Gandiva

Gandiva (Sanskrit: गाण्डीव, Gāṇḍīva) is the celestial bow of Arjuna, one of the principal heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Created by Brahma, it was initially wielded by Prajapati, then Indra, then Soma, then Varuna. Agni, the god of fire, ultimately obtained the bow and presented it to Arjuna through the intervention of Krishna as part of the Khandava forest fire incident.

The Gandiva is described as an exceptionally powerful and beautiful bow, capable of firing arrows with incredible speed and accuracy. It was said to be almost indestructible. During Arjuna's exile in the forest, he lost the bow when it was reclaimed by Varuna. It was later restored to him at the commencement of the Kurukshetra War.

The bow is deeply symbolic, representing Arjuna's prowess as an archer, his divine connection, and his role in the cosmic battle between good and evil. The reluctance of Arjuna to fight his relatives during the Kurukshetra War, known as Arjuna Visada, is often expressed in relation to his Gandiva and his responsibilities as a warrior. At the end of the Mahabharata, after the war, Arjuna, along with his brothers, travelled to the Himalayas. At this point, the Gandiva was returned to the depths of the ocean, relinquishing its divine status.