Astra denotes divine strength in Norse, “extraordinary weapon” in Latin, and “star” in Sanskrit. Astras (About Astraverse) played a significant role in the epic conflicts depicted in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and were frequently employed.
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Archers like Parashurama, Rama, Lakshman, Bhishma, Indrajit (Meghnad), Ravana, Drona, Bhishma, Karna, Ashwatthama, Arjuna, and other fighters are portrayed as using them.
- Shastra: Physical weapons
- Astra: Mantra-powered objects
When someone obtained an Astra, the associated devatas used to place their Amsha in that person’s body. So, after appeasing the appropriate Devata, one could obtain an Astra. Brahmastra, Pashupatastra, Vaishnavastra, and others were obtained by pleasing Brahma. Although they may be utilized with anything, Divya Astra was typically conjured into arrows. Similar to Ashwatthama, who used a grass blade as his weapon to conjure Brahmashirsha Astra.
So, to operate an Astra, the following was required:
- Astra devatas, the corresponding devatas in the body
- Mantras for the Astra
- Any tangible object, including a blade of grass, wood, bows, arrows, etc.
Even if the individual is knowledgeable of the mantras and the Vidhya, utilizing an Astra would be useless if the devata left the person’s body. Arjuna experienced this after Krishna left the material world. He learned all mantras, yet Astra devatas departed his body, leaving him defenseless. According to legend, the following mantras are needed to use the Astras.
According to legend, the following mantras are needed to use the Astras.
- An incantation or chant must be used to summon an Astra. It is a particular invocation of the Gayathri Mantra.
- Altering Ether sound waves gives the Brahmastra its potency.
- In abstraction, the sound is called “Nada Brahma,” meaning it is heavenly.
- Two different sound types exist. Unstruck/unheard sound and the sound that was struck/heard
- Ether, the purer air towards the celestial world, vibrates un-struck sound. Only the enlightened yogis may hear the unperturbed sound known as “Anahata Nada,” which they seek.
- The striking sound, or “Anahata Nada,” is air vibration near the earth. It includes both musical and non-musical sounds that we hear in nature or those produced by humans.
As a result, rather than using the standard Anahata sound for puja, the Gayathri mantra is chanted to unleash Brahmastra.
In three hours, Lord Rama utilizes the Gandharva Astra to slaughter and annihilate the army of 10,000 chariots, 18,000 elephants, 14000 horses and their rider, and 200,000 ground soldiers.
Each Astra used to have unique characteristics of its own. Brahmastra, for instance, has the power to obliterate any of Brahma’s creations. The Nagastra weapon was a snake. Nagapasham and Garudastra were heavenly and eagle weapons, respectively. Parvatastra was a terrifying weapon that utilized sky-falling mountains.
Vaishnavastra, Pashupatastra, and Brahmandastra are possible Astras. But because Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, and Devi are the ultimate manifestations of the divine, these Astras cannot hurt them. These Astras cannot damage Vishnu, the greatest god, Mahadev, the god of gods and the destroyer, or Shakti, the Supreme Being and source of all Astras. Hanuman, son of Vayu, received boons from these five gods, therefore the Astras cannot harm him.
The epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, known as “Itihasas,” include many meaningful metaphors. Astras’ celestial weapons destroyed hundreds of warriors in seconds and revolutionized warfare. Although it may sound like fiction, they were very much a reality rather than a myth. Many of them were just as potent as modern nuclear bombs.
It didn’t need mathematical formulas, scientific theories, or huge equipment like modern weapons. However, only a small number of people back then had access to information and technology. Selectively, the powerful governing class, etc., everything ends, including Astras’ knowledge.
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The vast knowledge vanished, but where? How did The Celestial Weapons fare?
Astras are energy, not swords or spears. People’s physical prowess and memory used to be much better in the previous yugas (Dwapara, Treta, and Satya). They memorized everything, thus they didn’t write down these scriptures.
In the battle of Kurukshetra, most persons who knew how to use the weapons perished, leaving Arjuna alone. Ashwatthama, another knowledgeable person, was cursed and lost all his knowledge. So he was unable to instruct anyone.
The remaining generation was unworthy of such knowledge, so it died with them. After the Mahabharata War, Astras were not used. After the Great War, Arjuna taught Vrishaketu about Astra.
Vrishaketu, Karna’s son, visited Surya Narayan’s riverside shrine after the Kurukshetra conflict. He desired to exact revenge on all of his father’s adversaries. But when Arjun shows up in front of Vrishaketu, he begs for pardon. As a renowned warrior like his father, Arjuna urged him to join him in learning the skill of bow and arrow fighting so that he could take over the kingdom that his father was unable to control. He was educated about all the holy Astras by Arjuna, who regarded him as his son.
However, Lord Krishna ordered Vrishaketu not to disseminate the Astra Vidya since in Kaliyuga, individuals may exploit them for personal gain. Because the Kaliyuga was set to begin and this weaponry would later threaten widespread devastation, Krishna had warned him not to pass on the wisdom of the heavenly weapons to the following generation. As a result, we don’t observe any Vrishaketu students. To prevent misuse of the Pashupatastra mantra, Lord Shiva sealed it during the Kaliyuga. Lord Parashurama is likely doing penance while awaiting his turn as Kalki’s guru.
By Shri Krishna’s Mercy, the majority of the harmful science and those who used it were destroyed or killed after the conflict.