"Vaisampayana said, 'Upon the completion of this discourse, Nakula who
was an accomplished swordsman thus questioned the Kuru grandsire lying on
his bed of arrows.'
"'Nakula said, "The bow, O grandsire, is regarded as the foremost of
weapons in this world. My mind, however, inclines towards the sword,
since when the bow, O king, is cut off or broken, when steeds are dead or
weakened, a good warrior, well trained in the sword, can protect himself
by means of his sword.[479] A hero armed with the sword can, single
handed, withstand many bowmen, and many antagonists armed with maces and
darts. I have this doubt, and I feel curious to know the truth. Which, O
king, is really the foremost of weapons in all battles? How was the sword
first created and for what purpose? Who also was the first preceptor in
the weapon? Tell me all this, O grandsire."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the intelligent son of
Madri, the virtuous Bhishma, the complete master of the science of the
bow, stretched upon his bed of arrows, made this answer fraught with many
refined words of delightful import, melodious with vowels properly
placed, and displaying considerable skill, unto the high-souled Nakula,
that disciple of Drona, endued with skilful training.
"'Bhishma said, "Hear the truth, O son of Madri, about what thou hast
asked me. I am excited by this question of thine, like a hill of
red-chalk.[480] In ancient times the universe was one vast expanse of
water, motionless and skyless, and without this earth occupying any space
in it. Enveloped in darkness, and intangible, its aspect was exceedingly
awful. Utter silence reigning all over, it was immeasurable in extent. In
his own proper time the Grandsire (of the universe) took his birth. He
then created the wind and fire, and the sun also of great energy. He also
created the sky, the heavens, the nether regions, earth, the directions,
the firmament with the moon and the stars, the constellations, the
planets, the year, the seasons, the months, the two fortnights (lighted
and dark) and the smaller divisions of time. The divine Grandsire then,
assuming a visible form, begot (by power of his will) some sons possessed
of great energy. They are the sages Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha,
Kratu, Vasishtha, Angiras, and the mighty and puissant lord Rudra, and
Prachetas. The last begat Daksha, who in his turn, begat sixty daughters.
All those daughters were taken by regenerate sages for the object of
begetting children upon them. From them sprang all the creatures of the
universe, including the gods, Pitris, Gandharvas, Apsaras, diverse kinds
of Rakshasas, birds and animals and fishes, monkeys, great snakes, and
diverse species of fowl that range the air or sport on the water, and
vegetables, and all beings that are oviparous or viviparous or born of
filth. In this way the whole universe consisting of mobile and immobile
creatures sprang into existence. The universal Grandsire, having thus
evoked into existence all mobile and immobile creatures, then promulgated
the eternal religion laid down in the Vedas. That religion was accepted
by the gods, with their preceptors, priests, the Adityas, the Vasus, the
Rudras, the Sadhyas, the Maruts, the Aswins, Bhrigu, Atri, Angiras, the
Siddhas, Kasyapa rich in penances, Vasishtha, Gautama, Agastya, Narada,
Parvata, the Valikhilya Rishis, those other Rishis known under the names
of Prabhasas, the Sikatas, the Ghritapas, the Somavayavyas, the
Vaiswanaras, Marichipas, the Akrishtas, the Hansas, those born of Fire,
the Vanaprasthas, and the Prasnis. All of them lived in obedience to
Brahman. The foremost of the Danavas, however, setting at light the
commands of the Grandsire, and yielding to wrath and covetousness, began
to cause the destruction of righteousness. They were Hiranyakasipu, and
Hiranyaksha, and Virochana, and Samvara, and Viprachitti, and Prahlada,
and Namuchi, and Vali. These and many other Daityas and Danavas,
transcending all restraints of duty and religion, sported and took
delight in all kinds of wicked acts. Regarding themselves equal in point
of birth with the gods, they began to challenge them and the sages of
pure behaviour. They never did any good to the other creatures of the
universe or showed compassion for any of them. Disregarding the three
well-known means, they began to persecute and afflict all creatures by
wielding only the rod of chastisement. Indeed, those foremost of Asuras,
filled with pride, forsook every friendly intercourse with other
creatures. Then the divine Brahman, accompanied by the regenerate sages,
proceeded to a delightful summit of Himavat, extending for a hundred
Yojanas in area, adorned with diverse kinds of jewels and gems, and upon
whose surface the stars seemed to rest like so many lotuses on a lake. On
that prince of mountains, O sire, overgrown with forests of flowering
trees, that foremost of the gods, viz., Brahman, stayed for some time for
accomplishing the business of the world. After the lapse of a thousand
years, the puissant lord made arrangements for a grand sacrifice
according to the ordinances laid down in the scriptures. The sacrificial
altar became adorned with Rishis skilled in sacrifice and competent to
perform all acts appertaining thereto, with faggots of sacrificial fuel,
and with blazing fires. And it looked exceedingly beautiful in
consequence of the sacrificial plates and vessels all made of gold. All
the foremost ones among the gods took their seats on it. The platform was
further adorned with Sadasyas all of whom were high regenerate Rishis. I
have heard from the Rishis that soon something very awful occurred in
that sacrifice. It is heard that a creature sprang (from the sacrificial
fire) scattering the flames around him, and whose splendour equalled that
of the Moon himself when he rises in the firmament spangled with stars.
