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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

                 The Bow and Arrow

       Notwithstanding all the productive uses they have been put to, modern 
science and technology have also multiplied manifold weapons of mass 
destruction. We live in constant terror of the day when our nuclear neighbour 
would unleash mindless atomic anarchy. Not a day passes without bomb blasts in 
many parts of the world, claiming countless victims. Though Hiroshima and 
Nagasaki are stark reminders of how generations of people could be killed, 
maimed and ruined by a nuclear fall out, nations still go on merrily 
stockpiling atomic arsenal of formidable proportions, in the name of 
self-defence and defence of "strategic interests". It would appear as though we 
have perfected the art of mass murder, though we are never satisfied with the 
level of advancement and continue intensive research into newer and newer 
techniques of annihilation. All these cost billions of dollars, astronomical 
sums beyond anyone's imagination.

 It is interesting to note that the ancients too were in possession of weapons 
of mass destruction, capable of destroying whole nations at a time, acquired at 
a negligible fraction of the cost it involves today. The Ramayana speaks of a 
weapon capable of killing hundreds people at a time-"Shataghni". When we read 
of the effects of the nAgAstra, the AgnEyAstra and the ultimate among weapons, 
the BrahmAstra, their impact seems to have been none the less than that of an 
atom bomb.

The important difference between weapons now and then is that while they were 
used in the ancient past to establish the rule of Dharma and to eliminate evil, 
today we find them being used for all and sundry reasons in furtherance of 
narrow, parochial ends, with nary a thought on their deleterious effect on the 
human race. Such weapons could be acquired only after a lot of penance in the 
past, and there were always accompanying stipulations for their use, limiting 
the possessor's damage potential.

The Bow and Arrow appear to have been the favourite weapons of the past, simple 
to use but none the less effective. As indicated above, their destructive 
capability was practically unlimited, especially when the right type of astrAs, 
accompanied by meditation on the astra dEvatas, were deployed.

When we think of a Bow, the name that automatically jumps to our mind is that 
of Sri Rama. When we picture Him in our mind's eye, we always see Him stylishly 
holding a beautiful bow in His hand, a cylindrical container for arrows 
strapped to His back. His prowess with the bow was legendary. Though we come 
across quite a few weapons in the Yuddha KAnda of Srimad Ramayana, the Bow 
takes the pride of place, with all the principal characters using the weapon in 
conjunction with a variety of astrAs. While elaborating on the numerous 
attainments of the Prince of Ayodhya, Sri Valmiki remarks, "VEda VEdAnga 
tatthvagya: DhanurvEdE cha nishttitha:", attesting to Sri Rama's proficiency 
with the art of wielding the weapon. Azhwars too wax eloquent about "Valvil 
irAman" and "Kolavil irAman".
 
The importance this simple weapon was given, can be understood from the fact 
that its study was given the status of an auxiliary Scripture ("upa Vedam"). 
Along with AyurvEda (the art of healing), GAndharva Veda (the study of 
uplifting Music), DhanurVeda or the pactice of Archery was given a pride of 
place in the curriculum of the warrior class. Thus it is no surprise that Sri 
Rama was an expert in the art of wielding the bow and arrow.

It is this prowess of Sri DAsarati that prompts Sri VisvAmitra to seek the 
former's services for YAga samrakshaNam. And it is this proficiency in Archery 
that nets Sri Rama the prize catch of Sri Janakanandini. The mighty bow of 
Shiva was so big and heavy that it has to be wheeled in on a huge eight-wheeled 
barrow. And it takes five thousand repeat five thousand men, all strong as 
oxen, to pull the vehicle laden with the bow, with very great difficulty. 
Lifting the mighty bow of Shiva and fitting it with an arrow were considered to 
be extremely difficult, if not impossible. The bow is so heavy that some rulers 
just stagger under its weight and fall, while most can not move it at all. 
Though the cream of the ruling class is represented on the occasion, none is 
able to accomplish the task, attesting to the arduousness of the endeavour.  
Even Sri Janaka, witnessing the abject inadequacy of even the mightiest of 
kings in this regard, wonders whether he had set an impossible task -

"na Etat sura gaNA: na asurA na cha rAkshasA:
 Gandharava Yaksha pravarA: sa Kinnara mahOragA:
Kva gati: mANushANAm cha dhanushOsya prapooraNE
ArOpaNE samAyOgE vEpanE tOlanEpi vA"

