celestial weapon of the Hindu god Vishnu

Narayanastra

The Narayanastra is an astra, a celestial weapon linked to Vishnu in his form as Narayana. It is one of the six Mantramukta astras, regarded as irresistible, and it can only be stopped by complete surrender before it strikes.

The myth

According to the tradition, the weapon unleashes millions of missiles at once, and their intensity grows with the target's resistance. The only way to escape it is to submit entirely before the blows land. In the Mahabharata, Ashvatthama uses it against the Pandavas; the Eleven Rudras appear, along with countless weapons that kill everyone who resists. Krishna advises his side to lay down their arms and surrender, but Bhima refuses out of what he sees as cowardice and is worn down by the rain of arrows. He is not killed, because Krishna and his brothers restrain him.

In the Ramayana, Meghanada wields the weapon in his final battle against Lakshmana, but the astra refuses to harm him, since he is an incarnation of Adishesha. In the Bhagavata Purana, Dhruva employs it during his invasion of Alaka, the realm of the yakshas, and Krishna aims it at Shiva while rescuing Aniruddha from Banasura.

Ancient sources: The Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana, in the episodes of Ashvatthama, Meghanada, Dhruva and Krishna.