Narayanastra - History, Usages and Mentions

 चक्रस्वरूपी भगवांस्तानि धत्ते स्वरूपतः । 

स्वरूपाणि तथा तेषां शक्तीश्च कथयामि ते ॥ ४०.८ ॥

(Ahirbudhnya Samhitā - Pāñcarātra Āgama)

“Those Divyāstras are essentially the Svarūpa of Bhagavān Sudarśana alone. Now I pledge to define it’s nature and powers - O Nārada! Next I will expound his forms and powers to you.”

The Nārāyaṇāstra, the Supremely powerful and infallible Divyāstra associated with Bhagavān Viṣṇu. It is capable of unleashing millions of simultaneously fired missiles that intensify with resistance. Complete surrender is the only way to stop it. 

सहस्त्रधारमत्युग्रं सहस्त्रार्कसमप्रभम् ॥ तैजसं विस्तृतायं तन्मोहिनीकुसुमोपमम् । 40.9 (Ahirbudhnya Samhitā)

“This Astra is comprised of a thousand sections, fierce with brilliance as a thousand suns. Ferocious, Effulgent with a vast frontal expanse similar to the flower of Mohinī is the Nārāyaṇāstra.”

History of this Astra

नारायणाय मे पित्रा प्रणम्य विधिपूर्वकम्। उपहारः पुरा दत्तो ब्रह्मरूप उपस्थितः॥ तं स्वयं प्रतिगृह्याथ भगवान्स वरं ददौ। वव्रे पिता मे परममस्त्रं नारायणं ततः॥  अथैनमब्रवीद्राजन्भागवान्देवसत्तमः। भविता त्वत्समो नान्यः कश्चिद्युधि नरः क्वचित्॥ न त्विदं सहसा ब्रह्मन्प्रयोक्तव्यं कथञ्चन। न ह्येतदस्त्रमन्यत्र वधाच्छत्रोर्निवर्तते॥ न चैतच्छक्यते जेतुं को न वध्येत वै प्रभो। अवध्यमपि हन्याद्वि तस्मान्नैतत्प्रयोजयेत्॥  7.196.30-34

Ashwatthama said to Duryodhana "Once, assuming his Original Form, Nārāyaṇa himself came to my father and, after bowing down to him, my father made his offerings to Him. Taking them in his own hands, the divine Lord offered to give him a boon. My father asked for the supreme weapon, the Nārāyaṇāstra. 

The Devadeva said to my sire, “No man will ever be your equal in battle. However, O Brāhmaṇa, you must never use this weapon lightly or in haste, for it never returns without destroying the enemy at whom you loose it. There is no one whom it cannot slay! Indeed, the Nārāyaṇāstra would consume even the immortals. (तत्र केन प्रत्यस्त्रेण वध्येत् वध्येत इति ज्ञातुमित्यर्थः॥)

अथ सङ्ख्ये रथस्यैव शस्त्राणां च विसर्जनम्। प्रयाचनं च शत्रूणां गमनं शरणस्य च॥ एते प्रशमने योगा महास्त्रस्य परन्तप। सर्वथा पीडितो हिंस्यादवध्यान्पीडयन्रणे॥ तज्जग्राह पिता मह्यमब्रवीच्चैव स प्रभुः। त्वं वधिष्यसि सर्वाणि शस्त्रवर्षाण्यनेकशः। अनेनास्त्रेण सङ्ग्रामे तेजसा च ज्वलिष्यसि॥ एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्दिवमाचक्रमे प्रभुः। एतन्नारायणादस्त्रं तत्प्राप्तं पितृबन्धुना॥ 7.196.35-38

Therefore, it should be used only after the greatest deliberation and to serve the gravest cause. This astra should never be cast against men who abandon their chariots or weapons in battle, at those who seek quarter or those that concede defeat. Also, he who seeks to injure the Immortal One with it will himself be severely afflicted by this supreme weapon!”

My sire humbly received the Nārāyaṇāstra. Then Lord Nārāyaṇa said to me, “With this Nārāyaṇāstra, you will also be able to unleash other astras beyond count in battle and blaze with tejas.” 

Having said these words, the divine Lord vanished before our eyes. This is the tale of how I came to possess the ineluctable Nārāyaṇāstra.

