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{{use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{short description|The celestial bow of Shiva}}
{{use Indian English|date=September 2017}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2017}}
{{use Indian English|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox weapon
 
| used_by = [[Shiva]]
{{Infobox deity
| name = PINAKA
| type = Hindu
| texts = [[Ramayana]]
| venerated_in = [[Shaivism]]
| script = पिनाक
| script_name = [[Devanagari]]
| image = Rama breaking the bow to win Sita as wife.jpg
| image = Rama breaking the bow to win Sita as wife.jpg
| caption = Rama breaking Shiva's Dhanush (bow) to win Sita as wife
| caption = Rama shatters the Pinaka while Parashurama watches on
| image_size = 300px
| type = [[Bow and arrow|Bow]]
}}
}}


'''Shiva Dhanush''' ({{lang-sa|शिव धनुष}}) or '''Pinaka''' ({{lang-sa|पिनाक}}, pínāka) is the bow of Lord [[Shiva]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://faculty.washington.edu/prem/mw/p.html |title= Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary |last= Williams |first= Monier |date= |quote= pínāka m. n. a staff or bow, (esp.) the staff or bow of Rudra-Śiva}}</ref>
The '''Pinaka''' ({{lang-sa|पिनाक}}, pínāka) is the celestial bow of the [[Hindus|Hindu]] destroyer deity, [[Shiva]]. In popular legend, he is believed to have employed this bow in his avatar as [[Tripurantaka]] to annihilate the three cities of [[Mayasura]], known as [[Tripura (mythology)|Tripura]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://faculty.washington.edu/prem/mw/p.html |title= Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary |last= Williams |first= Monier |date= |quote= pínāka m. n. a staff or bow, (esp.) the staff or bow of Rudra-Śiva}}</ref> The weapon is the origin of one of Shiva's epithets, ''Pinakapani'', literally meaning, 'the wielder of the Pinaka'.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Śiva |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241961.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
 
== Background ==
Vijaya is the trident of Shiva used for total destruction or "[[Pralaya]]".


=== Legend ===
== In Literature ==
As per original Valmiki Ramayana [contested: no reference of this narration located in valmiki ramayan],  two bows were created by God Devendra of equal capacity which were given to [[Rudra]] and [[Vishnu]] and requested them to fight with each other to know who is the powerful one. However just before the start of the war an [[Aakashvani]] said that the war will lead to total destruction and hence the war was stopped. On hearing Aakashvani, Rudra threw his Dhanush which fell on earth to be later known as "Shiva dhanush". It was later found by King [[Devaratha]], the ancestor of  King [[Janaka]]. It is mentioned in the Hindu epic ''[[Ramayana]]'', when its hero [[Rama]] (another [[avatar]] of [[Vishnu]]) breaks it to marry Janaka's daughter as his wife.
In the [[Shiva Purana]], Shiva employed the Pinaka in his duel against [[Ganesha]], who had been appointed to stand guard while his mother [[Parvati]] bathed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2018-10-15 |title=The head of Gaṇeśa is chopped off during the battle [Chapter 16] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226136.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>


[[Vishwakarma]] crafted two divine bows. He gave [[Sharanga]] to Lord Vishnu and Pinaka to Lord Shiva. King Janaka of [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]] had a daughter named [[Sita]]. In earlier part of her life, Sita while playing with her sisters had unknowingly lifted the table over which the bow had been placed; which was something no one in the kingdom could do. This incident was however observed by Janaka and he decided to make this incident as the backdrop for [[Sita]]'s [[swayamvara]].
In the [[Harivamsa Purana]], when the Prajapati [[Daksha]] performed a [[yajna]] for the gods, his ceremony was obstructed by Shiva and a human incarnation of [[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]], who wielded the Pinaka. Hari ([[Vishnu]]) stood to confront him, accompanied by the [[adityas]] and the [[Vasu|vasus]]. Shiva struck Hari on his breast, who countered by grabbing his assailant's throat. When he strung his own bow [[Sharanga]], the mountain [[Meru Peak|Meru]] trembled. Infuriated, Nandi raised the Pinaka and struck Hari on the head, who stupefied the man with a smile and stood firm, allowing the yajna to resume.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2020-11-14 |title=Shiva Obstructs Daksha’s Sacrifice and Hari Fights with Him [Chapter 28] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/harivamsha-purana-dutt/d/doc485701.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>


