 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Asi" Mahabharata – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Asi (Sanskrit:असि,romanized: Asi) appears as a personification of the first weapon ever created according toHindu epics. 'Asi' means 'sword'. A legend concerningAsi appears in theShanti Parva book of theMahabharata.[1] InRigvedic Sanskrit, Asi is still used as a term for a kind of sacrificial dagger or knife.[2]
Out of curiosity,Nakula, the fourth son ofPandu and the master ofswordsmanship, questioned theKuru grandsireBhishma on his arrow death bed as to which was the bestweapon in all kinds of fighting. In his own personal views, Nakula thought the sword to be the most superior since even on having lost one's bow, horse and chariot, a skillful swordsman could still defend himself against themace andspear wielders. Nakula further queried the grandsire about the origin and purpose of theKhadga, as well as about its firstacharya ("teacher, preceptor").
Gladdened by these intelligent queries by Nakula, Bhishma related to him the completeItihasa (Sanskrit term for 'History') of the Khadga or "divine sword" starting from its creation down to the present.
Thedevas approachedBrahma, the creator of the universe, in ancient time, and protested against the unjust rule and evil doings of the demons (danavas).Hearing the protest from the deities, Brahma collected sacrificial objects and proceeded to perform a grandsacrifice with the foremost of therishis and devas at the side ofHimalaya.
During the course of the sacrifice, a dreadful creature sprang from the midst of the sacrificial fires, scattering flames all around. It was as though amoon had arisen in the midst of the stars. He was coloured like a deep-bluelotus. His teeth were sharp and terrible, his stomach lean and skinny, and his stature very tall and slim. He was of exceeding energy and power. Simultaneously, the earth started shaking, there was turmoil in the ocean, the forceful winds started howling all around, the trees started falling and being torn apart, and themeteors started blazing through the skies.
Brahma declared:
The 'being' I have conceived isAsi. It shall effect the destruction of the enemies of the gods and restore theDharma.
Upon this, the creature assumed the form of a blazing sharp-edged sword, glowing like flames. This sword was the primordial weapon created by the deities for the destruction of evil. The name of the sword was Asi, the personification and the primary energy behind all weapons ever created. As perBhishma, the constellation under which the sword was born is Krittik;Agni is its deity; Rohini is its Gotra;Rudra is its high preceptor and whoever holds this weapon obtains sure victory and will have absolute power over any weapon ever created sinceAsi is the primordial source of energy behind all weapons.[1]
Brahma gave that sword to Shiva, and requested him to put down the sinners and evil-doers, and restore the Dharma (righteousness). Shiva, assuming his extreme form, took up the sword and started the war against the Danavas, the enemies of the Devas. The earth became miry with flesh and blood ofdaityas and Shiva destroyed the entire community of daityas.
Shiva gave the sword toVishnu. Over the course of time, Vishnu gave the sword toMarichi, and Marichi gave it to all the great Rishis. The Rishis gave the sword to Vasava, who gave it to the Regents of the world. The Regents gave the sword toManu, the son ofSurya. In time, Manu installed his own son, Kshupa, as the sovereignty of all creatures and gave him the sword for their protection. From Kshupa, it was taken byIkshvaku and from Ikshvaku, by Pururavas. From Pururavas, it was taken by Ayus, and from Ayus by Nahusha. From Nahusha, it was taken by Yayati, and from Yayati by Puru. FromPuru, it was taken by Amurtarya. From Amurtarya, it descended to Bhumisaya. From Bhumisaya, it was taken byDushyanta's son,Bharata. From Bharata, it was taken by the righteous Ailavila. From Ailavila, it was taken by king Dhundumara. From Dhundumara, it was taken by Kamvoja, and from Kamvoja, it was taken byMuchukunda. From Muchukunda, it was taken by Marutta, and from Marutta, by Raivata. From Raivata, it was taken by Yuvanashva, and from Yuvanashva, byRaghu. From Raghu, it was taken by Harinashva. From Harinashva, the sword was taken by Sunaka, and from Sunaka by the righteous-souled Usinara. From Usinara, it was taken by the Bhojas and theYadus. From the Yadus, it was taken by Sivi. From Sivi, it descended to Pratardana, ofKashi. From Pratardana, it was received by Ashtaka, and from Ashtaka by Prishadaswa. From Prishadaswa, it was received byBharadvaja. FromBharadvaja, his sonDrona obtained the sword.Drona used this weapon in the famousKurukshetra War described in the epicMahabharata. Drona became unconquerable in theKurukshetra War because he heldAsi, the primordial weapon.
After the death of Drona, the sword was taken byKripacharya. Kripacharya gifted the sword toNakula. From Nakula, the sword went toParikshit, and from Parikshit, it went toJanamejaya. From Janamejaya, it went to his son Satanika. Satanika, who studied the Vedas under Yajnyawalkya, and military science from Kripacharya, became dissatisfied with sensual enjoyments. Satanika obtained spiritual knowledge from the instructions of Saunaka and ultimately obtained salvation.Asi, the sword, again went back toKripacharya for safe keeping until the return of the rightful owner,Dronacharya's son,Ashwatthama.
Notableswords | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historical |
|  | ||||
| Mythical or legendary |
| |||||
Note: some of the existing swords are named after earlier legendary ones. | ||||||
