"Which topic were you talking about, Durga?" Rudra asked.
Durga handed him first book. Rudra read what was written on one of the bookmarked page of the book. "Nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and nuclear weapons. What on earth are you trying to tell?"
Durga smirked. "Brahmastra, Pashupatiastra and Daivi astras respectively."
Rudra thought for a while. "But Durga, for that we need to go through Bhagavad Geeta and Valmiki's Ramayana to get accurate description of these astras. It will tak-"
"Read this," commanded Durga. She handed him an old book with yellow pages. He opened the page which she had bookmarked.
Daivi Astras
He read it again and again. This is Akshad Sir's handwriting. Which means he has written it.
Wow Rudra! You are really genius!
Stop mocking me.
"You know what Durga, I wanted at least one article of Akshad Sir in our website and thanks to you, it is possible now."
"Read it, Rudra. You will be astonished."
Our Puranas mention daivi astras as deadly weapons, which when used can be destructive on large scale. What are daivi astras, actually?
It is said that when the Brahmastra was discharged, there was neither a counterattack nor a defense that could stop it, except by another Brahmastra, Brahmashirsha astra or a Brahmanda astra. The Brahmastra never missed its mark and had to be used with very specific intent against an individual enemy or army, as the target would face complete annihilation. It was believed to be obtained by meditating upon the Lord Brahma, or from a Guru who knew the invocations. According to ancient Sanskrit writings, the Brahmastra is invoked by a key phrase or invocation that is bestowed upon the user when given this weapon. The user would have to display immense mental concentration. It could only be used once in a day.The weapon was also believed to cause severe environmental damage. The land where the weapon was used became barren and all life in and around that area ceased to exist. Both men and women became infertile. There was also a severe decrease in rainfall with the land developing cracks, like in a drought. The Brahmastra is mentioned in the epics and Vedas as a weapon of last resort and was never to be used in combat. The Brahmastra, described in the Mahabharata, is a weapon which is said to be a single projectile charged with all the power of the universe.
It is thought that the Brahmashirsha astra is the evolution of the Brahmastra and 4 times stronger than Brahmastra. The weapon manifest with the four heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Parashurama, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Ashwatthama and Arjuna possessed the knowledge to invoke this weapon. This weapon can be invoked by using sacred mantras into any object, even to a blade of grass. In Mahabharata,it is explained that when this weapon is invoked, it blaze up with terrible flames within a huge sphere of fire.Numerous peals of thunder were heard; thousands of meteors fell; and all living creatures became terrified with great dread. The entire welkin seemed to be filled with noise and assumed a terrible aspect with those flames of fire. The whole earth with her mountains and waters and trees, trembled. When it strikes an area it will cause complete destruction and nothing will grow even a blade of grass for next 12 years.It will not rain for 12 years in that area and everything including metal,earth become poisoned.
It is said that the Brahmanda astra manifest with the all five heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Brahma earlier lost his fifth head when he fought with Lord Shiva. This weapon is said to possess the power to destroy the Universe or Brahmand (the 14 realms) according to Hindu cosmology. In Mahabharata era Parashurama, Bhishma, Drona and Karna possessed the knowledge to invoke this weapon. As recorded in the puranas, when this weapon is invoked it will cause the oceans to boil due to its heat and earth and mountains will float on the air and everything will burn without even leaving ashes. When this weapon is used for defensive purpose or counter to Brahmastra and Brahmashirsha astra it will swallow the above said astras and neutralize it.
The Pashupatiastra, is an irresistible and most destructive personal weapon of Shiva, Kali and Adi Para Shakti discharged by the mind, the eyes, words, or a bow. Never to be used against lesser enemies or by lesser warriors, the Pashupatiastra is capable of destroying creation and vanquishing all beings. Pashupatastra is the most destructive, powerful, irresistible weapon of all the weapons mentioned in the Hindu mythology. The only weapon that can neutralize Pashupatastra is the Kameswaraastra which is the personal weapon of Lord Kameswara, the consort of Adi Para Shakti. In the Mahabharata war, Arjuna obtained this weapon from Lord Shiva. Apart from Arjuna, Indrajeet- the son of Ravana also possessed Pashupatiastra as per the Hindu epics. It is also said in Ramayana that when Indrajeet used Pasupathastra against Lakshman, it doesn't harm him because Lakshman was the part incarnate of Lord Vishnu and Sesha.
Confused?
Consider this, in modern technology, there are basically two types of nuclear weapons, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. The weapons have been primarily built on the concept of nuclear fission, fusion boosted fusion weapons have been built but pure fusion weapons have not been invented as yet. Scientists hold that a pure nuclear fusion weapon has less radioactive fallout and can theoretically serve as a more targeted weapon.
The effects of daivi astra, their destructive powers and their aftermath can lead us to one conclusion- daivi astras are nuclear weapons. Just like nuclear weapons, daivi astras turns fertile land into barren land, water is polluted for years and living beings become insterile.
But what makes us think that daivi astras were more powerful than present day nuclear weapons. Like, the heat created by the flash of a brahmastra resembles the fire exhibited in the sun globe at the time of cosmic annihilation. The radiation of atomic energy is very insignificant in comparison to the heat produced by a brahmastra. The atomic bomb explosion can at utmost blow up one globe, but the heat produced by the brahmastra can destroy the whole cosmic situation. The comparison is therefore made to the heat at the time of annihilation.
There's catch here. You can't possess any daivi astra until you're proven that you won't use it for wrong purpose. You either obtain it from your gurus or from the deity Himself. Was this created to curb the number of daivi astras possessed by mortals?
For whichever reasons, it had an underlying message or threat, either of which you consider- their destruction is inevitable and it will continue to effect for generations to come.
"It blew my mind," said Rudra.
Durga smirked. "Really? With which daivi astra?"
"An astra called Durga astra. When it hits someone, one can go to coma."
Durga and Rudra had a hearty laugh.
***
Thank you for reading.