Later, Janaka had announced that whosoever wanted to marry Sita had to lift the divine bow and string it. The bow was broken by [[Ayodhya]]'s prince [[Rama]] when he attempted to string the bow, during the swayamvara of Sita, thereby winning the princess's hand in marriage. After the marriage when his father [[Dasharatha]] was returning to [[Ayodhya]] with Rama, [[Parashurama]] obstructed their path and challenged Rama for breaking his guru Shiva's bow. Rama extolled the sage. After that [[Dasharatha]] prayed to the sage to forgive him but Parashurama remained enraged and brought out Vishnu's bow. He then asked Rama to string the bow and fight a duel with him. Rama snatches the bow of Vishnu, strings it, places an arrow and points it straight at the challenger's heart. Rama then asks Parashurama what he will give as a target to the arrow. At this point, Parashurama feels himself devoid of his mystical energy. He realizes that Rama is the avatar of Vishnu.
In the [[Padma Purana]], Shiva employed the Pinaka to combat [[Jalandhara]]:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-09-26 |title=Jālandhara Is Killed [Chapter 18] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365449.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Having heard these words of Brahma, Śiva knew (the illusion). Knowing the demon’s illusion, he threw a large rock (at the demons). With that he killed three hundred crores of demons. O king, then having very angrily mounted upon his bull (i.e. Nandin), Śiva took his Pināka bow and arrows. Then the son of the Ocean (i.e. Jālandhara), seeing Śiva, free from the illusion, manifested quickly another group of illusions which deluded the lord of gods, which was very wonderful, which was very powerful. Jālandhara turned into (one) having a crore of arms and fought Śiva with trees, weapons and missiles; and he, the Ocean’s son, put the earth that was decorated with the red chalk into the intermediate space; and the Ocean’s son made the earth adorned with many charming temples of deities, full of various (kinds of) flowers. Celestial nymphs, more lovely than Menakā danced there. Śambhu, forgot (to fight) and instantly abandoned the bow, and deluded by (the sound of) musical instruments and songs and by the tāṇḍava dance of the lord of demons, started, being mounted upon the bull.|title=[[Padma Purana]]|source=Chapter 18}}{{Saivism}}When the [[Yadava]] forces invaded Sonitapura to rescue [[Aniruddha]], Shiva and [[Kartikeya]] rushed to guard the city of the Shaiva asura, [[Banasura|Bana]]. [[Krishna]]'s [[Sharanga]] and Shiva's Pinaka were used against each other in the battle, the conflict ultimately won by Krishna.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-10-31 |title=Aniruddha’s Marriage [Chapter 250] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365835.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>


=== Another tale ===
In the [[Ramayana]], Rama broke the Pinaka to win Princess [[Sita]]'s hand in marriage during her [[Svayamvara|swayamvara]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2021-11-01 |title=Manifestation of Viṣṇu as Rāma [Chapter 5] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-agni-purana/d/doc1083093.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>


The Pinaka is sometimes considered to be the weapon Shiva employed to destroy [[Tripura (mythology)|Tripura]], even though other legends state that the bow used for the destruction of the three cities was fashioned from Mount Mandara:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Tripura |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc242011.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>


