Sharanga

Rama as the four-armed Vishnu wielding the bow Sharanga, Gujarat

For the district in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, seeSharanga (urban-type settlement).

Sharanga(Sanskrit:शारङ्ग,romanized:Śāraṅga) also spelt asSaranga,is the celestial bow of theHindugodVishnu,primarily associated with his avatar ofRama.InSouth India,the Sharanga is also simply known as theKodanda,literally meaning bow.Rama is often praised asKodandapani,the holder of the Kodanda. The attribute of the bow is also mentioned in theVishnu Sahasranama.

Legends

The Sharanga is notable for its employment by a number of theDashavatara,the avatars of Vishnu: Parashurama, Rama, andKrishna.Ramacarries the bow in his epic and is also mentioned to bear it in thePadma Purana.The bow is offered to him byParashurama,the previous incarnation of Vishnu. In theRamayana,Parashurama, theBrahminwarrior who is famously the scourge ofKshatriyas,regales the tale of the bow.Vishvakarmacreates the bows ofPinakaand Sharanga to settle the question of the superiority of the deities Vishnu andShiva.Vishnu is victorious, and Shiva presents his bow to the king of Mithila. Vishnu's bow is passed down to Richika, who presented it toJamadagni,Parashurama's father, the latter claiming it after his father's assassination. Parashurama challenges Rama to fight him if the latter is able to string the bow. When the prince achieves this, the warrior admits defeat and retires to his abode.

In a legend also featured in the Padma Purana, a number of great sages debate regarding the deity most worthy of their obeisance. They dispatchBhriguto the abodes of firstShiva,thenBrahma,and finallyVishnu.Bhrigu finds that Shiva is occupied sporting withParvati,Brahma is filled with the aspect ofrajas,and Vishnu lays onShesha,his feet rubbed by his consort,Lakshmi.When a furious Bhrigu kicks Vishnu on his chest, the latter greets the sage with warmth and considers himself to be blessed by the touch of his feet. Bhrigu hails Vishnu as the holder of the Sharanga as he sings his praises.

In some versions ofKrishna's battle withNarakasura,his second queen consort,Satyabhama,takes his bow to slay the asura.

In Literature

Statue of Rama holding the Sharanga (Kodhanda) bow at theTTD TempleinChennai

In theMahabharata,YudhishthirapraisesKrishnaas the wielder of the bow Sharanga.In theVishnu Purana,Krishna employs the bow to defeatJarasandha.Sharanga, the maceKaumodakiand two quivers with infinite arrows appear from the heavens to aid Krishna; similarly the plough and the club Sounanda appear for Krishna's brotherBalarama.Together, the brothers defeat Jarasandha.In thePadma Purana,Vishnu uses the bow to combat Jalandhara.In the same scripture, Krishna is said to shoot from the Sharanga during his elopement with his chief consort,Rukmini;He defeats Rukmini's brotherRukmi,shattering his foe's chariot and banner with arrows. Later, Krishna also destroyed Rukmi's sword with arrows. Krishna humiliates Rukmi by binding him and shaving his head.

In popular culture

TheSarangapani templeatKumbakonamtakes its name partly from the bow.

AkaijuinGodzilla: Singular Pointis named Sharanga (サルンガ or Salunga) due to its emergence in India and the bow-like shape on its head.

The sharanga is an available weapon in the video gameRaji: An Ancient Epic,where it is depicted as acompound bow,and inHadeswhere it is available as a variant of Zagreus' bow.

See also

• Pinaka
• Gandiva
• Vijaya