Nartana

THE LIVING ARCHIVE

About Nartana

Parashurama is presenting military reasons to choose peace. Arjuna is an exceptional archer, and Krishna stands beside him as an ally. The weapon list reinforces the warning by describing powers that can overwhelm people’s senses and ordinary control over their actions.

AT A GLANCE

Identity & Context

Identity: Astra
Form: Invoked divine weapon
Tradition: Epic / Puranic traditions

IN THE TRADITION

Recorded Context

A Warning Illustrated by Nara’s Grass Weapons

The speech first describes Dambhodbhava, a proud king who takes his army to challenge the ascetics Nara and Narayana. They explain that their retreat is a place of peace, but he continues to demand combat. Nara then picks up grass blades and uses them to overcome the royal arrows and soldiers.

The king seeks refuge after his defeat and leaves with instructions to abandon arrogance. Parashurama brings the lesson into the present by identifying Nara and Narayana with Arjuna and Krishna. Nartana and the other weapon names follow in a direct appeal for Duryodhana to reconcile with his relatives.

ROLE & ESSENCE

Attributes & Significance

Capering and other uncontrolled actions appear among the weapons’ collective effects. The text does not explicitly attach that behaviour to Nartana alone. The name’s relation to dancing therefore cannot replace an actual account of its individual use, which this speech does not provide.

Astra Class

Invoked celestial weapon

Invocation & Withdrawal

Epic accounts describe instruction, invocation and withdrawal. This entry does not supply a reconstructed mantra.

Tradition Notes

Names and accounts can vary by recension, region and commentary. This entry distinguishes attested details from identifications still requiring a passage-level source.

Archive Classification Notes

Original archive annotations are retained here. The current playable classification is shown in the side panel.

Tradition Dependence: High; distinguish individual epic accounts.
Associated Deity: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Origin & Transmission: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Known Wielders: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Effects & Destructive Capability: A requested Astra-list name; a literal translation is not evidence of a combat effect.
Special Properties: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Restrictions: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Counters & Defenses: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Recorded Uses & Battles: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Affected Characters: Not established in the passage; no additional claim is made here.
Editorial Power Tier: Unassigned — no verified comparative scale
Editorial Rarity: Archive classification

TRADITION & MEANING

Traditions & Interpretations

From the Sacred Texts

Explore the sacred texts behind these stories in the Suvarnaveda library.

Mahabharata

Artwork & Archive Notes

Original Archive Description

A requested Astra-list name; a literal translation is not evidence of a combat effect.

FOLLOW THE THREADS

Connected Cards

4 connected profiles. Every path leads to an original record.

The Sacred Library2

Described InRamayanaSanskrit epic

Described InMahabharataThe great epic

Characters & Cosmic Entities1

Associated ArcherArjunaThe bearer of Gandiva

The warning associates the eight weapons with Arjuna and Gandiva.

Weapons1

Named BowGandivaThe celestial bow

The weapons are named in relation to Gandiva.