Vijaya (bow)

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{{refimprove|date=January 2022}}
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{{short description|Celestial bow in Hinduism}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| name = Vijaya
| image = [[File:Arjuna Karna final battle, Kurukshetra war, 12th-century Mahabharata relief, Hoysalesvara temple Halebidu.jpg|350px|]]
| caption = Relief of Karna wielding the Vijaya against Arjuna
| texts = [[Mahabharata]]
| affiliation = [[Indra]] [[Parashurama]] [[Karna]] Druma [[Rukmi]] [[Shiva]] (Shaivism)
}}

'''Vijaya''' ({{Lang-sa|lit= Victory|विजय}}), also called '''Vijaya Dhanusha''' ({{Literal translation|Vijaya bow}}), is a divine [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] in [[Hindu]] tradition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bane |first=Theresa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAnoDwAAQBAJ&dq=vijaya+dhanusha+bow&pg=PA167 |title=Encyclopedia of Mythological Objects |date=2020-05-29 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-3920-8 |language=en}}</ref> The bow was created by [[Vishvakarma]], the architect of the gods, for [[Indra]], the ruler of [[Svarga]].

==Legend==
The bow was created by [[Vishwakarma|Vishvakarma]], the architect of the gods, and granted to Indra. After Indra had defeated many [[Asura|asuras]] with the help of this bow, he granted it to Lord [[Parashurama]]. On 21 different occasions, when the ruling [[Kshatriyas]] began oppressing their subjects and committing sin, Parashurama, armed with the Vijaya bow, hunted them to the brink of extinction, nearly ridding the world of the [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. Each time, Parashurama donated the territory won from the Kshatriyas to the [[Brahmin|Brahmins]] for the re-establishment of order.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2009-04-12 |title=Vijaya, Vijayā: 69 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vijaya |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>

===Mahabharata===
The [[Mahabharata]] discusses how the ownership of the bow passed on to [[Rukmi]]:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva: Bhagwat Yana Parva: Section CLIX |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05159.htm |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=The bow called Gandiva was obtained by Indra's son (Arjuna) from Agni on the occasion of the burning of Khandava, while the bow called Vijaya was obtained from Druma by Rukmi of great energy. Baffling the nooses of Mura and slaying by his might that Asura, and vanquishing Naraka, the son of the Earth, Hrishikesa, while recovering the begemmed ear-rings (of Aditi), with sixteen thousand girls and various kinds of jewels and gems, obtained that excellent bow called Sarnga. And Rukmi having obtained the bow called Vijaya whose twang resembled the roar of the clouds came to the Pandavas, as if inspiring the whole universe with dread. Formerly, proud of the might of his own arms, the heroic Rukmi could not tolerate the ravishment of his sister Rukmini by wise Vasudeva. He had set out in pursuit, having sworn that he would not return without having slain Janardana.|author=Attributed to [[Vyasa]]|title=[[Mahabharata]]|source=Book 5, Section CLIX}}
According to the [[Mahabharata]], Parashurama takes on [[Karna]] as his student. Since Karna is a worthy student, Parashurama blesses Karna with the Vijaya, along with other celestial weapons. The Vijaya bow is mentioned by name only once in the text, during the [[Kurukshetra War|Kurukshetra war]], on the 17th day, when Karna fights against [[Arjuna]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva: Section 31|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08031.htm?fbclid=IwAR2zElmkbB4aOeWXTQmpHF7JeJ73im3HXsdJ9vmX3-4VfZxBNiRZuc9C0s0|access-date=2020-06-19|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref>

== Significance ==
The bow Vijaya is described to sound like a thundercloud, and capable of terrifying the entire world.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Buitenen |first1=Johannes Adrianus Bernardus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFtXBGNn0aUC&dq=divine+bow+vijaya&pg=PA473 |title=The Mahabharata, Volume 3: Book 4: The Book of the Virata; Book 5: The Book of the Effort |last2=Buitenen |first2=J. A. B. van |last3=Fitzgerald |first3=James L. |date=1973 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-84665-1 |pages=473 |language=en}}</ref> When Druma, the heavenly [[kinnara]], presents the bow to Rukmi, it is stated that the Vijaya is on par with the [[Gandiva]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Rukmī |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241893.html |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>

In [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] tradition, the Vijaya was wielded by [[Shiva]], and presented to his devotee, Parashurama. It is stated that the string of the bow cannot be broken by any [[Astra (weapon)|astra]], and that when mustered, it creates a blinding flash of light that is bright enough to leave one's foe incapacitated.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bane |first=Theresa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAnoDwAAQBAJ&dq=vijaya+dhanusha&pg=PA167 |title=Encyclopedia of Mythological Objects |date=2020-05-29 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-3920-8 |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Gandiva]]
* [[Sharanga]]
* [[Pinaka (Hinduism)|Pinaka]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Bows (archery)]]
[[Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology]]

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Vijaya (bow)