SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA Let me bring to the notice of devotees some more information on bows. 1)Varuna?s connection. It appears that Varuna devatha is the custodian of divine and fierce bows. The Shiva dhanush was in the custody of Varuna before Janaka got it. The Vishnu dhanush that Rama got from Parasurama was deposited with Varuna immediately afterwards. It is interesting to note that there exists similar narration with reference to Gaandeeva, the bow of Arjuna. In Mahabharatha, Virada parva, sloka 43, Arjuna as Bruhannalai describes the glory of Gandeeva to Utthara kumara. After describing the bow, he says that it was in the custody of Brhma deva for 1000 years, then with Prajapathi for 503 years, then with Indra for 85 years, with chandra for 500 years and with Varuna for 100 years. From Aadhi parvam, 225, we come to know that this bow was given to Arjuna for having destroyed Gandeeva vanam by Agni deva THROUGH VARUNA. It appears that Varuna comes into picture as custodian or giver of bows for the following reasons. # All divyaasthras are with Vishnu who is none other than Sriman Narayana (for arguments to substantiate this latter part of the sentence, refer Vedartha sangraha). The pramana is the 1000th name of Vishnu in Vishnu sahasranama, which is ?sarva praharanaayudha:? Why this name has been given as the final or ultimate name is itself a matter for interesting debate. In this context let me confine myself to saying that Vishnu is the ultimate owner of all weapons. But that He is also present as Varuna among all jala-devathas, is what Gitacharyan Himself has said (BG 10-29). So it may be interpreted that all weapons, particularly the divine weapons go back to Vishnu in Varuna?s form. # Why Varuna? Why not other forms of Vishnu about which we have a good idea from BG? It may be because Varuna as jala-devatha acts as a coolant to preserve the haughty weapons. Or else the weapons might become fiercer still. (fanciful notion??!!) # Vishnu?s connection with the bows can be traced to what Dhanur veda says. Saarangham, Vishnu?s bow is described as the best among all the bows by Dhanur vedam. It is said to be 7 times greater than what Vishwa karma made. (The two bows mentioned in previous posts of MGV are made by Vishwa karma).Sage Vyasa describes Saarangam in his Siva dhanur veda. Though all bows are said to have originated from Mahadeva, he says that the archer, before aiming at a target must keep Lord Vishnu in mind and then intone the name of Arjuna to get success. He further says that Janardhana stays in the heart of the archer. The practice to invoke the blessings of Vishnu before shooting the arrow might perhaps be due to the prospect of Vishnu staying in the tip of the arrow ? as what happened when Shiva sought to destroy Thripura asuras. Further corroboration:- Vishnu is the Vajayudha among all weapons (BG) Vajra is also the hard substance made of diamond and other hard substances that is smeared at the tip of the arrow, so says Vyasa. So it is assumed that Vishnu remained as the vajra at the tip of Shiva dhanush. 2) The next point I wish to take up is explained below the following dialogue that took place between me and MGV in previous posts. JASN: 2) What are these bows called? Which then is Kothandam, which we usually associate with Rama? MGV: 'Naming the bows' - is a very difficult question to answer. In slOkam 1-22-7, it is said raama and lakshmaNa started as dhanushpaaNi: along with sage visvaamithra when they left ayOdhyaa. Also in 1-26-6, it is said raama held the bow and made the noise - the dankaaram - the bow string pulled and a noise created. [thus informing thaatakaa about the arrival of her killer before the thaatakaa vadham]. No name for the bow is given in these two places. As could be 'inferred' from the parasuraama episode, which takes place just after the marriage, the bow received from parasuraama, [that vishNu dhanu:] was NOT returned to parasuraama. Instead dhasaratha raama gave the bow to varunNan as could be seen from gathE raamE prasaantha aathmaa raamO dhaasarathi: dhanu: | varuNaaya aprameyaaya dhadhou hasthE mahaayasaa: || 1-77-1 meaning: On the departure of parasu raama, that most glorious raama of dhasaratha, who is now peaceful [or quietened] at heart, gave away that longbow of vishNu into the hands of varuNan, the unequalled God of Rain. So we can infer (is it correct?) the vishNu dhanu: what dhasaratha raama received previously from parasu raamaa is the "kOthaNdam", which, when he started to forest, got back from the house of sage vasishta. May be the soul of 'saarngam' - the bow of sriman naarayaNan enters this vishNu dhanu and performs all acts with the name kOdhandam. [this soul of saarngam entering the bow in front of parasuraama, we saw in the bow story earlier]. JASN replies:- It seems that the two names that appear in Vishnu sahasranama, namely, Dhanvee and Dhanur dhara: are general terms outwardly. I am not going into the vyakhyaanams for these. Instead let me confine myself to Kodandam and certain other points. >From Sahasranama, our contention of Vishnu?s connection to bows further gets strengthened. The foremost among the dhanur dharis is Vishnu only. Next, about Kodandam. Dhanur veda has an explanation for kodandam. The bows are prepared having 3, 5 or 7 joints. But a kodandam will have 9 joints. (The significance of number nine has already been discussed in various lists. Perhaps to signify that Rama possessed this bow with 9 joints.) While Saarangam is described as ?divine one?, kodandam is described as ?auspicious? one. By the name of it, it means a ?curved stick?. The question is when and how Rama came to possess this. It can not be the Vishnu dhanush that Rama got from Parasurama. For, valmiki says that he had sent it to the custody of Varuna. I doubt whether there exists any verse in the epic to say or indicate that Rama got it back. Rama mentions about the two bows and other weapons that were received from Varuna by Janaka which he takes with him during vana vasam. This gives an impression that during the entire stay in the forest he had used only this bow(the other presumably left to with Lakshmana) Earlier for the first time the mention about the bow comes when he accompanies sage Vishwamithra to forest. He acquired sasthras of varied types from the sage. These are different from asthras as these have to be used by manthras. (Note BG sloka on the Lord being Rama among those who are good at sasthra vidhya). Rama had taken many asthras to the forest and by knowledge of sasthra vidhya, must have used the various weapons given by the sage which were at astral level. But where does the mention of kodandam come is a mute question for which I am yet to get an answer. In the vyakhyanam for Thirumalai pasuram 11, posted by Smt Sumithra Varadarajan, I found an important information that except for the time he prayed to samudra raja, Rama did not for once leave or discard his kodandam. (may I request Smt sumithra to shed more light on this?) If so, we can safely assume that kodandam is one among the two bows that Rama received from Janaka who inturn received it from Varuna. It is therefore further assumed that since Rama used it for number of times for vanquishing more asuras, kodandam came to cling to his name. Otherwise, he could have been just called as dhanur-rama or so. (Arjuna is not known as Gandeeva-arjuna) But similar references (as dhanvee or dhanur dhari) to him are aplenty in Valmiki Ramayana. Requesting further additions and clarifications, Jayasree saranathan. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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