Vishnu's Weapons

There are many weapons with Devtaa themselves to kill Asur and relieve humanity. Some of them belong to them only and nobody else can handle and use them, while some of them they hand over to others also and they can also use them. Today we are going to write about them. First we will take Vishnu and His weapons.

Vishnu's personality is identified by a lotus flower, a Gadaa (Mace), a Chakra (Discus), and a Shankh (conch) in His four hands. They are called His Aayudh. Although there are some other things also to identify Him, but these four things are seen just in the first look. If one can see these four things in His hands, he becomes more than half sure that it is Vishnu's picture.

His other things are Peetaambar (yellow cloth on His shoulders), yellow Dhotee, Vaijantee Maalaa (a special gems necklace), Kaustubh Mani (gem) around His neck, fish shape earrings and Shree Vats mark on His chest. And if His ride is also shown, then it should be Garud. Sometimes He is seen with His consort Lakshmee Jee. He has a bow and sword also, which are not always in His hands. His bow's name is Shaarng and the name of His sword is Nandak. He sleeps on 1,000-hooded Shesh Naag in Ksheer Saagar in a reclining pose. Sometimes they show lotus flower also growing out of His navel and Brahmaa Jee sitting on it.

It is a million dollar question that where His the three Aayudh - Gadaa, Chakra and Shankh came from? And how Garud became His ride? Today we will explore their origin.

Chakra (Disc)
Vishnu's Chakra's name is Sudarshan Chakra. How He got it, there are a few stories about it.
(1) Soorya Dev married Vishwakarmaa's daughter Sanjanaa or Sangyaa. Sanjanaa had 3 children from him - Vaivaswat Many and Yam and Yamunaa. She could not bear Soory's Tej so she left Soorya keeping her shadow Chhaayaa with him. For some time Soorya did not know that Chhaayaa was not his wife and they also had four children - Saavarni Manu, Shanaishchar, Tapatee and Vishti. Then he came to know that Chhaayaa was not his wife. He asked his father-in-law about Sangyaa and he told him her whereabouts. Soorya then went to Sangyaa and had a twin sons more from her - Ashwinee Kumaar. Then Vishwakarmaa put Soorya on his lathe and shaved his some Tej and with that shavings he made many weapons for Devtaa. Vishnu's Chakra was one of them (Vishnu Puraan, 3/1).

(2) Its another version is that, once Vishnu had to kill a Raakshas, but He did not have a proper weapon to kill him, so he worshiped Shiv. Shiv Jee got pleased and gave Him his Chakra to Him with the blessings that - "This Chakra will never fail to kill anybody and will come back to you after killing him."

(3) Mahaabhaarat, 1/3/16 says that Agni Dev gave a Chakra (Disc) to Krishn at the time of burning Khaandav forest, when he gave other things to Arjun.

(4) Mahaabhaarat Serial by BR Chopra shows that Krishn got His Chakra from Parashuraam Jee. Why it was with Parashuraam Jee, is not told in it, nor any story comes anywhere of this matter.

Gadaa
Vishnu's Gadaa's name is Kaumodakee. Where did He get it? There was a terrible Raakshas named Gad. In spite of being a terrible Raakshas, he was a good donor. he never refused to give anything to anybody when asked for. To save the people from his terror, once Vishnu assumed the form of a Braahman and asked him to give Him his bones. Gad ripped himself apart and gave his bones to Vishnu. He took those bones and built a Gadaa (mace) for Himself. Because that mace was built from Gad's bones, it was called Gadaa and even this word was added to the vocabulary. This Gadaa was created to protect the whole humanity, so there is nothing which it cannot conquer in the world.

Shankh (Conch)
The name of Vishnu's Shankh is Paanchjanya. It represents the 5-Bhoot. When Vishnu incarnated as Krishn and went to Saandeepan Muni for His education; at the end of His education He asked His Guru to ask for Guru Dakshinaa, as that time the custom was. Since Guru Jee knew who was Krishn, he refused to take any Guru Dakshinaa from Him saying that "I am blessed by teaching you, because it is a matter of pride to be a Guru of such a disciple." Still Krishn insisted to pay Guru Dakshinaa that His education will not be complete if He would not pay His Guru Dakshinaa. Then Guru Jee told Him to ask His Guru Maataa if she wanted anything. Krishn went to her and she asked Him to get her lost son back. So Krishn went to bring him back. First He went to the sea where he was lost. Sea told Him that he had not taken His Guru's son, maybe a Raakshas named Panchjanya who was in the form of a conch had taken him, so He might go to him and find out. Krishn went to him, killed him but he could not find His Guru's son there. he brought that Asur's body and gave to His Guru but Guru gave it back to Him. Since then that Shankh, Paanchjanya Shankh, on the name of that Asur is with Him. he always keeps it with Him.

Garud, The Ride
How Garud became Vishnu's ride? When Garud was born, he immediately got grown up and asked food to eat. His mother Vinataa sent him to Kashyap Jee. Kashyap Jee told him to eat a tortoise and an elephant. Garud picked up the tortoise and the elephant and started looking for a place to sit down so that he could eat his food comfortably. Once he tried to sit on a large tree branch but it started breaking by his weight, and many Rishi were sitting under that branch so he immediately picked that branch in his beak and started looking for another place to sit. Now he again started flying with the tortoise and elephant in his two paws and a branch of a tree in his beak.

