Nārāyaṇāstra

The Nārāyaṇāstra is a divine weapon of the greatest power, linked with Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa himself. An astra is a divine weapon, called up with a mantra (a sacred sound formula). Droṇācārya, the teacher of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, possessed it. The Droṇa Parva of the Mahābhārata describes it as one of the most destructive weapons ever released in the Kurukshetra war.

When released, it appeared as a flood of fire, arrows, discuses, maces and missiles of every kind, attacking the Pāṇḍava forces with almost unstoppable force. Its special feature, and the only way to survive it, was to stop resisting completely. Any warrior who put down his weapons, stepped down and lay flat on the ground was spared. Any warrior who went on fighting was attacked with even greater fury. Once released, it could not be used again by the same warrior in the same battle. It was stopped only when Kṛshṇa and Arjuna held Bhīmasena back from fighting, so that the astra spent itself.

The Nature of the Weapon

The Nārāyaṇāstra belongs to the highest class of divine weapons in the Mahābhārata tradition, like the Pāśupata. These weapons come from, and call on, the power of a particular deity, and they can only be met in a way that suits that deity’s nature. As the weapon of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, it shares his qualities: it is everywhere, it cannot be escaped, and it can overwhelm any ordinary defence.

When released, it takes many forms at once: fire, arrows, maces, discuses and missiles of every kind, pouring down on the enemy without pause. Most astras have a fixed power, but the Nārāyaṇāstra grows stronger the more it is resisted. A warrior who fights back against it draws more and more fire on himself.

The Only Defence

The only defence against the Nārāyaṇāstra is surrender. Any warrior on the other side who put down his weapons, stepped down from his horse or chariot, and lay flat on the ground in full submission was passed over by the weapon completely, as if it could not see him. This is understood to show Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa’s nature of fully protecting those who surrender to him. The very weapon that no resistance can defeat is disarmed by surrender.

Droṇa’s Possession of the Weapon

Droṇācārya possessed the Nārāyaṇāstra. The opening of the Droṇa Parva names it among the supreme weapons he held. The text does not clearly say whether he ever used it himself in the battles told in Chapters 1–100, but owning this astra added to his fearsome name as a warrior.

Aśvatthāmā Releases It

The most dramatic use of the Nārāyaṇāstra in the Droṇa Parva was by Aśvatthāmā, Droṇa’s son. After Droṇācārya was killed by Dhṛshṭadyumna on the fifteenth day, Aśvatthāmā, in grief and rage, called up the Nārāyaṇāstra against the whole Pāṇḍava army.

The weapon appeared as a storm of fire, arrows, discuses, maces and missiles of every kind, all at once. The sky went dark. The whole Pāṇḍava army was overwhelmed. Every warrior who resisted drew even more fury on himself.

Kṛshṇa understood the weapon’s nature perfectly. At once he ordered all the Pāṇḍava warriors to surrender: to put down their weapons and lie flat on the ground. Most obeyed. But Bhīmasena refused to submit. He stood his ground and kept fighting even as the astra’s fire grew fiercer around him. Because he kept resisting, the astra attacked Bhīma with growing fury.

Kṛshṇa and Arjuna went to Bhīma themselves, pulled him down from where he stood and forced him to lay down his weapons. They had to drag him six steps before he finally gave in. Once Bhīma stopped resisting, the astra found no more targets and spent itself. The Pāṇḍava forces survived.

The episode continues with the Āgneyāstra, the Brahmāstra and a revelation by Vyāsa, told in the account of the Nārāyaṇāstra-moksha.

It Can Be Used Only Once

An important limit of the Nārāyaṇāstra is that a warrior can release it only once in a given battle. Once released, it cannot be called up again against the same enemy. If it were called up again, it would turn back and destroy the side that released it. After Aśvatthāmā had used it, Duryodhana begged him to call it up again. Aśvatthāmā refused:

“I cannot. If it is used a second time against the same enemy, it will destroy our own forces.”

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva (opening chapters)
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 196–200