query on 'अस्त्र' and 'शस्त्र'

[Anupama]

Namaste,

Kindly help me in providing the information on the difference between 'अस्त्र' and 'शस्त्र' with references.

regards,

Anupama

[Shashi Joshi]

astra -- that which is thrown (missile) - like brahmAstra, agnyAstra, spear, trishUla

shastra -- that which is held and fought with - sword, shield, gadA etc

Thanks,

~ Shashi

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[Nagaraj Paturi]

Astra is a weaponized mantra or a weapon used through or with the help/association of mantra. 

Shastra is a weapon or a surgical tool. 

The descriptions of astra prayogas and shastra prayogas in the narrations in itihaasas and puraanas and kavyas following itihaasa and purana ideas help us to understand this. 

Looking for references defining/describing these as such.  

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--

Nagaraj Paturi

 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

Dean, IndicA

BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra

BoS Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra

BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.

Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

 

 

 

[Vyom A. Shah]

Namaste,

Śabdakalpadruma cites Bharata's commentary on Nāmaliṅgānuśāsanam (Amarakośa) of Amarasiṃha as follows:

येन करधृतेन हन्यते तत् शस्त्रं खड्गादि । येन क्षिप्तेन हन्यते तदस्त्रं काण्डादि । इति तट्टीकायां भरतः ॥ 

That with which held in hand, (someone) can be killed/destroyed, is śastra, like sword, etc. That with which by throwing, (someone) someone can be killed/destroyed, is astra, like bow, etc.

(https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/csl-apidev/servepdf.php?dict=SKD&page=5-038-c)

Same has been quoted in abhidhānavyutpattitīkā on Abhidhānacintāmaṇi of Hemacandra:

शस्त्रास्त्रैर्बहुधा मुक्तैः इत्यादि दर्शनात् शस्त्रास्त्रयोः कश्चिद् भेदमाह - येन करधृतेन हन्यते तच्छस्त्रं खड्गादि, येन क्षिप्तेन हन्यते तदस्त्रं काण्डादि।

Vācaspatyam mentions:

तत्र मुक्तमस्त्रममुक्तं शस्त्रमिति भेदः।

(https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/csl-apidev/servepdf.php?dict=VCP&page=5091,b)

P. S. Bhoja's Yuktikalpataru contains a chapter on astrayukti which might interest reading. It is not directly related to this topic.

Best regards,

Vyom A. Shah

[Anupama]

Namate,

I thank all the scholars for giving valid information on my query. It was truly helpful.

regards,

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--

ANUPAMA

[Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada]

नमो विद्वद्भ्यः

अस्त्रेण साहचर्यात्  यद्यपि आयुधभूतमेव  शस्त्रम् गृह्यते  - तथापि ----

शस्त्रम्  सामवेदे -- 

Some साममन्त्राः were available  to  ऋषयः , who were मन्त्रद्रष्टारः  , in the form of पाठ  and some in the form of  गानम् ।

पाठ is called स्तोत्रम् whereas गानम् is called  शस्त्रम् ।

’ दृष्टं साम ’ पा 4-2-7 -- वसिष्ठेन दृष्टं वासिष्ठं साम् - अण् । 

वेद is forgotten - what kind of सनातनधर्म is this ?

’ उपरतः स्वाध्यायः ’ -- महाभाष्यम् , ’विरामो’वसानम्’ पा 1-4-109

People are not simply  interested in learning  वेद / वेदाङ्ग् / दर्शन / उपवेद etc. . 

Who to blame?

