Kaumodaki to Hanuman Gada: 5 Most Divine and Powerful Weapons from Hindu Mythology

News Topical, Digital Desk : The fight by mace and battle using mace have been discussed quite a lot since ancient times. References can be found in ancient epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana where these mace-like weapons were being wielded. According to ancient sources, the mace could be used in around 20 different types of fighting style.

The names of mace are described at length in the Agni Purana with names such as Kamalasana, Urdhvagatra, Aavrita, Vaamdakshina, Hamsamarga, etc.

While Hanuman, a staunch follower of Lord Rama, predominantly uses the mace, which symbolises great power in his right hand, even Lord Vishnu holds a mace called Kaumodaki. Various characters in the Mahabharata epic from Duryodhana to Bhima have a skilled hold of the mace. Let us talk about the five maces that stand out in Hindu mythology and stand out because of their power. Hanuman Mace Hanuman as a devout follower of Lord Rama wields as mighty and powerful a mace as he himself is.

He bears it with ease in his right hand and in itself presents as supreme an emblem of power.

It is said that Kubera the god of wealth gave him his great mace. Such was its power in Ramayana that no one, be it Bhima, Ravana or Shanidev could break it. Kaumodaki The mace that belongs to Lord Vishnu, it is held in the lower half of the left hand by Lord Vishnu.

It symbolises the physical and mental strength along with spiritual strength of Lord Vishnu. He is usually depicted with this divine mace in one of his four hands and it is Lord Krishna who wields Kaumodaki. As mentioned in the Mahabharata the mace Kaumodaki was awarded by Varuna to the fire god, Agni.

Though described as inanimate object in Hindu Mythology, Kaumodaki is shown as an anthropomorphized female figure, also named Gadanari and Gadadevi in Vishnu’s sculptures.

Bhima’s mace For his volatile temper and enormous strength in the Mahabharata epic, Bhima was famous. The pupil of Lord Balarama, Bhima was a mace champion and carried one at all times. Bhima is known to have lost or broken his mace quite often; nevertheless, his fighting skills in mace war impressed everyone the most. Among Bhima, Keechaka, Balarama and Shalya, Bhima’s combat was lauded as best by Duryodhana.

Duryodhana’s mace On the Kurukshetra battle, Duryodhana’s expertise in the use of mace won him glory.

Since a single martial art has to be learned by a warrior from childhood to become master, Duryodhana concentrated solely on mace combat and became excellent at it. On the 18th day of the war of Kurukshetra between Bhimasena and Duryodhana near Dwaipayana Lake, a mace battle took place which resulted in Bhimasena being the victor. Lord Ganesha’s Mace Lord Ganesha is renowned as his axe or mace but in most of his avatars, he mostly uses his mighty mace.

Because of this reason, Ganesha is often addressed as Gadadhara-the Divine Mace-bearer-as this holy weapon of the Hindu pantheon can destroy all the cruelest and feared monsters.