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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00038 Dec 2004

 
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dear bhagavatas,

Shri M.G. Vasudevan's postings on the Bow are indeed informative and enjoyable. 
Here is some additional information on the Bow.

 
The Aruna Prasnam of the Taitiriya Aranyakam has an interesting tale to narrate 
about Shiva's bow. Once Devas were readying themselves for battle with asuras. 
Rudra, with his magnificent bow firmly planted in the ground, declared that 
none could equal him in valour-neither deities, nor mortals, nor Agni, Indra 
nor Varuna ("naiva dEvO na martya:, na rAjA VaruNO vibhu:, nAgni: na Indro na 
PavamAna:, Madruk kacchana vidyatE"). The Shruti describes the colossal nature 
of this bow, by pointing out that while its upper end was far above in the 
skies, the lower one stood firmly rooted in the ground ("divi asya EkA dhanu: 
Artni:, PrithivyAm aparA shrtiA"). The gargantuan size of the bow, Rudra's mood 
and demeanour-all these were indeed terrifying to the entire world, which 
watched the scene with great trepidation. To defuse the situation, Indra came 
out with a strategy. He assumed the form of termites and ate into the taut 
string connecting the two ends of the bow-"tasya Indro vamri roopeNa, dhanu: 
jyAm acchinat svayam", thereby reducing the damage potential of the bow. When 
Rudra drew back the string to equip the bow with a destructive arrow, the 
predictable happened-the weakened string broke and, instead of causing any 
damage, the bow, due to the force of the pull and its own size, fell far into 
the sky-"tat Indra dhanu: ityajyam, abhra varNEshu chakshaktE". In a case of a 
protagonist of violence becoming its victim, the broken bow, due the force of 
its passage and release, struck Rudra's head with great power and shattered it 
into a thousand pieces-"RudrasyatvEva dhanu: Artni:, shira utpipEsha".  It is 
perhaps due to this event that the Rainbow, which is formed in the sky, is 
known till date as the "Indra Dhanus" or Indra's Bow, commemorating his 
contribution in saving the world from destruction. It is noteworthy that the 
Rainbow resembles a bow, but without the drawstring.  Sri Nampillai records 
this tale in His Eedu, while commenting on the pasuram "Surar arivaru 
nilai"-"tAn poottina nANi tan kazhuttai arutthukkoNdu pOgAdu ozhiyum pOdum 
Isvaran antaryAmAvAi nirkka vENum". 

 



 

 



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