PASHUPATASTRA OF ARJUNA

According to Mahabharata, only Arjuna possessed the Pashupatastra of Lord Shiva but due to some contradictory narratives Arjuna haters makes excuses of Drona and Karna also having the same Pashupatastra but in this post I will debunk their logics

1). DIFFERENT  WEAPONS OF SIMILAR NAMES :- 

According to Mahabharata,similar names were used for multiple weapons

a). BRAHMASHIRASTRA :- 

आदि पर्व, अध्याय क्र. १२३, श्लोक क्र. ७४ - श्लोक क्र. ७८ 

74 अथाब्रवीन महात्मानं भारद्वाजॊ महारथम

     गृहाणेदं महाबाहॊ विशिष्टम अतिदुर्धरम

     अस्त्रं बरह्मशिरॊ नाम सप्रयॊग निवर्तनम

 75 न च ते मानुषेष्व एतत परयॊक्तव्यं कथं चन

     जगद विनिर्दहेद एतद अल्पतेजसि पातितम

 76 असामान्यम इदं तात लॊकेष्व अस्त्रं निगद्यते

     तद धारयेथाः परयतः शृणु चेदं वचॊ मम

 77 बाधेतामानुषः शत्रुर यदा तवां वीर कश चन

     तद वधाय परयुञ्जीथास तदास्त्रम इदम आहवे

 78 तथेति तत परतिश्रुत्य बीभत्सुः स कृताञ्जलिः

     जग्राह परमास्त्रं तदाह चैनं पुनर गुरुः

Link Of Sanskrit Texts :- https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs01123.htm

English Translation By Dr. Bibek Debroy :- 

Adi Parva, Chapter No. 123, Verse No. 74 - Verse No. 78

Bharadvaja’s son told

the great-souled maharatha, “O mighty-armed one! Receive this invincible and supreme weapon, named brahmashira, with the knowledge of releasing it and withdrawing it. You must never use it against human beings. If it is used against an enemy whose energy is inferior, it will burn up the entire universe. O son! It is said that there is nothing superior to

this weapon in the three worlds. Therefore, preserve it carefully and listen to my words. O brave one! If a superhuman enemy ever fights with you, use this weapon to kill him in battle.” With joined hands, Bibhatsu promised that he would do as he had been asked and

received the supreme weapon. His preceptor again told him

Here, Arjuna obtained Bramhashirastra from Drona in his training days, 

वन पर्व, अध्याय क्र. ४१, श्लोक क्र. ७ - श्लोक क्र. ८ 

7 [अर्ज]

      भगवन ददासि चेन मह्यं कामं परीत्या वृषध्वज

      कामये दिव्यम अस्त्रं तद घॊरं पाशुपतं परभॊ

  8 यत तद बरह्मशिरॊ नाम रौद्रं भीमपराक्रमम

      युगान्ते दारुणे पराप्ते कृत्स्नं संहरते जगत

Link Of Sanskrit Texts :-  

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs03041.htm

Vana Parva, Chapter No. 41, Verse No. 7 - Verse No. 8 

‘Arjuna replied, “O illustrious god! O Vrishadhvaja! O lord! If you wish to grant me that which I desire, I wish for the terrible and divine weapon known as pashupata.It is known as brahmashira. It is fearful and is terrible in prowess. When the terrible end of a yuga approaches, it destroys the entire world. 

Here, Arjuna obtained Brahmashirastra which was also known as Pashupatastra when Pandavas were in exile.

Hence, Arjuna possessed two weapons named as Brahmashirastra.

b). BRAMHASTRA :- 

 

द्रोण पर्व, अध्याय क्र. १६०, श्लोक क्र. ३ - श्लोक क्र. ५

3 तत तु मर्षितम अस्माभिर भवतः परियकाम्यया

      त एते परिविश्रान्ताः पाण्डवा बलवत्तराः

  4 सर्वथा परिहीनाः सम तेजसा च बलेन च

      भवता पाल्यमानास ते विवर्धन्ते पुनः पुनः

  5 दिव्यान्य अस्त्राणि सर्वाणि बरह्मास्त्रादीनि यान्य अपि

      तानि सर्वाणि तिष्ठन्ति भवत्य एव विशेषतः

Link Of Sanskrit Texts :- https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs07160.htm

English Translation By Dr. Bibek Debroy :- 

Drona Parva, Chapter No. 160, Verse No. 3 - Verse No. 5 

The Pandavas have now rested and have become stronger. But we are losing energy and strength in every way. They are protected by you and are prospering. You, in particular, possess all the divine weapons and the brahmastras and allof them are vested in you. 

Notice the word "brahmastras" which clearly proves the existence of 2 different weapons sharing the name Brahmastra.

Hence, we can safely conclude that different weapons of similar names had existed in Mahabharata.

2). PASHUPATASTRA OF INDRA :- 

उद्योग पर्व, अध्याय क्र. ४७, श्लोक क्र. १००

100 समाददानः पृथग अस्त्रमार्गान; यथाग्निर इद्धॊ गहनं निदाघे

    सथूणाकर्णं पाशुपतं च घॊरं; तथा बरह्मास्त्रं यच च शक्रॊ विवेद

Link Of Sanskrit Texts :- https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs05047.htm

English translation by Dr. Bibek Debroy :- 

Udyoga Parva, Chapter No. 47, Verse No. 100 

 I will separately despatch each weapon along its route, like a fire that consumes a forest during the summer—Sthunakarna, the terrible Pashupata and Brahmastra48—all of which were given to me by Shakra.

According to the following statement of Arjuna, it's clear that there was a Pashupatastra owned by Indra also and apart from Pashupatastra of Lord Shiva Arjuna possessed the Pashupatastra of Indra also.

3). ONLY ARJUNA HAVING THE PASHUPATASTRA OF LORD SHIVA :- 

उद्योग पर्व, अध्याय क्र. १९५, श्लोक क्र. १२ - श्लोक क्र. १४ 

12 यत तद घॊरं पशुपतिः परादाद अस्त्रं महन मम

     कैराते दवन्द्वयुद्धे वै तद इदं मयि वर्तते

 13 यद युगान्ते पशुपतिः सर्वभूतानि संहरन

     परयुङ्क्ते पुरुषव्याघ्र तद इदं मयि वर्तते

 14 तन न जानाति गाङ्गेयॊ न दरॊणॊ न च गौतमः

     न च दरॊणसुतॊ राजन कुत एव तु सूतजः

Link Of Sanskrit Texts :- https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs05195.htm

.

English translation by Dr. Bibek Debroy :- 

Udyoga Parva, Chapter No. 195, Verse No. 12 - Verse No. 14 

I possess theterrible and great weapon that Pashupati gave me when there was a duel with the hunter.114 At the end of a yuga, that is employed by Pashupati to destroy all the beings. O tiger amongmen! I know how to use that. Gangeya does not know this, nor do Drona and Goutama. Oking! Neither do Drona’s son and the son of the suta. 

According to Arjuna, the Pashupatastra of Lord Shiva wasn't possessed by Bhishma, Drona, Goutama, Ashvatthama and Karna hence the Pashupatastra claimed to be possessed by Drona and Karna can't be Pashupatastra of Lord Shiva 

- Avenger