When kings who were veritable mountains of flesh could not even lift the Shiva 
Danus, and neither could brawny asurAs, beefy rAkshasAs, GandharvAs, KinnarAs 
or YakshAs, the slender Sri Rama, still not out of His teens, could heft the 
mammoth bow effortlessly. In one fluid and seamless motion, He drew the 
bowstring back with such force as to break the massive bow into pieces, unable 
to withstand the pull of His mighty arms. It is a measure of the hugeness of 
this bow that the noise of its breaking filled all the worlds with a terrifying 
blast of sound, scaring even the most hardened of men out of their skins. The 
entire mission was accomplished with such effortless ease that those present in 
the royal court of MithilA only saw the bow being lifted: the next they heard 
was the clamour of its shattering to pieces, says Sri Kamban-"edutthadu kaNdAr, 
ittradu kEttAr".  The RaghuvIra Gadyam describes this impressive event 
thus-"Khanda parasu KOdanda prakANda khandana shouNda bhuja danda!". Another 
poet tells us that it is only the bow of Rudra which knows the real might of 
the Lord's sinewy shoulders-"jAnAti dOrbala parAkramam Isa chApa:".

The Challenge of the Bow doesn't end here for Sri Rama, with His having proved 
His valour with the Shiva Dhanus. When the marriage party is on its way back to 
Ayodhya from Mithila in all gaiety, Sri Rama is confronted by Sri Parasurama, 
who feels that Sri Raghava's exploit with the Shiva Dhanus was nothing 
remarkable, as the bow was already damaged. The angry son of Jamadagni 
challenges the young Prince to display His prowess with the mighty bow of 
Vishnu, which Parasurama holds in his hand. Unfazed, Sri Rama lifts the Vishnu 
Dhanus too and inserts an arrow, demonstrating His strength and might 
conclusively, for all world to see. This incident is extolled by Swami Desikan 
as follows, in "MahAvIra Vaibhavam"-
"shata kOti shata guNa katina parasu dhara munivara kara dhruta duravanamatama 
nija dhanurAkarshaNa prakAsita pAramEshttyA!".

We heard Parasurama telling the Prince of Ayodhya that the Shiva Dhanus was 
already damaged. When we look into the background, we find another episode, 
which proves that the Bow and Arrow have been used as instruments of testing 
the bravery, might and prowess of warriors, from time immemorial. The DEvAs, in 
an effort to establish the supremacy of Lord Vishnu for posterity, induced a 
sort of exhibition match between the Lord and Rudra, who was also a facile 
wielder of the bow, as attested to in the Rudra Prasna of the Yajus Samhita. 
The battle lines were drawn and the opposing deities were arrayed on either 
side, with bows drawn and at the ready. All Sri Mahavishnu did was to snort, 
with a "hunkAram" emanating from His divine nostrils, and the bow held by Rudra 
broke, unable to bear the intensity of the sound. Thus, even before the battle 
began, it ended, with the Devas declaring Sri Vishnu to be the Supreme 
Power-"adhikam mEnirE Vishnum" says the Valmiki Ramayana. We thus see that the 
association of the Bow with the Lord has time and again served to demonstrate 
His supremacy, whether over deities or mortals.

One more occasion when the Lord's might is put to test, again with the bow and 
arrow, arises out of SugrivA's doubts about Sri Rama's prowess-"SugrIva: 
shankita: Aseet nityam veeryENa RAghavE". When these doubts are not dispelled 
even with Raghava hefting the gargantuan carcass of rAkshasa Dundhubi with His 
toe and hurling it to fall ten miles away, Sri Rama lets loose a simple, single 
arrow from His mighty bow, which pierces seven tall trees, not even standing in 
a straight line, and returns to Rama's arrow-container. This conclusively 
convinces the monkey king, who lauds the Prince's prowess. Azhwars chronicle 
this event thus-"puNarA nindra maram Ezh eida oru vil valavAvO!"  "Ezhu mAmaram 
tuLai pada silai vaLaitthu". 

The Lord's association with His bow is so close, that He is often known by a 
related tirunAmam, like SArngapANi, KOdandapANi etc.  People who have  visited 
the Tirukkudandai sannidhi would attest to how stylishly the Lord holds the bow 
SArngam in His hand and how beautifully it rests on His mighty shoulders. This 
bewitching pose so impresses Sri TirumazhisaipirAn that he lovingly confers the 
name "SArngapANi" on Sri ArAvamudan.  Another Azhwar to call Him bow-related 
names is Sri Kulasekhara Perumal, who describes the Lord variously as "Emaruvum 
silai valava!" "Silai valava!", "Evari vem silai valava!"  etc.  In fact, 
Azhwar affords the entire credit for the destruction of Lanka to the Lord's 
magnificent Bow-"vaLaya oru silai adanAl madiL ilangai azhitthavanE".  This 
Azhwar also records that it is the famed Agastya Muni, from whom Sri Raghava 
obtains the Bow, which stands Him in such good stead in the battle of 
Lanka-"vaN Tamizh Muni koduttha varivil vAngi". 

