Pinaka (Hinduism)

Rama breaking the bow to win Sita as wife, Raja Ravi Varma.

The Pinaka (Sanskrit: पिनाक, pināka) is the celestial bow of the Hindu deity, Shiva. In popular legend, he is believed to have employed this bow in his avatar as Tripurantaka to annihilate the three cities of Mayasura, known as Tripura.[1] The weapon is the origin of one of Shiva's epithets, Pinākapāṇi, literally meaning, 'The Wielder of The Pināka'.[2]

  1. ^ Williams, Monier. "Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary". Archived from the original on 25 March 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2017. pínāka m. n. a staff or bow, (esp.) the staff or bow of Rudra-Śiva
  2. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Śiva". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 July 2022.