धन्यो’स्मि

Dr.Korada Subrahmanyam
Adju.Professor , Dept of Heritage Science and Technology, IIT, Hyderabad

299 Doyen , Serilingampally, Hyderabad 500 019
Ph:09866110741

Skype Id: Subrahmanyam Korada

Blog: Koradeeyam.blogspot.in 

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[Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada]

नमो विद्वद्भ्यः

There is a correction --

A स्तुति performed with मन्त्रs without  गानम्  is called  शस्त्रम् --  with गानम् it is called स्तोत्रम् --

स्तुतशस्त्राधिकरणम् (पूर्वमीमांसा अध्या 2 पाद 1 अधि 5 ) सू 13 --

स्तुतशस्त्रयोस्तु संस्कारो याज्यावद्देवताभिधानत्वात् - पूर्वपक्षसूत्रम् ।

Whether  स्तोत्रशस्त्राणि  संनिपत्योपकारकाणि (गुणकर्माणि)  just like  याज्यापुरो’नुवाक्य  or आरादुपकारकाणि (प्रधानकर्माणि) ?

...गुणेन गुणिनः संबन्धाभिधानं स्तवनं स्तोत्रम् । शस्त्रमपि स्तवनमेव अप्रगीतमन्त्रसाध्यम्  (शास्त्रदीपिका) ।

Thankful to Vid Sivasenani for the alert .

आर्षविज्ञानसर्वस्वमु (part 1) - वेदसंहितलु (तेलुगु) 1982 -Published by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanamulu , Tirupati   is the book I referred to  and now it is clear that the author is not  qualified to write an article on matters related to सामवेद / पूर्वमीमांसा ।

Neither Samkaracarya nor Vidyaranya  offered any definition of शस्त्रम्  under ओग्ं शोमिति शस्त्राणि शग्ंसन्ति (शीक्षावल्ली) as it is taken for granted

that a scholar of वेदान्त  is supposed to have the knowledge of  पूर्वमीमांसा (पदवाक्यप्रमाणशास्त्राणि) ।

[Nagaraj Paturi]

https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/baala/sarga27/bala_27_frame.htm

एतान् राम महाबाहो कामरूपान् महाबलान् |
गृहाण परमोदारान् क्षिप्रमेव नृपात्मज || १-२७-२१

21. mahaabaaho = dextrous one; nR^ipaatmaja = prince; kaamaruupaan = disguise-wizards; mahaabalaan = greatly powered ones paramodaaraan = highly providential ones; raama = Rama; etaan = them the missiles; kSipram eva = forthwith, thus; gR^ihaaNa = take them.

"These missiles are, oh, dextrous prince, disguise-wizards, greatly powered, and highly providential ones, oh, Rama, you may take them forthwith." So said sage Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-27-21]

स्थितस्तु प्राङ्मुखो भूत्वा मुनिवरस्तदा |
ददौ रामाय सुप्रीतो मंत्रग्राममनुत्तमम् || १-२७-२२

22. tadaa = then; munivaraH = pre-eminent sage; shuciH = becoming purified - on performing his personal holy depuration; praa~nmukhaH sthitaH tu = on staying facing east, but; bhuutvaa = on becoming; supriitaH = verily gladdened; raamaaya = to Rama; anuttamam mantragraamam = extraordinary, hymns village - a mixed collection; dadau = gave.

That pre-eminent sage Vishvamitra on performing his personal holy depuration then gave the assortment of extraordinary hymns to Rama facing eastward. [1-27-22]

सर्वसंग्रहणं येषां दैवतैरपि दुर्लभम् |
तान्यस्त्राणि तदा विप्रो राघवाय न्यवेदयत् ||१-२७-२३

23. yeSaam sarvasangrahaNam = of which hymns, total comprehending; daivataiH api [saangopaa~Ngavidhinaa = sections and subsections of procedures] for gods, even; durlabham = impossible [by their sections and subsections]; taani astraaNi = such, missiles - hymns of missiles; tadaa vipraH raaghavaaya nyavedayat = then, that Brahman dedicated to Raghava.

The comprehension of which invoking hymns of the missiles is impossible even to gods with their sections and subsections of procedures, that Brahman dedicated such hymns to Raghava. [1-27-24]

जपतस्तु मुनेस्तस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः |
उपतस्थुर्महार्हाणि सर्वाण्यस्त्राणि राघवम् || १-२७-२४

24. dhiimataH tasya vishvaamitrasya muneH = intelligent one, that, Vishvamitra, the saint; japataH tu = on chanting, but; mahaarhaaNi = highly venerable ones; astraaNi sarvaani = missiles, all of them; raaghavam upatasthuH = came nigh of Raghava - stood accessible to.

