Parigha
Parigha, “an iron club, an iron bar”
Grammar: masculine noun, from pari (around) and the root han (to strike): a bar, the iron bar of a gate, and so a club bound or made with iron.
Meaning: an iron club used as a weapon; also an iron bar, used in similes for strong arms.
In the scriptures: fighting Nārāyaṇa, the son of Dharma, Prahlāda saw all his bows cut. His eyes copper-red with krodha (anger), he took a parigha, very fearsome, very long and made all of iron (sarva-lohamaya). As he whirled it, Nārāyaṇa broke it into pieces with one arrow (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 8).
The word in use:
- In Andhaka‘s battle with the devas, as Agni came at him to strike him with a parigha, Andhaka struck him hard, and Agni left the field (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 10).
- Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, describing Devī Kātyāyanī to Mahisha, say she holds various śastras and astras in eighteen arms, muscled like iron bars (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 20).
- The asuras rained on Devī Kātyāyanī arrows, śaktis, aṅkuśas, paraśus, śūlas, bhuśuṇḍis, paṭṭiśas, sharp prāsas and parighas (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 30).
- Seeing Nandī crushing the asuras, Andhaka struck him hard with a parigha and felled him to the ground (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 33).
Related terms: Gadā · Mudgara · Prāsa · Paraśu · Śakti
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 8, 10, 20, 30, 33