Features of this Astra

अहं हि ज्वलतां मध्ये मयूखानामिवांशुमान्। प्रयोक्ता देवसृष्टानामस्त्राणां पृतनागतः॥ भृशमिष्वसनादद्य मत्प्रयुक्ता महाहवे। दर्शयन्तः शरा वीर्यं प्रमथिष्यन्ति पाण्डवान्॥ अद्य सर्वा दिशो राजन्धाराभिरिव सङ्कुलाः। आवृताः पत्रिभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्द्रष्टारो मामकैरिह॥ विकिरञ्छरजालानि सर्वतो भैरवस्वनान्। शत्रून्निपातयिष्यामि महावात इव द्रुमान्॥ 7.196.24-27

Today, I will break into the Pāṇḍava army, shining like the Sun himself with his blazing rays, and I will incinerate the enemy with my devāstras. Endless arrows will spume forth from my bow and devour them all. Today the warriors of our army will see all the points of the compass, O Rājan, obscured by my arrows, as if with dark torrents of rain. Today I will mow them all down like a great tempest does trees, great and small, that stand in its way.

सञ्जय उवाच। प्रादुर्भूते ततस्तस्मिन्नस्त्रे नारायणे प्रभो। प्रावात्सपृषतो वायुरनभ्रे स्तनयित्नुमान्॥चचाल पृथिवी चापि चुक्षुभे च महोदधिः। प्रतिस्रोतः प्रवृत्ताश्च गन्तुं तत्र समुद्रगाः॥ शिखराणि व्यशीर्यन्त गिरीणां तत्र भारत। अपसव्यं मृगाश्चैव पाण्डुसेनां प्रचक्रिरे॥  तमसा तावकीर्यन्त सूर्यश्च कलुषोऽभवत्। सम्पतन्ति च भूतानि क्रव्यादानि प्रहृष्टवत्॥ देवदानवगन्धर्वास्त्रस्तास्त्वासन्विशाम्पते। कथङ्खथाऽभवत्तीव्रा दृष्ट्वा तद्व्याकुलं महत्॥ व्यथिताः सर्वराजानस्त्रस्ताश्चासन्विशाम्पते। तद्दृष्ट्वा घोररूपं वै द्रौणेरस्त्रं भयावहम्॥ 7.197.1-6 

No sooner does Aśvatthāman invoke the Nārāyaṇāstra than violent winds begin to blow with lashing showers of rain, and we hear peals of thunder although there is not a cloud in the sky. The earth trembles and the seas swell up in great agitation. 

The rivers begin to run back towards their sources in terror; mountain peaks cleave themselves and giant crags come loose of their own accord and crash down sheer precipices; diverse beasts of the earth all run in panic, keeping the Pāṇḍavas ever to their right. Darkness sets in. 

The sun is obscured and all manner of birds of prey and beasts of carrion alight on the field in joy of a further fresh feast to come. The Devas, the Dānavas and the Gandharvas, Rājan, are all petrified. Seeing this tremendous upheaval in nature, all the men begin to cry out loudly to one another about its cause. A terrible wave of anguish, both bodily and spiritual, courses through all the kings and mahārathas when Droṇa’s son summons the Nārāyaṇāstra.

प्रादुरासंस्ततो बाणा दीप्ताग्राः खे सहस्रशः। पाण्डवान्क्षपयिष्यन्तो दीप्तास्यः पन्नगा इव॥  ते दिशः खं च सैन्यं च समावृण्वन्महाहवे। मुहूर्ताद्भास्करस्येव लोके राजन्गभस्तयः॥  तथाऽपरे द्योतमाना ज्योतींषीवामलाम्बरे। प्रादुरासन्महाराज कार्ष्णायसमया गुडाः॥  चतुश्चक्रा द्विचक्राश्च शतघ्नो बहुला गदाः। चक्राणि च क्षुरान्तानि मण्डलानीव भास्वतः॥  शस्त्राकृतिभिराकीर्णमतीव पुरुषर्षभ। दृष्ट्वान्तरिक्षमाविग्नाः पाण्डुपाञ्चालसृञ्जयाः॥  यथायथा ह्ययुध्यन्त पाण्डवानां महारथाः। तथातथा तदस्त्रं वै व्यवर्धत जनाधिप॥  वध्यमानास्तदाऽस्त्रेण तेन नारायणेन वै। दह्यमानाऽनलेनेव सर्वतोऽभ्यर्दिता रणे॥  यथा हि शिशिरापाये दहेत्कक्षं हुताशनः। तथा तदस्त्रं पाण्डूनां ददाह ध्वजिनीं प्रभो॥ 7.200.18-25