On the way he met Vishnu. Vishnu asked him where was he going to? He told Him that he was looking for some place to sit and eat his food. Vishnu said - "Oh, Do not worry. Come and sit on my left arm and eat your food." Garud did not believe this. When so big big mountains and trees could not support his weight how that that tender left arm could bear his weight. He asked Him - "Are you sure?" "Yes, I am quite sure." Poor Garud sat on Vishnu's arm scared. But he was surprised to see that Vishnu's arm did not got a jerk or shake even a bit when he sat over it. He ate his food comfortably and then asked Him - "Who are you and what can I do for you?" Vishnu said - "I am Vishnu and I would love if you will be my ride." Garud said - "I am Kashyap's son Garud. Let me go and ask my father, then I will let you know." "Sure." Garud came to Kashyap Jee and told him that he had a Darshan of Vishnu and Vishnu has offered him to be his ride. Kashyap Jee got very pleased to hear this. He said - "Blessed are you that you had Darshan of Vishnu and have an offer to be His ride. Accept it without any second thought. Go and be happy." That is how Garud became the ride of Vishnu. When Vishnu fights with somebody Garud also helps Him.

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com

Shankh

Shaastra say that bones are impure but Shankh are super pure. Shankh (conch) has a very special and important place in our religious lives. It has been regarded very holy and is used in worship. The Sanskrit word Shankh has the etymological meaning of pacifying the inauspicious (Unadi-Sootra, 1:104, ‘samyati ashubham asmat’).  It is most characteristically associated with Vishnu, and is one of the four of His Aayudh (literally ‘weapon’, but employed in the sense of whatever is held in the hand) usually found in his hands; the discus (Chakra), the mace (Gadaa) and the lotus (Padma) being the other three. Normally it is considered the house of some animal when he leaves his house, his house is collected.

Uses of Shankh
How do we use Shankh?
--When an Aaratee of God is performed in an house or in a temple, Shankh is blown.
--There are some Shankh which are good even for worshiping, such as Lakshmee Shankh.
--When something is begun, a Shankh is blown to indicate the start of that event.
--In Mahaabhaarat war Mahaarathee had their own Shankh and they were identified by those Shankh, such as Krishn by His Paanchjanya Shankh, Arjun  by his Devdatt Shankh etc.
--In Mahaabhaarat, when Duryodhan wanted to identify Paandav in Viraat's kingdom, he attacked Viraat's kingdom. And when Arjun proceeded to fight with them with Uttar, Kaurav could not recognize him. But when he blew his Devdatt Shankh, they recognized him by his Shankh only.
--Mahaabhaarat war used to begin and end with the blow of Shankh.

How Shakh Came on Prithvi? 
Its story goes like this that there was a Vishnu's Paaarshad (personal guard) named Sudaamaa in Gau Lok. Once Raadhaa cursed him to be born on Prithvi, so he was born on Prithvi as Shankhchood Asur. He was very mighty. Above that he obtained an armor too from Brahmaa Jee after a severe penance. The armor was that till his wife will be chaste to him he will not be hurt by anybody. Now he became fearless and he started tormenting people in Tri-Lok. His wife Tulasee was a very Pativrataa woman, so he was safe

Seeing his atrocities, Devtaa went to Brahmaa Jee to request him to kill Shankhchood, and Brahmaa Jee went to Vishnu. Vishnu planned to kill him this way that, He sent Shiv to fight with Shankhchood, and He himself went to Tulasee in disguise of Shankhchood and asked for her favor to be with Him. Tulasee yielded to his desire. As she came to know that he was not her husband but was Vishnu she filled with rage. Since Vishnu broke her Paativrat Dharm, she cursed Him in frustration to be a black stone. Vishnu accepted her curse, and said - "I accept your curse. You did what you should have done, now I will do what I should do. My Darshan does not go waste, so I grant you the boon that you will become a River (Gandakae River) and I will live in your heart in the form of stone (Shaalgraam). Besides, your hair will be grown as Tulasee plant and I will not accept any food without you. Even your husband's bones will appear on Prithvi as conch and they will be considered holy and will be used in my worship.

Asur With the Body of Shankh
There are a couple of Asur also who had the body of Shankh - they were Panchjan and Shankhaasur.
(1) Panchjan Asur lived in Sea and was killed by Krishn when He was looking for His Guru's son to pay His Guru Dakshinaa to him. After killing him he took his body (Shankh) and kept is it with Him. Even today whatever Shankh you see in His hand is the same. Coming from Panchjan's body, its name is Paanchjanya Shankh.
(2) Another Asur was Shankhaasur. His body was also of Shankh. He was the son of Samudra (Sea). he had stolen Ved, so Vishnu had to kill him and He asked Rishi to collect Ved Mantra from the Sea.

Some Famous Shankh
There are some famous and holy Shankh, such as - Lakshmee Shankh, known as Dakshinaavartee Shankh or Vallampuree Sanggu also (used in Abhishek and Aaratee),  Vishnu Shankh;  Heeraa Shankh or Pahaadee Shankh - it attracts wealth; etc.

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com