Who were the warriors who had the most number of celestial weapons in the Mahabharata?

 In terms of possession of celestial weapons, here’s the list:

1] Arjuna:

Of course he has the most number of celestial weapons.

tadastramaptam parthena rudradapratimam mahat |

yattadbrahmashiro nama tapasa rudramagatam ||10||

amrritadutthitam raudram tallabdham savyasachina |

tatsamantram sasamharam saprayashchittamangalam ||11||

vajram chanyani chastrani dandadini yudhishthira |

yamatkuberadvarunadindrachcha kurunandana ||12||

astranyadhitavanpartho divyanyamitavikramah ||12||

On your words, the mighty-armed one went out for weapons. Partha has obtained from Rudra a great and unrivalled weapon. It is known as Brahmashira and Rudra obtained it after great austerities. That terrible weapon arose with the ambrosia and Savyasachi has now obtained it, together with the mantras for withdrawing, repulsing and releasing it. O Yudhishthira! O descendant of the Kuru lineage! The infinitely powerful Partha has obtained other divine weapons too—like vajra and danda—from Yama, Kubera, Varuna and Indra.

Arjuna had the following weapons

1. Pashupatastra/Roudrastra.
2. Vajrastra.
3. Yama Danda and mace.
4. Yama paasha.
5. Samoohanastra, Praswapastra.
6. Brahmasira
7. Vaishnavastra.
8. Aindrastra.
9. Gandiva.
10. Adityastra, Kiranastra, Lomakesha.
11. Agneyastra, Varunastra, Vayavyastra.
12. Brahmastra.
13. Gandharvastra.
14. Indrajala, Sthunakarna, Prajapatastra.
15. Anjalikastra, Anjali astra.
16. Nagastra, Garudastra, Anthardhana.

and many more…..

Arjuna was a power house of celestial weapons and he was almost invincible when combined with his immense skill.

2]Karna:

Lord Parashurama had given Karna every celestial weapon known to him(including the Vijaya bow which Lord Parashurama had used to route kshatriyas 21 times).

tatoastrani samastani varanshcha manasepsitan |

labdhva bahuvidhanramah pranamya shirasa shivam ||155||

anujnam prapya deveshajjagama sa mahatapah |

evametatpuravrrittam tada kathitavanrrishih ||156||

bhargavo apyadadatsarvam dhanurvedam mahatmane |

karnaya purushavyaghra supritenantaratmana ||157||

He obtained the weapons and all the boons that he wished for. Having obtained these diverse objects, Rama lowered his head before Shiva. The immensely ascetic one took the permission of the lord of the gods and departed. This is the ancient account that was told by the rishi.

‘ “‘Bhargava imparted all his knowledge of dhanurveda to the great-souled Karna, tiger among men, having been extremely pleased with him. O king! Had Karna not been a deserving person, the descendant of the Bhrigu lineage would not have given him those celestial weapons.

Lord Parashurama was a student of Lord Shiva himself. Therefore, Karna had all celestial weapons of Lord Parashurama.

Therefore, Karna had the following weapons:

1. Nagpash, Garudastra.
2. Bhargavastra.
3. Shakti spear.
4. Pashupataastra(SriKrishna also mentions this).
5. Brahmastra, Brahmasira.
6. Nalika, Krounchastra, Souparnika.
7. Aardrastra, Mohanastra.
8. kaala paasha, Antardhana, kubera weapon.
9. Aditya weapon, Indrajala, Sthunakarna, Tej-prabha
10. Agneya, Varuna, Vayavya, Parjanya.
11. Sushkastra.
12. Taamasa, Soumanastra.

And many more..

I have listed weapons that Lord Parashurama according to the Puranas.

Also, it is again mentioned in Shanti Parva that Karna had obtained all weapons from Lord Parashurama.

3]Drona:

He had many weapons in his arsenal. The most noticable weapon is the “Narayanastra” which he had obtained by doing severe penance of Lord Vishnu.

He also had many weapons but the epic does not specifically mention the weapons he had.

My guess is he had many astras, like Agneyastra, Varuna, Parjanya, Vayavya.

And also Drona was the disciple of Sage Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj Muni is one of the Sapta Rishis with unlimited/infinite power.

Source: Bori Ce, Vishnu Purana

What are the names of the weapons of Lord Vishnu?

 𝟭.) 𝗦𝗨𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗥𝗔

The Sudarshan Chakra has 108 serrated blades, and has the capability to travel several million yojanas (1 Yojana = 8 kms) at a blink of an eye. It is not thrown at anyondy, rather, by willpower, it is sent against the enemy. It has tremendous occult and spiritual power to destroy everything and it also indicates time (or an symbol of time)

𝟮.) 𝗞𝗔𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗞𝗜 𝗚𝗔𝗗𝗔

This is the Mace of Lord Vishnu the Lord holds this invincible weapon no creature rather than him can hold this although Lord hanuman can hold this coz he's one of the greatest devotee of the Lord.