Thousands of serpentine arrows with blazing mouths appear in the sky, and rain down on the Pāṇḍavas. Like rays of the sun, in a moment these shafts shroud all the directions of the sky and engulf all the enemy legions. Innumerable iron balls appear like resplendent luminaries in the clear firmament. Śataghnis, some with four and some with two wheels, innumerable maces, and discs with edges sharp as razors and shining like lightning, also appear from the Nārāyaṇāstra. 

Seeing all the sky covered by these uncanny weapons, The Pāṇḍavas, the Pāñcālas and the Śṛñjayas are absolutely terror-stricken. Most of all, wherever the Pāṇḍava maharathas offer resistance to the awesome astra of the Lord Viṣṇu, it only increases in power and ferocity. 

Devoured everywhere by the Nārāyaṇāstra, as a heap of dry grass by some raging forest fire in summer, the Pāṇḍava warriors have no answer to Aśvatthāman’s ultimate ayudha and it consumes them rabidly on all sides.

अर्जुन उवाच। भीम नारायणास्त्रे मे गोषु च ब्राह्मणेषु च। एतेषु गाण्डिवं न्यस्यमेतद्धि व्रतमुत्तमम्॥ 7-200-59

Arjuna says, “Bhīma, I have vowed that my Gāṇḍiva will not be used against the Nārāyaṇāstra, cows and Brāhmaṇas.”

अश्वत्थामा तथोक्तस्तु तव पुत्रेण मारिष। सुदीनमभिनिः श्वस्य राजानमिदमब्रवीत्॥ नैतदावर्तते राजन्नस्त्रं द्विर्नोपपद्यते। आवृतं हि निवर्तेत प्रयोक्तारं न संशयः॥ एष चास्त्रप्रतीघातं वासुदेवः प्रयुक्तवान्। `अस्य तु ह्येष वै दाता मानुषेषु न विद्यते॥ परावरज्ञो लोकानां न तदस्ति न वेत्ति यत्। तदेतदस्त्रं प्रशमं यातं कृष्णस्य मन्त्रितैः'॥ 7.201.27-30

Aśvatthāman sighs and says sadly, “The Nārāyaṇāstra, O king, cannot be brought back and used again. If it is summoned again, it will have the life of the one that invokes it. This weapon was used by Vāsudeva to counterattack. 

There is no one among Mortals who can give this Astra to Kṛṣṇa because there is nothing in this world which Kṛṣṇa doesn't know, because, he is the one who knows highest of the highest and the lowest of the lowest in all the worlds. Kṛṣṇa knew the only way in which the Lord’s own astra could be overcome, and he saved them all.”

The Only Way to Stop It

एवं ब्रुवति कौन्तेये दाशार्हस्त्वरितस्ततः। निवार्य सैन्यं बाहुभ्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ शीघ्रं न्यस्यत शस्त्राणि वाहेभ्यश्चावरोहत। एष योगोऽत्र विहितः प्रतिघाते महात्मनः॥ द्विपाश्वस्यन्दनेभ्यश्च क्षितिं सर्वेऽवरोहत। एवमेतन्न वो हन्यादस्त्रं भूमौ निरायुधान्॥ यथायथा हि युध्यन्ते योधा ह्यस्त्रमिदं प्रति। तथातथा भवन्त्येते कौरवा बलवत्तराः॥  निक्षेप्स्यन्ति च शस्त्राणि वाहनेभ्योऽवरुह्य ये। येऽञ्जलिं कुर्वते वीर नमस्ति च विवाहनाः। तान्नैतदस्त्रं सङ्ग्रामे निहनिष्यति मानवान्॥ ये त्वेतत्प्रतियोत्स्यन्ति मनसाऽपीह केचन। निहनिष्यति तान्सर्वान्रसातलगतानपि॥ 7.200.43-48 

Śrī Kṛṣṇa makes a sign to the troops not to flee and says, “Be quick and lay down your weapons, all of you, and alight from your chariots. This is the only way, declared by the Lord Nārāyaṇa himself, to render his great astra powerless. Come down to the ground from your elephants, horses and chariots. 

