Brahmanda astra

In the epic Mahabharata, it is said that the weapon manifest with the all five heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Brahma earlier lost his fifth head when he fought with Lord Siva. This weapon is said to possess the power to destroy the Universe or Brahmand (the 14 realms) according to Hindu cosmology. In Mahabharata era Parasurama, Bhishma, Drona, Karna possessed the knowledge to invoke this weapon. Later Parashurama, who had sworn to teach Brahmins only, laid curse upon Karna because he lied about his real identity, that he would forget all the knowledge required to wield the divine weapon Brahmanda astra, at the moment of his greatest need when fighting with an equal. Upon Karna's pleading, Parshurama gave him the celestial weapon called Bhargavastra, equivalent to Brahmastra but cannot be countered by any astra along with his personal bow called Vijaya, for being such a diligent student. When this weapon is invoked events similar to invoking Brahmastra and Brahmashirsha astra takes place. As recorded in Hindu puranas, when this weapon is invoked it will cause " the oceans to boil due to its heat and earth and mountains will float on the air and everything will burn without even leaving ashes". When this weapon is used for defensive purpose or counter to Brahmastra and Brahmashirsha astra it will swallow the above said astras and neutralize it. When this astra is used for offensive purpose nothing can stop or escape from it. Guru Drona possessed the knowledge about this weapon and he never gave it to his son Ashwathama and his favorite student Arjuna. During Mahabharata war Drona invoked this weapon to use it against Pandava army but due to the request of Gods and ancestors Drona revoked this weapon because it will completely annihilate the Pandava army who were fighting on the side of righteousness. Later in mahabharata itself, Karna tried to invoke Brahmanda astra but owing to the curse he received from his Guru Parasurama, he forgot the mantra to invoke the Brahmanda astra. This incident saved Arjuna's life and saved Pandava army from defeat and later Pandava prince Yudhishthira become the king.

In some texts it is called Brahma-dhanda astra, the weapon created by Saptarishi's to counter any weapon ever created, even that of Trimurti's. The rishi of this weapon is Para Brahman. It is said to be the most difficult astra to obtain. Capable of destroying entire multiverse in a blink of an eye. Vishvamitra used all kinds of divine weapons against sage Vashistha, even Pashupatastra, but the Brahma-dhanda astra of Vashistha neutralized and swallowed all astra (weapon) of Vishwamitra proving that Brahma-dhanda astra is the most powerful of all astra's.

See also

• History of India
• Sanskrit Epics
  • Ramayana
  • Mahabharata
  • Puranas

References

• http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05146.htm