While that intelligent saint Vishvamitra chanted the hymns, all of those highly venerable missiles came nigh and stood accessible to Raghava in their astral form. [1-27-24]

ऊचुश्च मुदिता रामं सर्वे प्रांजलयस्तदा |
इमे च परमोदाराः किंकरास्तव राघव || १-२७-२५
यद्यदिच्छसि भद्रं ते तत्सर्वं करवाम वै |

25, 26a. paramodaaraaH = highly obliging ones - missiles; [paramodaaraa = oh most noble Rama]; sarve = all of the missiles; tadaa praanjalayaH = then, with palm-fold; muditaaH ca = gladdened, also; raamam uucuH = to Rama, spoke; raaghava = oh Rama; ime tava kinkaraaH = these are - here are, your, thralls - servants; yat yat icChasi = what, what, you wish [whatever you wish us to do]; tat sarvam karavaama vai = that, all, we do, indeed; bhadram te = safe, you be.

All of those highly obliging missiles in astral bodies, gladdening to come under the aegis of Rama, then spoke to him making palms-fold, "here are your thralls, Sire, we are here to accomplish whatever you bid us to do, let safety be with you." So said the deities presiding over the missiles to Rama. [1-27-25]

ततो रामः प्रसन्नात्मा तैरित्युक्तो महाबलैः || १-२७-२६
प्रतिगृह्य च काकुत्स्थः समालभ्य च पाणिना |
मनसा मे भविष्यध्वमिति तानभ्यचोदयत् || १-२७-२७

26b, 27. tataH = then; prasannaatmaa raamaH = with a pleased soul, Rama; pratigR^ihya = having received them; samaalabhya ca paaNinaa = well patted, also, with palm; kaakutsthaH = Kakutstha Rama; taiH mahaabalaiH = to those, mightily forceful ones; iti uktaH = this way, said; manasaa me bhaviSyadhvam = manifested in cognisance of mine; iti taan abhyacodayat = thus, them, verily motivated - sent them off.

On receiving them with a pleased heart, then Rama patted them with his palm, and that Rama of Kakutstha-s also spoke this way to those mightily forceful missiles in ethereal bodies saying, "you may manifest yourselves in my cognisance whenever I need you," and he motivated them to take leave and to come back at his beck and call. [1-27-26b, 27]

ततः प्रीतमना रामो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् |
अभिवाद्य महातेजा गमनायोपचक्रमे || १-२७-२८

28. tataH = then; mahaatejaa = highly resplendent Rama; priitamanaaH = with thankful heart; vishvaamitram mahaamunim abhivaadya = receiving great sage Vishvamitra; gamanaaya = to journey on; upacakrame = readied himself.

That highly resplendent Rama revered sage Vishvamitra with a thankful heart and readied himself for further journey. [1-27-26]

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[K S Kannan]

In the last but two sarga (in the Uttarakāṇḍa),

even the weapons (āyudha-s) assume a human form (puruṣa-vigraha),

and follow Rāma who was entering Sarayū - for the final exit.

7.109.7

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--

Dr. K.S.Kannan  D.Litt.

​Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Chair Professor (Retd.), IIT-Madras.

Member, Advisory Board, "Prof. A K Singh AURO Chair of Indic Studies", AURO University, Surat.
Member, Expert Committee for Review of Criticism of Indian Knowledge Traditions, Central Sanskrit University (under MoE, GoI), Ganganath Jha Campus, Prayagraj.
Adjunct Faculty, Dept of Heritage Science and Technology, IIT Hyderabad.

Nominated Member, Academic Committee, Kavi Kula Guru Kalidasa University, Ramtek.
Member, Academic Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthana.
Academic Director, Swadeshi Indology.
Nominated Member, IIAS, Shimla.

Former Professor, CAHC, Jain University, Bangalore.

Former Director, Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore.

Former Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, The National Colleges, Bangalore.

https://sites.google.com/view/kskannan