If you stand weaponless on the earth, this astra will not touch you, while if you seek to fight it, it will only grow stronger and more devastating. The Nārāyaṇāstra does not kill those who throw down their weapons and alight from their rathas, while those who even think of resisting it will be consumed, even if they seek refuge in the deepest Pātala.”

Usages

To Avenge his Brother’s death by a Yakṣa, Dhruva goes to Alakāpurī, and massacres many Yakṣas with the Nārāyaṇāstra. Svayambhuva Manu later stopped him.

मैत्रेय उवाच ।  निशम्य गदतामेवमृषीणां धनुषि ध्रुव: । सन्दधेऽस्त्रमुपस्पृश्य यन्नारायणनिर्मितम् ॥ सन्धीयमान एतस्मिन्माया गुह्यकनिर्मिता: । क्षिप्रं विनेशुर्विदुर क्लेशा ज्ञानोदये यथा ॥ तस्यार्षास्त्रं धनुषि प्रयुञ्जत: सुवर्णपुङ्खा: कलहंसवासस: । विनि:सृता आविविशुर्द्विषद्बलं यथा वनं भीमरवा: शिखण्डिन: ॥ (श्रीमद्भागवतम् 4.11.1-3)

Śrī Maitreya said: O Vidura, when Dhruva heard the encouraging words of the Maharishis, he performed the ācamana by touching water and then took up the Nārāyaṇāstra and fixed it upon his bow. As soon as Dhruva joined the Nārāyaṇāstra to his bow, the illusion created by the Yakṣas was immediately vanquished, just as all pains and pleasures are vanquished when one becomes fully self realised. Those sharp arrows dismayed the enemy soldiers, who became almost unconscious.

In the Rāmāyaṇa, Viśvāmitra Rishi gave the Nārāyaṇāstra to Śrī Rāma for his arsenal of weapons.

अशनी द्वे प्रयच्छामि शुष्क आर्द्रे रघुनन्दन ॥  ददामि च अस्त्रम् पैनाकम् अस्त्रम् नारायणम् तथा । (श्रीमद्रामायणम् 1.27.9)

Oh, Raghu's scion, I will also give two projectile bolts, one called Śuṣka, [The Drier] and the other Ārdra, [The Drencher,] and even the Painakāstra and the Nārāyaṇāstra.

विष्णुचक्रं वज्जमस्त्रं ब्रह्मास्त्रं कालपाशकम् । नारायणं पाशुपतं नाशाम्यमितरास्त्रकैः ॥ 2.40 (Nītiprakāśika by Vaiśampāyana)

The six astras in this category are: Viśṇucakra, Vajra, Brahmāstra, Kālapāśaka, Nārāyaṇāstra and Pāśupatāstra. These are not subdued by any other astras apart from themselves. 

नारायणास्त्रमैंद्रं च आग्नेयं शैशिरं तथा । अस्त्रं पाशुपतं चैव यस्या प्रतिहता गतिः ॥ (पद्मपुराण 1.45.104,108)

Hiraṇyakaśipu used these Astras against Bhagavān Narasiṁha, and failed to Harm him.

The Pāśupatāstra

The Pāśupatā Astra is a very special weapon belonging to Lord Śiva. It's not just a physical weapon; it can be used through thought, sight, words, or a bow. Using it against someone weaker could lead to universal destruction, highlighting its immense power and the responsibility that comes with wielding it.

प्रतिपच्चन्द्रसङ्काशमध्याष्टास्त्रविदीपितम् । शतधारं तडिद्दीप्तमेतत् पाशुपतं मतम् । 40.10 (Ahirbudhnya Samhitā - Pāñcarātra Āgama)

“Being invisible like the moon of Pratipāda, radiant from eight angles in the centre, having a hundred sections & glowing like electricity is the Pāśupatāstra.”

Mentions and Usages

वरं ददासि चेन्मह्यं कामं प्रीत्या वृषध्वज। कामये दिव्यामस्त्रं तद्घोरं पाशुपतं प्रभो ॥ यत्तद्ब्रह्मशिरो नाम रौद्रं भीमपराक्रमम्। युगान्ते दारुणे प्राप्ते कृत्स्नं संहरते जगत् ॥ 3.40.8-9

Arjuna says, “Illustrious Vṛṣabhdhvaja, if you would grant my wish, Lord, give me your own Pāśupatāstra of dreadful power, which destroys all the universe at the end of the Yuga.”

