Brahmastra

2021-06-22T14:26:34Z

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{{About||the upcoming film|Brahmastra (film)}}
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{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
In ancient Indian Texts, the '''Brahmastra''' ({{lang-sa|ब्रह्‍मास्‍त्र}}, [[IAST]]: Brahmāstra) and its variants, the '''Brahmashirsha astra''' and the '''Brahmanda astra''' were supernatural weapons used in the war of [[Mahabharata]] and are collectively called '''Brahma weapons'''. The [[Brahmashirsha astra]] was a weapon that was said to be able to destroy the world, capable of destroying creation and vanquishing all beings. It is one of the most destructive, powerful and irresistible weapons mentioned in Hinduism. These weapons are all created by Lord [[Brahma]], except for brahmanda-astra.

It is termed as a fiery weapon that creates a fierce fireball,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Krishnamoorthy |first1=K. |last2=Channakeshava |first2=B. |last3=Rao |first3=H. V. Nagaraja |title=Ānanda Bhāratī: Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy Felicitation Volume |date=1995 |publisher=Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy Felicitation Committee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F91jAAAAMAAJ&q=tremendous |language=en}}</ref> blazing up with terrible flames and countless horrendous thunder flashes. When discharged, all nature including trees, oceans, and animals tremble, and the sky surrounds with flame, glaciers melt and mountains shatter with copious noise all around.

When used, the Brahmastra can destroy every useful resource in a given area and prevent even a single blade of grass from ever growing in that area again. There will be no rainfall for 12 Brahma years (1 Brahma year = 3,110,400,000,000 Human years<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hindu units of time - Wikipedia|url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_units_of_time|access-date=2020-11-11|website=en.m.wikipedia.org|language=en}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=February 2021}}) and climate condition will worsen. The strike of the Brahmastra will eventually destroy everything.

== Variants ==

===Brahmashira Astra===
[[File:Narada and Vyasa came to stop Brahmasironamakastra used by Aswatthama and Arjuna.jpg|thumb|[[Narada]] and [[Veda Vyasa|Vyasa]] come to stop Brahmashira Astra used by Aswatthama and Arjuna]]

The '''Brahmashira Astra''' (Brahma's head weapon),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Maehle |first1=Gregor |title=Ashtanga Yoga: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice |date=2009 |publisher=New World Library |isbn=9781577316695 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vWmiAAAAQBAJ&q=Ashtanga%20yoga%20brahmashira&pg=PA191 |language=en}}</ref> manifests with four heads of brahma at the front and is four times stronger than the normal brahmastra.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Brahmaśiras - Oxford Reference |year=2009 |doi=10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001 |isbn=9780198610250 |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001/acref-9780198610250-e-542 |language=en}}</ref> Brahmanda Astra is a weapon that manifests with the fifth head of Brahma at the front. It is a weapon that was capable of destroying the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Mahabharata, Book 10: Sauptika Parva: Section 12 |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10012.htm |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> [[Arjuna]] and [[Ashwatthama]] almost used the astra against each other near the end of the [[Kurukshetra War]], however both were stopped by [[Narada]] and [[Vyasa]] to prevent the destruction of the world.

==Uses==
There are numerous instances within Sanskrit theological scriptures where the Brahmastra is used or its use is threatened, including:

*Maharaja Kaushika (who later became [[Brahmarshi]] [[Vishvamitra]]) used it against [[Maharishi]] [[Vasishta]], but the Brahmastra was swallowed by Vasishta's [[Brahmanda astra|Brahmadanda Astra]].
*[[Indrajit]] used the nagasthira against the army of [[Rama]] in the [[Ramayana]]. Lakhsmana was injured by this weapon only. Only the Sanjeevani herbs brought by [[Hanuman]] managed to save the brothers and their army from death. Also, Indrajit used the Brahmastra against Hanuman, but Hanuman survived because of the boon previously given to him by [[Lord Brahma]].
*In the Ramayana, a Brahmastra is used by Shri Rama several times: once against [[Jayanta]] when he hurt [[Sita]], against [[Mareecha]] in their last encounter, and finally the Brahmastra was used in the last battle with the [[Asura]] emperor [[Ravana]].<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/80 80]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> According to the [[Ramayana]], the weapon was also aimed at [[Varuna]] to carve a path out of the sea such that Rama's army could march towards the island of [[Lanka]]. However, as Rama loaded the weapon, Varuna appeared and offered to assist the king in crossing the ocean. But once invoked, the Brahmastra must be discharged, and hence it was instead aimed towards Dhrumatulya, falling at of modern-day [[Rajasthan]], causing it to become a desert for eons to come. This incident is mentioned in Yuddha Kanda 22 Sarga, Verse 31.
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Killing of Rawana Painting by Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi.jpg|Killing of Ravana Painting by Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi
File:Rama Pursues Kakasura with a Magical Grass-Arrow.jpg|Rama Pursues Kakasura ([[Jayanta]]) with a Magical Grass-Arrow
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Sanskrit Epics]]
**[[Ramayana]]
**[[Mahabharata]]
**[[Puranas]]
**[[Brahma]]
**[[Brahmani]]
**[[Vyuha]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Hindu deities and texts}}

[[Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology]]

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Brahmastra