As He holds the Bow constantly and with its prolific use in the elimination of 
the evil-minded, it is but natural that the Lord's palm and especially the 
thumb bear deep and indelible scars. Such scars are marks any warrior worth his 
salt would be extremely proud of, for they are no less than shining medallions 
attesting to his bravery and prowess. Sri PoigayAzhwar says that the Lord's 
palms abound with such scars-"tazhumbu irunda SArnga nAN tOyndavAm angai". This 
is confirmed by Sri Alavandar, who terms these scars beautiful and auspicious 
too-"chakAsitam jyAkiNa karkasai: shubhai:".

The author of "RAma ashta prAsam" says that the Lord holds a bow not only in 
His right hand, but in both hands, implying perhaps that He was equally 
versatile with either hand, in handling the KOdanda-"Savya asavya karAttha 
chApa visikha: kravyAcha vAirI vibhu:". To this bhakta, the snake-like, bent 
Bow adorning Emperuman's hand appears verily to be AdisEsha-"SEshAkAra karAttha 
bhIma dhanushE!".

Sri Ramabhadra Dikshita considers the glory of the Lord's Bow to be so vast, 
that he devotes an entire stotra to the weapon, known as "Sri Rama ChApa 
Stavam" and has authored another, dedicated to the splendour of His Arrow, 
named "Sri Rama BANa stavam". Here is a sample from the Sri Rama ChApa Stavam-

           "Yat moolE Raghunandanasya jagatAm trAtA iti keerti ankura:
DEvI cha arcchati JanakI savinayam yat gandha pushpa akshatai:
Yat kOtyA krita lAnchanaccha jaladhou sEthu: jagat pAvana:
 BhadrAyAstu jagat traya stuti padam tat RAghavIyam dhanu:"  

It is from this glorious bow that Sri Rama's fame as the Universal Saviour 
stems. Because it is the Bow which was responsible for the elimination of 
Ravana and the rescue of Sita, Piratti performs arcchanA to this Bow with 
devotion. It is from the bottom of this bow that the bridge across the ocean to 
Lanka was built. May this beautiful Bow, which is the object of universal 
adoration, bless us with all that is auspicious.

Our elders have taught us to call upon for protection, Sri Rama and Lakshmana, 
resplendent with their long and magnificent bows reaching up to their ears, 
whenever we step outside our homes-

"agarata: prishttataschaiva pArsvatascha mahAbalou
 AkarNa poorNa dhanvAnou rakshEtAm Rama lakshmaNou". 

The Rama ChApa is as much a weapon as an adoring adornment to the Lord's arm, 
says Sri Rama KarNAmritam-
"vandE chApaka lambakOjwala karam vandE jagan mangaLam".

The glory and splendour of the Lord's bow is indeed beyond recitation. The 
PanchAyudha Stotram, the ShOdasAyudha Stotram etc. chronicle the magnificence 
of this inseparable adjunct of the Lord, which serves both as a weapon for 
protection of the devotees from forces of evil, as well as an adornment par 
excellence. It would be no exaggeration to say that the entire Ramayana is 
founded upon the KOdanda, which plays a stellar role throughout. It is this Bow 
which brings the Lord and His Consort together, it is the Bow which establishes 
the Supremacy of the Lord in the comity of deities and shows Him up as the 
Paramapurusha, it is this very Bow which eliminates the RAkshasAs and sets free 
the imprisoned Piratti. It is the Bow again which brings name and fame to 
warriors like Arjuna and KarNa and brings the KurukshEtra yuddham to a decisive 
end in favour of the Pandavas. 

I would like to end this piece with a final tribute to the Bow, from no less a 
source than the MundakOpanishad, which, in an excellent allegory, portrays the 
PraNava mantra as the Bow, the seeking soul as the Arrow and the lofty target 
as the Parabrahmam-"PraNavO dhanu: sharO hi AtmA, Brahma tat lakshyam uchyatE". 
This mantra beautifully summarises the strategy of SharanAgati.  The same 
Upanishad picturises  the Bow and Arrow as the very image of the Vedas, with 
the Rig Veda representing the Bow, the YajurvEda the Arrow and the Sama Veda, 
the majestic twang of the Bowstring-"Rig Dhanu: Yaju: BANa: SAma jyA 
ghOshaNAdinA". 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Dasan, sadagopan




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