Saṃhāra weapons (1): Sopasaṃhāra-astras

[Full title: War weapons > Astras > Saṃhāras > Sopasaṃhāra-astras]

Nītiprakāśikā II. 22-7 enlists the forty four astras falling under the Sopasaṃhāra variety.

Some of the names are explained by the commentary with interesting and pertinent remarks:

[...]

(1) Daṇḍacakra–Discus of punishment^[1]

(2) Dharmacakra–Discus of right

(3) Kālacakra–Discus of Yama

(4) Aindracakra–Discus of Indra

(5) Śūlavata–Spear (like) of Śiva; the commentary Tattvavivṛti makes a note that it is śulavata merely in name–[...] Probably he means that it is not the trident of Lord Śiva. Tattvavivṛti also notes that there is an alternative reading as śūlavara–[...]

(6) Brahmaśīrṣa–head of Brahma; Tattvavivṛti says that it is different from[...]–[...]

(7) Modakī–the charmer

(8) Śikharī–the pointed; These two are considered by Tattvavivṛti as other names of gadā; probably varieties of gadā

(9) Dharmapāśa–noose of right

(10) Varuṇapāśa–noose of Varuṇa

(11) Painākāstra–missile of Śiva; This is explained as the weapon of Agni - [...]

(12) Vāyavya–missile of Vāyu

(13) Śuṣka–the dry

(14) Ārdra–the wet; aśani is another name of these two weapons, Śuṣka and Ārdra, emitting fire - [...]

(15) Śikharāstraka–the flaming missile

(16) Krauñcāstra–the Krauñca missile

(17) Hayaśīrṣa–horse-headed missile

(18) Vidyāstra–missile of knowledge

(19) Avidyāstra–missile of ignorance

(20) Gandharvāstra–the Gandharva missile

(21) Nandanāstra–joy-producing missile; Commentary explains it as having vidyādhara as devatā -[...] it also records that it is also known as asiratna - [...]

(22) Varṣana–rainy missile

(23) Śoṣana–drying missile

(24) Prasvāpana–sleep-causing missile

(25) Praśamana–the soothing missile; pacifies the anger of the enemy, says Tattvavivṛti–[...]

(26) Santāpana–tormenting missile

(27) Vilāpana–wailing missile

(28) Madana^[2] -deluding missile; According to Tattvavivṛti it creates madness in the minds of the attacked - [...]

(29) Mānava–missile of Manu; Tattvavivṛti says it throws the enemy to a far off place - [...]

(30) Śāmana^[3] –conciliatory missile

(31) Tāmasa–missile of darkness; Tattvavivṛti says that it creates delusion in the minds of the enemy–[...]

(32) Saṃvarta–the rolling missile

(33) Mausala–club-shaped missile

(34) Satya–missile of truth

(35) Saura–missile of Sun

(36) Māyāstra–missile of illusion; Tattvavivṛti says that it is different from those of the asuras but it creates delusions - [...]

(37) Tvāṣṭra–missile of Viśvakarma

(38) Somāstra–missile of the moon

(39) Saṃhara–missile of restraining; this is explained by Tattvavivṛti as that which takes away one’s life - [...]

(40) Mānasa–spiritual missile

(41) Nāgāstra–missile of the serpent; Tattvavivṛti says that it shall bind the enemy like a serpent - [...]

(42) Garuḍāstra -missile of Garuḍa

(43) Śaila^[4] –rocky missile; according to the commentary, this astra effectively creates a line of mountains to ward off the enemy attack in the form of astras like vāyavyāstra-[...]

(44) Īsika–reed missile

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The English equivalents are as given by Oppert.

[2]:

Oppert calls it mathana–churning missile.

[3]:

The edited text carrys the reading nāyana; Oppert and one of the manuscripts have the reading sāmana which is more preferable here

[4]:

The edited text reads this as śaiva; but Tattvavivṛti clearly states śaila and explains it too.