Reason for Arjuna not using Pashupata

 

What role did Pashupatastra given to Arjuna play in Mahabharat when it was not used directly in the war?

Reason for Arjuna not using Pashupata

Maha Pashupata was not used by Arjun in his lifetime because Shiva alerted him about the destruction that will happen if the powerful Astra is released on inferior persons.

Mahadev said

Bhava replied, 'O powerful one. I will give to thee that favourite weapon of mine called the Pasuputa. O son of Pandu, thou art capable of holding, hurling, and withdrawing it. Neither the chief himself of the gods, nor Yama, nor the king of the Yakshas, nor Varuna, nor Vayu, knoweth it. How could men know anything of it? But, O son of Pritha, this weapon should not be hurled without adequate cause; for if hurled at any foe of little might 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. And it may be hurled by the mind, by the eye, by words, and by the bow.'"

XL Vana Parva

Arjuna understood the power of the Astra and followed the word of Shiva.He did not find any adequate cause that could force him to use the Astra on any day of Kurukshetra war.All his opponents were not worthy of being attacked by the superior Astra at the cost of universal destruction.

Arjuna himself told Yudhishtira before war that he got Pashupata that was not known to Bhishma,Drona or Karna but He won’t use it ever .

. That terrible and mighty weapon which the Lord of all creatures (Mahadeva) gave me on the occasion of my hand-to-hand encounter with him (in the guise of) a hunter, still existeth with me. Indeed, O tiger among men, that weapon which the Lord of all creatures useth at the end of Yuga for destroying created things, existeth with me. Ganga's son knoweth not that weapon; nor Drona nor Gautama (Kripa); nor Drona's son, O king! How, therefore, can the Suta's son know it. oIt is not, however, proper to slay ordinary men in battle by means of celestial weapons. We shall (on the other band) vanquish our foes in a fair fight.

CXCVII Udyoga Parva

So Arjuna didn’t want to bring upon destruction on the earth by using the Pashupata which can exterminate all the creatures instantly.

What is the significance of Pashupata if it isn’t used directly in war?

1. Just by possessing Maha Pashupata Arjuna created fear among his rivals.What if he hurls the Astra at any point of time ! This thought itself might have scared his enemies.
2. Arjuna did severe penance to obtain Pashupata. He accumulated spiritual power and energy that enabled him to withdraw higher Astra like Brahmashira,on the instruction of Vyasa.
3. Arjuna got access to heaven only after he got Shiva’s grace and Pashupata. Other gods readily gave their astras to Arjuna and trained him in heaven .
4. Shiva’s touch removed any evil that existed in Arjuna’s body.

And at the moment the whole earth, with its mountains and woods and trees and seas and forests and villages and towns and mines, trembled. And the sounds of conchs and drums and trumpets by thousands began to be heard. And at that moment hurricanes and whirlwinds began to blow. And the gods and the Danavas beheld that terrible weapon in its embodied form stay by the side of Arjuna of immeasurable energy. And whatever of evil there had been in the body of Phalguna of immeasurable energy was all dispe lled by the touch of the three-eyed deity. And the three eyed god then commanded Arjuna, saying, 'Go thou into heaven.'

XL Vana Parva

So Maha Pashupata need not be directly used in battle . Arjuna got glory and fulfillment because he was fortunate to get grace of Shiva by means of his endeavour to posess Pashupata.

The role of Pashupata could not be restricted to its use as an Astra of immense power. It marked Arjuna’s growth as an archer par excellence and paved way to quench his quest for spiritual knowledge that made him get answers from Krishna himself through Gita.