𝟯.) 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗔 𝗕𝗢𝗪

Sharanga is the celestial bow of Lord Vishnu In South India, Sharanga is also called as Kodanda. This bow was crafted by Viswakarma, the Cosmic architect and maker of weapons, along with the Pinaka, the bow of Lord Shiva. Once, Brahma wanted to know who was a better archer, Vishnu or Shiva. Brahma created a quarrel between the two, which led to a terrible duel. The impact of their fight was such that the balance of the entire universe was disturbed. Lord Vishnu won the duel and rendered Pinaka immovable just by uttering 'hum'. Lord Shiva gave his Pinaka bow to a king, who was an ancestor of King Janaka, the father of Sita and Lord Vishnu too decided to do the same, and gave his bow to the Sage Richika. In time, Sharanga came into the possession of Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu and Richika's grandson.

𝟰.) 𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗞 (𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗)

Nandak is the holy sword of lord Vishnu and it's king among the swords the sword is considered as the companion of Lord Vishnu and has shining appearance and it glitters like star.The Nandak sword contains great powers Through this Lord Vishnu had fought with Madhu and Kaitabh Lord Rama also used it in Lanka war.

𝟱.) 𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗡𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔

In my personal views this is one of the most underrated weapon because (naraynastra is hyped up) this weapon is capable of doing or destroying anything and everything with this same weapon Lord Vishnu slayed the two demon's Madhu and Kaitabh (the most mighty demon's in the Sanatan history) it can even kill Immortals and one more interesting feature of this Marvelous weapon is There is no counter to Vaishnavastra .Even Narayanastra pales in comparision to its power : It can even destroy the aestic spiritual merit and Vishnu's own energy that shows the infallibility it possess .

𝟲.) 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔

The Narayanastra is the personal weapon of Lord Vishnu in his Narayana form. This astra in turn fires a powerful tirade of millions of deadly missiles simultaneously. The intensity of the shower rises with increase in resistance. The only way to defend against the missile is to show total submission before the missiles hit, this in turn will cause this weapon to stop and spare the target. It is one of the six 'Mantramukta' weapons that cannot be resisted. In Mahabharata only Ashwathama possessed the Narayanastra. In Ramayana, only Lord Rama possessed this weapon or i think indrajit too had this.

𝗝𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗔𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗔𝗡❤️

The Celestial Weapons Arjuna Learned in Heaven and Their Powers: A Detailed Analysis

Introduction

Arjuna, the third Pandava and one of the greatest warriors in the Mahabharata, was not only a master of earthly weaponry but also learned to wield celestial weapons (Divyastras). During his visit to Indra’s heavenly realm, he received powerful astras (divine missiles) that played a crucial role in the Kurukshetra War. This analysis explores these celestial weapons, their origins, powers, and significance.

Arjuna’s Journey to Heaven

After proving his prowess on Earth, Arjuna was taken to Indraloka (the abode of the king of gods, Indra) to train under celestial beings. There, he learned the use of divine weapons from Indra, the Ashvins, and other gods.

Major Celestial Weapons and Their Powers

1. Pashupatastra

• Source: Lord Shiva
• Power: Considered the most destructive weapon in existence, capable of annihilating entire worlds.
• Usage: Could only be used against powerful divine enemies; not to be used against ordinary mortals.
• Significance: Arjuna was granted this weapon by Shiva after proving his devotion and martial skill through penance.

2. Vajra (Thunderbolt of Indra)

• Source: Indra, the king of gods
• Power: Could destroy any target instantly, capable of cutting through anything.
• Usage: Primarily used against demons (asuras) and powerful warriors.
• Significance: Indra, Arjuna’s divine father, gifted this weapon to him, symbolizing his divine heritage.

3. Brahmastra

• Source: Lord Brahma
• Power: An immensely powerful weapon that could annihilate large portions of land and armies.
• Usage: Needed great knowledge to use and could not be withdrawn once invoked.
• Significance: Arjuna possessed the knowledge to use it but refrained due to its devastating effects.

4. Brahmashirsha Astra

• Source: Lord Brahma
• Power: Four times stronger than Brahmastra, capable of reducing the entire world to ashes.
• Usage: Used only against opponents wielding equally powerful weapons.
• Significance: Arjuna learned to invoke and withdraw this weapon, unlike Ashwatthama, who misused it.

5. Narayanastra

• Source: Lord Vishnu
• Power: Released a storm of arrows, fire, and divine energy upon enemies.
• Usage: Could not be countered, but it would stop if the enemy surrendered.
• Significance: Arjuna learned about this weapon but did not use it in battle.

6. Varunastra

• Source: Varuna, the god of water
• Power: Created massive floods, extinguishing fire and opposing weapons.
• Usage: Effective against enemies wielding Agneyastra (fire weapons).
• Significance: Used to counteract destructive fire-based attacks.

7. Agneyastra

• Source: Agni, the god of fire
• Power: Unleashed a firestorm capable of incinerating armies.
• Usage: Best used against ice and water-based weapons.
• Significance: Used tactically in battles to overpower enemies.

8. Vayavyastra

• Source: Vayu, the god of wind
• Power: Created devastating cyclones and wind storms.
• Usage: Effective against aerial and heavily armored enemies.
• Significance: Could disrupt formations and battlefield strategies.

