The gods had heard that Visnu was more powerful than Siva. But during the time of burning the three cities (Tripura), Visnu became just a fast arrow of Siva. So are they of equal strength or one stronger than the other? Such was the doubt in the minds of the gods. Therefore, Brahma created a feud between the two. Siva’s bow was made inert by a single shot of ‘hum’ from Visnu.
Now the gods begged them to stop the duel. Both calmed down. The gods recognized Visnu to be greater than Siva in strength, knowledge and power, etc. They knew Vishnu who pervades the whole universe to be the supreme God. They also came to know that Vishnu’s bow was stronger than Siva’s through the story of how the bow was obtained and how Siva gave the bow to the gods at the end of Daksha’s sacrifice. It is learnt that the enmity was limited to the situation of Daksha’s sacrifice. It was stated earlier that Mahadeva gave the bow to the gods at the end of Daksha’s sacrifice. Now it is said Mahadeva gave the bow to Devarata. How can this be reconciled? There is actually no contradiction here. When the bow was being given, the gods were afraid to go near Siva and to receive it. They prayed that Siva should give the bow to Devarata for their sake. So Siva placed the bow at the hands of Devarata. This also explains the meaning of nyasabhutam tada nyastam. Now there is another contradiction. The rishis at the time of leaving for Mithila after the completion of the yajna observed that the bow was given to Janaka by the gods on the occasion of a sacrifice. How to meet this contradiction?
The gods had deposited the bow with Devarata. It stayed with his descendants as a nyasa (a thing kept only for safekeeping). When Janaka performed a yajna he supplicated the gods to give the bow. The gods gave him the bow as a fruit of his yajna. Yet there is another contradiction. While replying to the queries of Anasuya, Sita states that Varuna gave the same bow to Janaka. How?
Now Varuna, urged by the gods, handed in the bow to king Janaka. Therefore, the process of the acquisition of the bow is as follows. First of all the gods gave the bow made by Visvakarma to Mahadeva for killing the demon Tripura. At the time of Daksha Yajna, Visnu made the bow inert when a feud arose and then Mahadeva gave it to Devarata. It stood with his descendants as an item of trust. At the time of Janaka’s yajna the gods wanted to make it Janaka’s own and caused it to be given by Varuna. Parasurama’s bow in the hands of Varuna was deposited with the idea that a divine weapon should stay with the gods and not with human beings. Varuna is verily the safe-keeper and deliverer of the divine weapons.
Strength of bows of Visnu and Siva 1.75.15-19
The gods had heard that Visnu was more powerful than Siva. But during the time of burning the three cities (Tripura), Visnu became just a fast arrow of Siva. So are they of equal strength or one stronger than the other? Such was the doubt in the minds of the gods. Therefore, Brahma created a feud between the two. Siva’s bow was made inert by a single shot of ‘hum’ from Visnu.
Now the gods begged them to stop the duel. Both calmed down. The gods recognized Visnu to be greater than Siva in strength, knowledge and power, etc. They knew Vishnu who pervades the whole universe to be the supreme God. They also came to know that Vishnu’s bow was stronger than Siva’s through the story of how the bow was obtained and how Siva gave the bow to the gods at the end of Daksha’s sacrifice. It is learnt that the enmity was limited to the situation of Daksha’s sacrifice. It was stated earlier that Mahadeva gave the bow to the gods at the end of Daksha’s sacrifice. Now it is said Mahadeva gave the bow to Devarata. How can this be reconciled? There is actually no contradiction here. When the bow was being given, the gods were afraid to go near Siva and to receive it. They prayed that Siva should give the bow to Devarata for their sake. So Siva placed the bow at the hands of Devarata. This also explains the meaning of nyasabhutam tada nyastam. Now there is another contradiction. The rishis at the time of leaving for Mithila after the completion of the yajna observed that the bow was given to Janaka by the gods on the occasion of a sacrifice. How to meet this contradiction?
The gods had deposited the bow with Devarata. It stayed with his descendants as a nyasa (a thing kept only for safekeeping). When Janaka performed a yajna he supplicated the gods to give the bow. The gods gave him the bow as a fruit of his yajna. Yet there is another contradiction. While replying to the queries of Anasuya, Sita states that Varuna gave the same bow to Janaka. How?
Now Varuna, urged by the gods, handed in the bow to king Janaka. Therefore, the process of the acquisition of the bow is as follows. First of all the gods gave the bow made by Visvakarma to Mahadeva for killing the demon Tripura. At the time of Daksha Yajna, Visnu made the bow inert when a feud arose and then Mahadeva gave it to Devarata. It stood with his descendants as an item of trust. At the time of Janaka’s yajna the gods wanted to make it Janaka’s own and caused it to be given by Varuna. Parasurama’s bow in the hands of Varuna was deposited with the idea that a divine weapon should stay with the gods and not with human beings. Varuna is verily the safe-keeper and deliverer of the divine weapons.