Another tale of Pinaka revolves around the tale of Lord Vishnu fighting Lord Shiva, mentioned in Seventy fifth sarga of [[Bala kanda]] of Ramayana. Parashuram narrates this to Lord Rama before challenging him to string [[Sharanga]]. The story goes like this-The Devas wanted to test ''the superiority of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and asked Lord Brahma to create a difference of opinion between them. In the battle that ensued, Lord Vishnu utters a battle cry "hum" which paralyzes the Devas and Lord Shiva. His bow is rendered useless, and Lord Vishnu's bow Sharanga prevails.<ref>http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/2219/why-did-lord-shiva-fight-with-lord-vishnu</ref><ref>http://ramayanam-atwistedversion.blogspot.in/2012/12/32-legends-of-shiva-and-vishnu-bows.html</ref><ref>http://redzambala.com/ramayana-valmiki/ramayana-bala-kanda-chapter-75.html</ref> This Pinaka was broken later by Lord Rama as commonly said .But later in [[Dvapara Yuga]] when Arjuna meets Shiva (Kirata Parva XXXIX )Arjun saw Lord Shiva wielding Pinaka with Parvati aside.'' <blockquote>''Vaisampayana continued, "Phalguna then beheld him Mahadeva that god of blazing splendour that wielder of Pinaka that one who had his abode on the mountains (of Kailasa) accompanied by Uma. Hence the one mentioned could be some other bow.''</blockquote>''Rama also snatches Sharanga from Parashurama and gives it to Varuna, lord of the oceans, for safekeeping.''
{{Blockquote|text=Śiva had to make grand preparations for a fight with the Tripuras. He invoked half the strength of the devas to himself to make Śivaśakti (Javelin of Śiva) greater than Asuraśakti. The devas made Viśvakarmā construct a special chariot for Śiva. On the banks of the river Narmadā at a place which became renowned as Maheśvara Śiva stayed for a thousand years thinking about the fight with the Tripuras. He made the mountain of Mandara his bow, Vāsuki, the string and Viṣṇu his arrow. He installed Agni at the tip and Vāyu at the bottom of the arrow. Four devas stood as horses to his chariot. The earth itself was the chariot and all the animate and inanimate objects of the devaloka arrayed at different parts of the chariot. On the wheels stood the Aśvinīdevas and Cakrapāṇi stayed on the axle. Gandharvas took places on the spokes. Indra stayed on the bow and Vaiśravaṇa on the arrow. Yama took his place on the right hand and the dreadful Kāla on the left hand. Brahmā acted as the charioteer.


== Other origins ==
Equipped thus, Śiva stayed in the godly chariot for a thousand years. When the three cities joined together in the sky Śiva split the cities by his three forked spike. Then he sent an arrow to the cities. Bad omens began to appear in Tripura. People became lifeless in the cities. Soon an arrow from Śiva burnt the cities and the Tripuras were burnt to death.|title=[[Padma Purana]]|source=Chapters 31 - 34}}
Although reference is still to be inserted from [[Puranas]] (ancient Hindu texts) there is a connection of Pinaka with the life of Maharshi [[Dadhichi]] a sage who helped devas to defeat the asura [[Vritra]] and later on request gave up life and provided his bones for making a [[Vajra]] which [[Indra]] used to kill the Demon [[Vritrasura]].


== See also ==
== See also ==

Latest revision as of 04:32, 3 November 2022


Pinaka
Rama breaking the bow to win Sita as wife.jpg
Rama shatters the Pinaka while Parashurama watches on
Devanagariपिनाक
Venerated inShaivism
TextsRamayana

The Pinaka (Sanskrit: पिनाक, pínāka) is the celestial bow of the Hindu destroyer deity, Shiva. In popular legend, he is believed to have employed this bow in his avatar as Tripurantaka to annihilate the three cities of Mayasura, known as Tripura.[1] The weapon is the origin of one of Shiva's epithets, Pinakapani, literally meaning, 'the wielder of the Pinaka'.[2]

In Literature[edit]

In the Shiva Purana, Shiva employed the Pinaka in his duel against Ganesha, who had been appointed to stand guard while his mother Parvati bathed.[3]

In the Harivamsa Purana, when the Prajapati Daksha performed a yajna for the gods, his ceremony was obstructed by Shiva and a human incarnation of Nandi, who wielded the Pinaka. Hari (Vishnu) stood to confront him, accompanied by the adityas and the vasus. Shiva struck Hari on his breast, who countered by grabbing his assailant's throat. When he strung his own bow Sharanga, the mountain Meru trembled. Infuriated, Nandi raised the Pinaka and struck Hari on the head, who stupefied the man with a smile and stood firm, allowing the yajna to resume.[4]

