Khaḍga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A legend concerning the sword (khaḍga) appears in the Shantiparva section of Mahabharata.[1]
Out of curiosity, Nakula, the fourth son of Pandu and the master of swordsmanship, had questioned the Kuru Grandsire Bhishma, on his arrowy death bed, as to which was the best weapon in all kinds of fighting. In his own personal views, Nakula thought the sword to be the most superior, since even on having lost one's bow, horse and the chariot, a skilful swordsman could still defend himself against the mace and spear wielders. Nakula further queried the Grandsire about the origin and purpose of the Khadga as well as about its first acharya or preceptor.
Gladdened by these intelligent queries by Nakula, Bhishma related to him the complete Itihaasa of the Khadga or "divine sword" starting from its creation down to the present i.e time of Bharata war.
The full details of the legend appear in the Shantiparva of Mahabharata (MBH 12.167.1-87 Vulgo; MBH 12.161.1-87 (Critical)) [1].
Contents |
[edit] Mythological creation of universe
In the beginning there was no sky, no light, nor motion. Spread everywhere was the awful silence. Then at his own proper time, Prajapita (Brahma) manifested as hiranyagarbha (primordial womb or atom) and created the stars, sun, moon, planets, and the divisions of time into years, months, days, seasons. Then he manifested and created the Deva Rudra and other Devas: the Maruts, Adityas, Ashvins, and Vasus etc.
Thereafter, Brahma manifested as various living forms which included the Rishis. Then he promulgated the Sanatana Dharma. The Rishis saw this Dharma in the form of the Vedas and lived in obdience to it.
However, there arose cupidity, avarice, jealousies, anger and arrogance which led the Danavas like Hirannyakashipu, Hiranyaksha, Virochana, Shambhara, Viprachitti, Prahlada, Nauuchi, Bali and many others to transgress the limits of Dharma and propriety and indulge in evil and sinful deeds and commit injustice and cruelty on the Devas as well as on the innocent public. The Devas approached Brahama and protested against the unjust rule and evil doings of the Danavas or Asuras.
[edit] Origin of sword
Hearing the protest from Devas, Brahma collected sacrificial objects and proceeded to perform a grand sacrifice with the foremost of the Rishis and Devas at the side of Himalaya.
During the course of the sacrifice, a dreadful creature sprang from the midst of the sacrificial fires scattering flames all around. It was as though a moon had arisen in the midst of the stars. He was colored like a deep-blue lotus. His teeth were sharp and terrible, stomach lean and skinny and stature very tall and slim. He was of exceeding energy and power. Simultaneously, the earth started shaking, there were turmoils in the oceans, the forceful winds started howling all around, the trees started falling and being torn apart, and the meteors started blazing through the skies!
Brahma declared:
The 'being' I have conceived is Asi. It shall effect the destruction of the enemies of the gods and restore the Dharma.
Upon this, the creature assumed the form of a blazing, sharp-edged sword, glowing like the flames at the end of the Kalpa.
[edit] Sword with the mythological deities
Brahma gave that sword to Rudra (one of Shivas forms) with the bull-banner and asked him to put down the sinners and evil-doers (paap and adharma) and restore the Dharma.
Rudra, assuming his terrible form, took up the sword and started the war against the Danavas, thus tearing, piercing, lopping off, chopping off and smashing and mutilating these enemies of the Devas and the Praja.
The earth became miry with flesh and blood of Daityas and looked like a fair-complexioned maid intoxicated with alcohol and attired in crimson robes in a full abandon.
Having extirpated the entire community of Daityas and after restoring Dharma, Rudra cast off his awful form and assumed the usual benign shape Shiva.
Rudra gave the sword, dyed with the blood of the Daityas, to Vishnu. Vishnu gave it to the Indra. Deva Indra, then gave it to other Devas.
[edit] Sword with the historical personages
The Devas then presented the mighty sword to Manu, advising him to wield it with utmost care, only resorting to it for punishing the transgressors of the Dharma. Mutilations and death punishments shall never be inflicted for small transgressions.
Manu used this Daevi Khadga or Divine Sword wisely and then passed it his to son Kshupa. From Kshupa it passed to Manu's other son Ikshvaku. From him it went to Pururavas, born of Ila. From him it went to Ayu. From him it passed to Nahusha. From him it passed to Yayati. From him it passed to Puru. From him it was wrested by Amurtarayas of the clan of the Amavasus. From him it went to Bhumishaya. From him it went to Bharata Daushyanti. From him it went to Ailavila, the upholder of Dharma. From him it went to Kuvalashva, the Aikshvakava of Kosala.
From king Kuvalashva, the sword was wrested by Kamboja i.e the king of Kambojas.
See also Epic Kamboja
From Kamboja, the Khadga passed on to Muchukunda (a Yavana king). From Muchukunda it went to Maruta.
From Maruta it went to Raivata. From him to Yuvanashva. From him it went to Raghu, the great conqueror. From him it went to Harinashva. From him it went to Shunaka. From him it went to Ushinara. From him it went to the Bhojas and Yadavas. From the Yadus it went to Shivi. From him it went to the Partardanas of Kashi. Then it was taken by Vishvamitras of the Ashtaka lineage. Then it was taken by the Panchala Prishadashva. From him it went to the Brahmins of the Bharadvaja lineage. The last of that lineage was Drona. He gave to Kripacharya. He in turn gave it to the Pandavas.
Krittika is the Nakshatra of the sword, Rohini the gotra, Agni the deity, and Rudra the Maharshi. It is truly the upholder of Dharma.
It is the foremost of the striking weapons of the son of Madravati.
[edit] Historical value of the legend
This Mahabharata legend seems to point to a remote era of transition from Bronze age to Iron age (around 14th BC?). The discovery of iron, by the Hittites had ushered in an era of revolution in the human society. The Indo-Aryans got the technology from Hittites and improved it and extracted a quality steel and invented the sword as a powerful war weapon. The allegorical details of the legend allude to its immediate and revolutionary impact on the tribal societies of the time. The site of action is stated to be in the Himalaya ranges. Himalayan of the early Aryan traditions also included the western parts of Himalaya — the Hindukush ranges/Meru Paravata i.e Pamirs etc. Thus this event points to remote times when the Aryan tribes were in occupation of Transoxiana/Afghanistan territories, lying at the gateway of India proper, ready to make push and expand into Indian sub-continent.
The definition of the Mahabharata sword is fearful, powerful, fiery, unassailable, affording wealth, giving victory, and the source of maintaining Dharma.
[edit] References
- ^ Political and Moral Concepts in the Śāntiparvan of the Mahābhārata, 1990, p 166, Y. S. Walimbe.
[edit] External links
- Mahabharata Sword
- The Mahabharata: Book 11: The Book of Peace, Part 1, edited by James L Fitzgerald
- Durga Puja, pp lviii-lix, Pratāpacandra Ghosha
|
|||||||||||||||||