भव उवाच। ददामि तेऽस्त्रं दयितमहं पाशुपतं विभो। समर्थो धारणे मोक्षे संहारेऽपि च पाण्डव ॥ न तद्वेद महेन्द्रोपि न यमो न च यक्षराट्। वरुणोप्यथवा वायुः कुतो वेत्स्यन्ति मानवाः ॥ न त्वया सहसा पार्थ मोक्तव्यं पुरुषे क्वचित्। जगद्विनिर्दहेत्सर्वमल्पतेजसि पातितम् ॥ अबध्यो नाम नास्त्यस्य त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे। मनसा चक्षुषा वाचा धनुषा च निपात्यते ॥ 3.40.15-18

Śiva replies, “Mighty one, I will give you my favourite astra, the Pāśupata. Pāṇḍava, you are capable of bearing, loosing and withdrawing it. Not Indra, Yama, Kubera king of the Yakṣas, Varuṇa, or Vāyu know it – then how could man know anything of it? 

But, Pārtha, this astra must not be loosed without adequate cause, because if it is loose against an enemy of small might it can consume the very universe. 

In the three worlds, with all their mobile and immobile creatures, there is no one whom this astra cannot consume. You can cast it with your mind, your eye, through words and with your bow.”

ततस्त्वध्यापयामास सरहस्यनिवर्तनम्। तदस्त्रं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं मूर्तिमन्तमिवान्तकम् ॥ उपतस्थे महात्मानं यथा त्र्यक्षमुमापतिम्। प्रतिजग्राह तच्चापि प्रीतिमानर्जुनस्तदा ॥ ततश्चचाल पृथिवी सपर्वतवनद्रुमा। ससागरवनोद्देशा सग्रामनगराकरा ॥ शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषाश्च भेरीणां च सहस्रशः। तस्मिनमुहूर्ते संप्राप्ते निर्घातश्च महानभूत् ॥ 3.40.20-23

Mahādeva gives that best of Pāṇḍu's sons the knowledge of that weapon, which looks like an embodiment of Yama, together with all the mysteries about loosing and withdrawing it. 

Now that astra begins to wait upon Arjuna as it does on Śaṅkara. Gladly, too, does Arjuna receive it. At that moment all the Earth trembles – its mountains, forests, trees, seas, villages, towns, cities, mines. Thousands of conches, drums and horns resound. Whirlwinds and hurricanes sweep land and sea.

The Most Powerful Divyāstras like the Brahmaśiras, Nārāyaṇastra etc. showcase this quality of Earth, being not able to bear their Universal Power.

यत्तद्धोरं पशुपतिः प्रादादस्त्रं महन्मम। कैराते द्वन्द्वयुद्धे तु तदिदं मयि वर्तते ॥ यद्युगान्ते पशुपतिः सर्वभूतानि संहरन् । प्रयुङ्क्ते पुरुषव्याघ्र तदिदं मयि वर्तते ॥ तन्न जानाति गाङ्गेयो न द्रोणो न च गौतमः । न च द्रोणसुतो राजन्कुत एव तु सूतजः॥ न तु युक्तं रणे हन्तुं दिव्यैरस्त्रैः पृथग्जनम् । आर्जवेनैव युद्धेन विजेष्यामो वयं परान् ॥ 5.194.12-15

I still command the awesome astra which Mahādeva, Lord of all creatures, gave me when I fought him hand-to-hand, when he came as a Vetala; the Pāśupatāstra is still mine. I have, besides, the astra that Mahādeva uses to destroy creation during the Pralaya at the end of a Yuga. Bhīṣma knows nothing of that astra, nor do Droṇa, Kṛpa and Droṇa’s son. How can the Sūtaputra Karṇa have any knowledge of it?  However, it is adharma, and a great sin, to use such devastras against ordinary mortals in war. We will vanquish our enemies in a fair contention.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। पार्थ पाशुपतं नाम परमास्त्रं सनातनम्। येन सर्वान्मृधे देत्याञ्जघ्ने देवो महेश्वरः॥ यदि तद्विदितं तेऽद्य श्वो हन्ताऽसि जयद्रथम्। अथ ज्ञातं प्रपद्यस्य मनसा वृषभध्वजम्॥ तं देवं मनसा ध्यात्वा जोषमास्स्व धनञ्जय। ततस्तस्य प्रसादात्त्वं भक्त्या प्राप्स्यसि तन्महत्॥ 7.80.19-21

