Friday, 25 July 2025

Did Arjuna also possess Narayanastra, Bhargavastra and Vaishnavastra?

Did Arjuna also possess Narayanastra, Bhargavastra and Vaishnavastra? Let's look at Arjuna's arsenal of astras first. During the Rangabhoomi arena. He showed the following astras. He created fire with an agneya weapon. He created water with a varuna weapon. He created winds with a vayavya weapon. He created rain with a parjanya weapon. He entered the ground with a bhoumya weapon. He created mountains with a parvata weapon. He made everything disappear with an antardhana weapon. Source: Jatugriha-daha Parva Chapter 125 critical edition. After obtaining a boon from Mahadeva, he has the following weapons! On your words, the mighty-armed one went out for weapons. Partha has obtained from Rudra a great and unrivalled weapon. It is known as Brahmashira and Rudra obtained it after great austerities. That terrible weapon arose with the ambrosia and Savyasachi has now obtained it, together with the mantras for withdrawing, repulsing and releasing it. O Yudhishthira! O descendant of the Kuru lineage! The infinitely powerful Partha has obtained other divine weapons too—like vajra and danda—from Yama, Kubera, Varuna and Indra. So it's clear that Arjuna possessed a large number of astras, including Vishnu weapons. Agneyastra Varunaastra Vayavya astra Parjanya astra Bhoumya astra Parvata astra Antardhana astra Indra's Vajra yudh Yama’s staff. Kubera’s astra Varuna’s moose Gandharva aatra Vishoshanastra Adityastra Jyotiskastra Aindra missile Samohana aastra Brahmastra Brahmashira And Pasupata( these two have interchangeable names in the epic. But I have still put them as separate astras). But did he possess the Narayanastra? Nope! He had no idea about the astra when Ashvathma used it. That weapon basically made Ashvathma unvanquishable on the battlefield. Bhagdatta’s Vaishnava astra also made him invincible, also that was because of the boon he had not exactly because of the astra. But Arjuna most likely didn't possess it. As for Bhargava Astra. Listen to what Arjuna himself stated: At this, Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, spoke to Vasudeva. ‘Behold the extremely terrible bhargava weapon. O Krishna! O mighty-armed one! Behold the valour of the bhargava weapon. There is no means of countering that weapon in a battle. O Krishna! Behold the angry son of a suta in the great battle. The brave one is like Yama and has performed a terrible deed. He is repeatedly casting extremely terrible glances towards me. I do not see any means of running away from Karna in this battle. If a man remains alive in a battle, there may be victory, or there may be defeat. O Hrishikesha! For the sake of victory, how can one be victorious if one is dead?’ O venerable one! Janardana wished to leave to see Yudhishthira and thought that Karna would be overcome with exhaustion in the battle.560 venerable one! Janardana wished to leave to see Yudhishthira and thought that Karna would be overcome with exhaustion in the battle. If he had the weapon, then he would have countered it or atleast wouldn't said such terms. Some people think that Arjuna had stronger weapons like Brahmashira or Pashupata, so isn't that a contradiction? Not really! What Arjuna meant was that he had no other weapon to counter the astra other than higher level Trimurti weapons. He had no lower level or even medium or high level weapons which can neutralise the astra. Even Indra’s Vajra wasn't enough to subdue the astra. So although Arjuna probably could have neutralised it, he would have harmed his own army and probably even himself if he used the Brahmashira or Pashupata! Arjuna definitely did not possess all the astras in the known age. But, overall, Arjuna possess the highest number of astras, more than any other warrior in Mahabharata.( other than Shree Krishna ofcourse).

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