9. Twashtastra

• Source: Twashta, the celestial architect
• Power: Created weapons or destroyed enemy weapons.
• Usage: Used for precision strikes and disabling enemy defenses.
• Significance: Highlighted Arjuna’s versatility in warfare.

Conclusion

The celestial weapons Arjuna learned in heaven granted him unparalleled power, but his wisdom in their usage was equally important. These divine gifts played a crucial role in his victories while emphasizing the responsibility that comes with immense power. Arjuna’s mastery of these astras symbolized his divine favor and his rightful claim to uphold dharma in the great war of Kurukshetra.

The Most Skilled Warriors in the Mahabharata and Their Signature Weapons: A Detailed Analysis

Introduction

The Mahabharata, an epic of immense depth, is rich with legendary warriors whose combat skills, divine weapons, and strategic prowess determined the outcome of great battles. These warriors, known as Maharathis and Atirathis, possessed celestial weapons granted by gods and sages, making them formidable forces on the battlefield.

This analysis explores the most skilled warriors in the Mahabharata, their unique combat abilities, and their signature weapons that defined their legacy.

1. Arjuna – The Supreme Archer

Signature Weapon: Gandiva Bow

• Arjuna, the third Pandava, was the finest archer of his time, trained by Guru Dronacharya and blessed by multiple divine beings.
• His bow, Gandiva, was gifted by Lord Agni and was known for its unbreakable strength and rapid shooting capability.
• Arjuna also wielded Pasupatastra, a celestial weapon given by Lord Shiva, capable of annihilating entire armies.

2. Karna – The Invincible Warrior

Signature Weapon: Vasavi Shakti and Vijaya Bow

• Karna, the son of Surya, was an unmatched warrior who received celestial training from Parashurama.
• His primary weapon, Vasavi Shakti, was an invincible divine dart given by Indra, which he used to slay Ghatotkacha.
• Karna’s bow, Vijaya, granted him supreme accuracy and was crafted by Vishwakarma for Lord Indra.

3. Bhishma – The Grand Sire of Kuru Dynasty

Signature Weapon: Praswapastra and Unbreakable Spears

• Bhishma was unparalleled in warfare, possessing divine knowledge of weapons and battle strategies.
• He was armed with celestial weapons like Praswapastra, which induced deep slumber, and an array of unbreakable spears used in combat.
• His ability to fight on despite severe wounds made him one of the greatest warriors of the epic.

4. Drona – The Master of Military Arts

Signature Weapon: Brahmastra and Narayanastra

• Guru Dronacharya, the royal teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas, was a master of warfare.
• His primary weapon was Brahmastra, an immensely powerful projectile capable of total destruction.
• He also possessed Narayanastra, which launched a barrage of firepower but could only be used once in a lifetime.

5. Krishna – The Divine Strategist

Signature Weapon: Sudarshana Chakra

• Though Krishna vowed not to engage in direct combat, he wielded the divine Sudarshana Chakra, a spinning disc capable of annihilating enemies instantly.
• As Arjuna’s charioteer, Krishna’s presence on the battlefield was more powerful than any weapon.

6. Ashwatthama – The Immortal Warrior

Signature Weapon: Narayanastra and Brahmashira

• Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya, was an exceptional fighter who inherited great celestial weapons.
• He wielded the deadly Brahmashira Astra, a weapon superior to Brahmastra in destruction.
• His Narayanastra could summon a storm of arrows and fire upon enemies, only stoppable by surrender.

7. Ghatotkacha – The Rakshasa Champion

Signature Weapon: Maya-Induced Celestial Powers

• Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima and the Rakshasi Hidimba, was a warrior with supernatural strength.
• His ability to grow in size and use illusory warfare (Maya Astra) made him a terrifying presence in battle.
• He was ultimately slain by Vasavi Shakti, Karna’s divine weapon.

8. Drupada – The King of Panchala

Signature Weapon: Divine Bows and Fire Weapons

• Drupada, father of Draupadi, was a skilled warrior who wielded divine bows and fire-based weapons, making him a strong combatant.

9. Shalya – The Unmatched Charioteer

Signature Weapon: Spear of Precision

• King Shalya was a warrior with unparalleled chariot-riding skills and exceptional spear-fighting techniques.
• He used a divine spear that never missed its target, making him a lethal force in battle.

10. Bhima – The Mighty Pandava

Signature Weapon: Mace (Gada) of Vrikodara

• Bhima was renowned for his incredible strength and was the greatest mace fighter in the Mahabharata.
• His Gada (mace) was his primary weapon, and he used it to defeat Duryodhana in a final duel.

Conclusion

The warriors of the Mahabharata were legendary not only for their individual combat skills but also for their divine weapons, which played a crucial role in shaping the events of the epic. Their celestial weapons and unique abilities made them revered figures in the history of ancient Indian warfare. Each warrior had a distinct fighting style and philosophy, adding depth to their characters and the overall narrative of the Mahabharata.