His complexion was dark like that of the petals of the blue lotus. His
teeth were keen. His stomach was lean. His stature was tall. He seemed to
be irresistible and possessed of exceeding energy. Upon the appearance of
that being, the earth trembled. The Ocean became agitated with high
billows and awful eddies. Meteors foreboding great disasters shot through
the sky. The branches of trees began to fall down. All the points of the
compass became unquiet. Inauspicious winds began to blow. All creatures
began to quake with fear every moment. Beholding that awful agitation of
the universe and that Being sprung from the sacrificial fire, the
Grandsire said these words unto the great Rishis, the gods, and the
Gandharvas. 'This Being was thought of by me. Possessed of great energy,
his name is Asi (sword or scimitar). For the protection of the world and
the destruction of the enemies of the gods, I have created him.' That
being then, abandoning the form he had first assumed, took the shape of a
sword of great splendour, highly polished, sharp-edged, risen like the
all-destructive Being at the end of the Yuga. Then Brahman made over that
sharp weapon to the blue-throated Rudra who has for the device on his
banner the foremost of bulls, for enabling him to put down irreligion and
sin. At this, the divine Rudra of immeasurable soul, praised by the great
Rishis, took up that sword and assumed a different shape. Putting forth
four arms, he became so tall that though standing on the earth he touched
the very sun with his head. With eyes turned upwards and with every limb
extended wide, he began to vomit flames of fire from his mouth. Assuming
diverse complexions such as blue and white and red, wearing a black
deer-skin studded with stars of gold, he bore on his forehead a third eye
that resembled the sun in splendour. His two other eyes, one of which was
black and the other tawny, shone very brightly. The divine Mahadeva, the
bearer of the Sula, the tearer of Bhaga's eyes, taking up the sword whose
splendour resembled that of the all-destructive Yuga fire, and wielding a
large shield with three high bosses which looked like a mass of dark
clouds adorned with flashes of lightning, began to perform diverse kinds
of evolutions. Possessed of great prowess, he began to whirl the sword in
the sky, desirous of an encounter. Loud were the roars he uttered, and
awful the sound of his laughter. Indeed, O Bharata, the form then assumed
by Rudra was exceedingly terrible. Hearing that Rudra had assumed that
form for achieving fierce deeds, the Danavas, filled with joy, began to
come towards him with great speed, showering huge rocks upon him as they
came, and blazing brands of wood, and diverse kinds of terrible weapons
made of iron and each endued with the sharpness of a razor. The Danava
host, however, beholding that foremost of all beings, the indestructible
Rudra, swelling with might, became stupefied and began to tremble.