In the Padma Purana, Shiva employed the Pinaka to combat Jalandhara:[5]

Having heard these words of Brahma, Śiva knew (the illusion). Knowing the demon’s illusion, he threw a large rock (at the demons). With that he killed three hundred crores of demons. O king, then having very angrily mounted upon his bull (i.e. Nandin), Śiva took his Pināka bow and arrows. Then the son of the Ocean (i.e. Jālandhara), seeing Śiva, free from the illusion, manifested quickly another group of illusions which deluded the lord of gods, which was very wonderful, which was very powerful. Jālandhara turned into (one) having a crore of arms and fought Śiva with trees, weapons and missiles; and he, the Ocean’s son, put the earth that was decorated with the red chalk into the intermediate space; and the Ocean’s son made the earth adorned with many charming temples of deities, full of various (kinds of) flowers. Celestial nymphs, more lovely than Menakā danced there. Śambhu, forgot (to fight) and instantly abandoned the bow, and deluded by (the sound of) musical instruments and songs and by the tāṇḍava dance of the lord of demons, started, being mounted upon the bull.

— Padma Purana, Chapter 18
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When the Yadava forces invaded Sonitapura to rescue Aniruddha, Shiva and Kartikeya rushed to guard the city of the Shaiva asura, Bana. Krishna's Sharanga and Shiva's Pinaka were used against each other in the battle, the conflict ultimately won by Krishna.[6]

In the Ramayana, Rama broke the Pinaka to win Princess Sita's hand in marriage during her swayamvara.[7]

The Pinaka is sometimes considered to be the weapon Shiva employed to destroy Tripura, even though other legends state that the bow used for the destruction of the three cities was fashioned from Mount Mandara:[8]

Śiva had to make grand preparations for a fight with the Tripuras. He invoked half the strength of the devas to himself to make Śivaśakti (Javelin of Śiva) greater than Asuraśakti. The devas made Viśvakarmā construct a special chariot for Śiva. On the banks of the river Narmadā at a place which became renowned as Maheśvara Śiva stayed for a thousand years thinking about the fight with the Tripuras. He made the mountain of Mandara his bow, Vāsuki, the string and Viṣṇu his arrow. He installed Agni at the tip and Vāyu at the bottom of the arrow. Four devas stood as horses to his chariot. The earth itself was the chariot and all the animate and inanimate objects of the devaloka arrayed at different parts of the chariot. On the wheels stood the Aśvinīdevas and Cakrapāṇi stayed on the axle. Gandharvas took places on the spokes. Indra stayed on the bow and Vaiśravaṇa on the arrow. Yama took his place on the right hand and the dreadful Kāla on the left hand. Brahmā acted as the charioteer. Equipped thus, Śiva stayed in the godly chariot for a thousand years. When the three cities joined together in the sky Śiva split the cities by his three forked spike. Then he sent an arrow to the cities. Bad omens began to appear in Tripura. People became lifeless in the cities. Soon an arrow from Śiva burnt the cities and the Tripuras were burnt to death.

— Padma Purana, Chapters 31 - 34

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Williams, Monier. "Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary". pínāka m. n. a staff or bow, (esp.) the staff or bow of Rudra-Śiva
  2. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Śiva". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  3. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (15 October 2018). "The head of Gaṇeśa is chopped off during the battle [Chapter 16]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  4. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (14 November 2020). "Shiva Obstructs Daksha's Sacrifice and Hari Fights with Him [Chapter 28]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  5. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (26 September 2019). "Jālandhara Is Killed [Chapter 18]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  6. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (31 October 2019). "Aniruddha's Marriage [Chapter 250]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  7. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (1 November 2021). "Manifestation of Viṣṇu as Rāma [Chapter 5]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  8. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Tripura". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
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