the demon 6. 78. 40;

(2) Outside the epic war: (i) During the cattle raid, when Arjuna was attacked by Kṛpa, Karṇa and Droṇa with heavenly missiles, Arjuna released the Aindra astra; he covered the enemies with arrows as the sun would do with his rays 4. 58. 8-9; (ii) when Arjuna was attacked by the Nīvātakavacas with showers of huge rocks, Arjuna released it (Indrāstra) and the vajra- like arrows released by the missile, pounded the rocks hurled by the enemies to pieces by hundreds 3. 168. 2.


F. Status: Inferior to the Pāśupatāstra of Śiva 13. 14. 127.


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Aindrāstra  : (aindram astram) nt.: Name of a missile special to Indra; also known as Indrāstra, Māhendrāstra, Śakrāstra.


A. Users: According to Bhīṣma, known to Arjuna and (perhaps) to Kṛṣṇa 6. 116. 38; but it was known to Droṇa 7. 166. 2; Mādhava (Sātyaki) learnt it from Vijaya (Arjuna) 6. 78. 39; it was once used even by Yudhiṣṭhira 7. 132. 32.


B. Description: heavenly (divya) 4. 58. 8, an excellent missile (astravara 6. 55. 120; uttamāstra 6. 55. 111); bright like the sun (ādityasaṁkāśa) 4. 58. 8; extremely terrible (sughora) 6. 55. 110, 127; destructive like the end of the aeon (yugāntakalpa) 6. 55. 127.


C. Mode of use: Certain mantras were recited over the bow, the bow-string, and the arrow at the time of releasing it (abhinyamantrayat 8. 66. 48; anumantrya 8. 66. 49), following certain prescriptions (vidhivat 6. 55. 110); the verb often used with regard to its use is ‘to bring forth, to manifest’ (prāduṣkṛ) 6. 55. 110; 7. 68. 21; 7. 132. 31, 32; 8. 19. 22; 8. 37. 31; (ud īraya) 6. 77. 40.


D. Effect: Its primary effect was to produce a shower of arrows by releasing a single arrow 6. 55. 111, (120); 6. 77. 41; 6. 78. 37, 40; 7. 68. 21; 8. 19. 22; 8. 37. 31; 8. 66. 49; (4. 58. 9); the arrows became hard like vajra 3. 168. 2; the arrows (due to the effect of the mantras) became lustrous (tejomayā bāṇāḥ) 8. 66. 50, or appeared like bright fire (vimalāgnivarṇa) 6. 55. 111; when released the missile gave rise to a wonderful sight in the mid-region (prāduścakārādbhutam antarikṣe 6. 55. 110).


E. Its use (principally by Arjuna):

(1) In the epic war: (i) When Arjuna was attacked by Bhīṣma, Duryodhana, Bhūriśravas and Śalya, he put to use the Māhendra astra by forcefully drawing the Gāṇḍīva bow 6. 55. 106-110; (ii) when Arjuna was surrounded by thousands of kings (rājasahasrāṇi 6. 77. 32) and his normal arrows were not enough to ward off their arrows, Arjuna brought forth his Aindra astra and successfully repelled the arrows of the enemies 6. 77. 40-41; (iii) when Arjuna was attacked by Śrutāyus and Acyutāyus who showered arrows on the right and left of Arjuna and attacked him with tomara and śūla respectively, Arjuna manifested Śākra astra to take care of the weapons of the enemies and kill both of them 7. 68. 7-13, 21; (iii) when attacked by the Saṁśaptakas all together, Arjuna manifested Aindra astra to cut down all sorts of weapons of the enemies as also to cut off their limbs and chariots 8. 19. 22-29; (iv) when Arjuna was severely struck on his chest by Suśarman, he produced Aindra astra 8. 37. 30-31; (v) used by Arjuna to combat Karṇa's Brahmāstra 8. 66. 48-50; (vi) used by Arjuna to combat the Aindra astra used by Droṇa 7. 163. 28; (vii) used, together with Vāyavya, by Droṇa against Yudhiṣṭhira; the latter combated both of them with Māhendra astra 7. 132. 31, 32; (viii) used by Sātyaki to fight with the demon Alambusa; it reduced to ashes the māyā employed by the demon 6. 78. 40;

(2) Outside the epic war: (i) During the cattle raid, when Arjuna was attacked by Kṛpa, Karṇa and Droṇa with heavenly missiles, Arjuna released the Aindra astra; he covered the enemies with arrows as the sun would do with his rays 4. 58. 8-9; (ii) when Arjuna was attacked by the Nīvātakavacas with showers of huge rocks, Arjuna released it (Indrāstra) and the vajra- like arrows released by the missile, pounded the rocks hurled by the enemies to pieces by hundreds 3. 168. 2.


F. Status: Inferior to the Pāśupatāstra of Śiva 13. 14. 127.


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