Thursday, December 4, 2025

Are there magic swords in Hindu mythology?

 Yes, there are many magic swords in Hindu lore.

There is Asi, the first sword ever made, the primal sword coalesced from pure Divine energy in an ancient ritual performed by the Devas and primordial sages, which makes its wielder invincible in battle.

There is Chandrahasa or “Smiling Moon” (referring to its blade’s curving shape), an indestructible sword given by Shiva to Ravana.

There is Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu, itself a living Divine being in the form of a sword (usually), also embodying knowledge itself.

In the Rajasthani folk epic Dhola, Indra also wields a sword named Nandaka, this one with seven edges, associated with the rainbow and lightning, a variation from his usual Vajra weapon.

The Kathasaritsagara mentions two magic swords, both originally in the possession of Asuras (Danavas in one case, Daityas in the other). There is a powerfully magic sword possessed by Danavas in a jeweled cavern, which grants many various magical powers to whoever holds it. The other is a magic Daitya sword named Mriganka, “Deer-Marked”, which will make the man who holds it a king, and has various powers.