(Śrī Kṛṣṇa said) “Pārtha, there is an inexorable, supreme astra called the Pāśupata. With it, the Lord Maheśvara once slew all the Daityas! If you meditate upon that final weapon now, you will be able to kill Jayadratha tomorrow. If you do not know that Pāśupatāstra, worship Maheśvara, who has the Bull for his mark. Think of the Mahādeva in your heart and fix your mind on him in dhyana, Arjuna. You are his devotee and through his grace, you will have that invaluable weapon.”

Arjuna does the Sādhana, and in his trance, Bhava blesses him with power over the Pāśupatāstra and the accomplishment of his vow to kill Jayadratha.

Then Arjuna, having taken permission to use it, used it to kill Saindhava.

ततः सुमहदाश्चर्यं तत्रापश्याम भारत। स्यमन्तपञ्चकाद्बाह्यं शिरो यद्व्यहरत्ततः॥ 7.148.18

कृत्वा तच्च महत्कर्म निहत्य च जयद्रथम्। अस्त्रं पाशुपतं पार्थः संहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥ 7.148.28

Hearing this, Arjuna licks the corners of his mouth and looses the arrow he has charged with Śiva’s astra, which has always been worshipped with incense and garlands. The Āyudha, with which once Mahādeva torched the Tripura from  the sky, takes Jayadratha’s head from his neck in a crimson eruption, like a hawk snatching a small bird from a tree, out to the far limits of Syamantapañcaka. And having done that great feat and having killed Jayadratha, Arjuna began to withdraw the Pāśupatāstra.

We have not been able to find the exact Saṃskṛta Verses for the translation in any Edition, the current Ślokas provided are the closest that we could find.

अथाधिज्यं धनुः कृत्वा शर्वः सन्धाय तं शरम्। युक्त्वा पाशुपतास्त्रेण त्रिपुरं समचिन्तयत्॥ तस्मिन्स्थिते ततो राजन्रुद्रे सज्जितकार्मुके। पुराणि तेन कालेन जग्मुरेकत्वमाशु वै॥एकीभावं गते चैव त्रिपुरत्वमुपागते। बभूव तुमुलो हर्षो देवतानां महात्मनाम्॥ ततो देवगुणाः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। जयेति वाचो मुमुचुः संस्तुवन्तो महेश्वरम्॥ 8.27.29-32

Sarva strung his bow and aimed that astra beyond all astras (made with Agni-ṣoma and Viṣṇu), with which he had united the Pāśupatāstra, which is his own weapon, and waited in fathomless dhyāna. 

And as Rudra stood waiting, his bow and its missile at the ready, the three cities spun together into confluence and became a single city. Tumultuous was the joy of the Devas, and along with the Siddhas and the Maharishis, they shouted ‘Jaya!’, and hailed Maheśvara.

Unlike the Nārāyaṇāstra however, the Pāśupatāstra has been countered/neutralised, by Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself.

It’s Counter

During the Bāṇāsura Yuddha in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrī Kṛṣṇa countered the Pāśupatāstra with the Nārāyaṇāstra.

ब्रह्मास्त्रस्य च ब्रह्मास्त्रं वायव्यस्य च पार्वतम् । आग्नेयस्य च पार्जन्यं नैजं पाशुपतस्य च ॥ (श्रीमद्भागवतम् 10.63.13)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa counteracted Śiva's Brahmāstra with His Brahmāstra, Vāyavyāstra (whirlwind weapon) with Parvatāstra (Mountainous weapon), Agneyāstra (fiery missile) with His Parjanyāstra (rain weapon) and the Pāśupatāstra with His Nārāyaṇāstra.

Śrīdhara Swāmin, the Venerable Advaitin confirms that this was the Nārāyaṇāstra.

Veera Raghavacharya, the Bhashyakara from the Shri Ramanuja Sampradaya, also confirms the same.

This shows the Supremacy of Viṣṇu over Śiva, and the Nārāyaṇāstra is the Superior Weapon.

॥ श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ॥