Although Rudra was alone and single-handed, yet so quickly did he move on
the field of battle with the sword in his arm that the Asuras thought
there were a thousand similar Rudras battling with them. Tearing and
piercing and afflicting and cutting and lopping off and grinding down,
the great god moved with celerity among the thick masses of his foes like
forest conflagration amid heaps of dry grass spread around. The mighty
Asuras, broken by the god with the whirls of his sword, with arms and
thighs and chests cut off and pierced, and with heads severed from their
trunks, began to fall down on the earth. Others among the Danavas,
afflicted with strokes of the sword, broke and fled in all directions,
cheering one another as they fled. Some penetrated into the bowels of the
earth; others got under the cover of mountains. Some went upwards; others
entered the depths of the sea. During the progress of that dreadful and
fierce battle, the earth became miry with flesh and blood and horrible
sights presented themselves on every side. Strewn with the fallen bodies
of Danavas covered with blood, the earth looked as if overspread with
mountain summits overgrown with Kinsukas. Drenched with gore, the earth
looked exceedingly beautiful, like a fair-complexioned lady intoxicated
with alcohol and attired in crimson robes. Having slain the Danavas and
re-established Righteousness on earth, the auspicious Rudra cast off his
awful form and assumed his own beneficent shape. Then all the Rishis and
all the celestials adored that god of gods with loud acclamations wishing
him victory. The divine Rudra, after this, gave the sword, that protector
of religion, dyed with the blood of Danavas, unto Vishnu with due
adorations. Vishnu gave it unto Marichi. The divine Marichi gave it unto
all the great Rishis. The latter gave it to Vasava. Vasava gave it to the
Regents of the world. The Regents, O son, gave that large sword to Manu
the son of Surya. At the time, of giving it unto Manu, they said, 'Thou
art the lord of all men. Protect all creatures with this sword containing
religion within its womb. Duly meting out chastisement unto those that
have transgressed the barriers of virtue for the sake of the body or the
mind, they should be protected conformably to the ordinances but never
according to caprice. Some should be punished with wordy rebukes, and
with fines and forfeitures. Loss of limb or death should never be
inflicted for slight reasons. These punishments, consisting of wordy
rebukes as their first, are regarded as so many forms of the sword. These
are the shapes that the sword assumes in consequence of the
transgressions of persons under the protection (of the king).'[481] In
time Manu installed his own son Kshupa in the sovereignty of all
creatures, and gave him the sword for their protection. From Kshupa it
was taken by Ikshvaku, 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. From Puru it was taken by Amurtarya.
From Amurtarya it descended to the royal Bhumisaya. From Bhumisaya it was
taken by Dushmanta's son Bharata. From Bharata, O monarch, 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 by
Muchukunda. From Muchukunda it was taken by Marutta, and from Marutta by
Raivata. From Raivata it was taken by Yuvanaswa, and from Yuvanaswa by
Raghu. From Raghu it was taken by the valiant Harinaswa. From Harinaswa
the sword was taken by Sunaka and from Sunaka by the righteous-souled
Usinara. From the last it was taken by the Bhojas and the Yadavas. From
the Yadus it was taken by Sivi. From Sivi it descended to Pratardana.
From Pratardana it was received by Ashtaka, and from Ashtaka by
Prishadaswa. From Prishadaswa it was received by Bharadwaja, and from the
last by Drona. After Drona it was taken by Kripa. From Kripa that best of
swords has been obtained by thee with thy brothers. The constellation
under which the sword was born is Krittika. Agni is its deity, and Rohini
is its Gotra.[482] Rudra is its high preceptor. The sword has eight names
which are not generally known. Listen to me as I mention them to you. If
one mentions these, O son of Pandu, one may always win victory. Those
names then are Asi, Vaisasana, Khadga, sharp-edged, difficult of
acquisition, Sirgarbha, victory, and protector of righteousness. Of all
weapons, O son of Madravati, the sword is the foremost. The Puranas truly
declare that it was first wielded by Mahadeva. As regards the bow, again,
O chastiser of foes, it was Prithu who first created it. It was with the
aid of this weapon that that son of Vena, while he governed the earth
virtuously for many years, milked her of crops and grain in profusion. It
behoveth thee, O son of Madri, to regard what the Rishis have said, as
conclusive proof. All persons skilled in battle should worship the sword.
I have now told thee truly the first portion of thy query, in detail,
about the origin and creation of the sword, O bull of Bharata's race! By
listening to this excellent story of the origin of the sword, a man
succeeds in winning fame in this world and eternal felicity in the next."'"