Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c8.4

v1.c8.4

Of these weapons śaṅkha, chakra and gadā are peculiar to Viṣṇu. In rare instances, the images of that deity are found carrying other weapons also, and this feature is noticeable in the representations of several of Viṣṇu’s avatāras; for instance, in images representing the Trivikramāvatāra, the image is shown to carry, in addition to the three weapons mentioned above, the dhanus, the bāṇa, the khaḍga and the kheṭaka. But paraśu, khaṭvāṅga, śūla and agni are generally associated with Śiva, while aṅkuśa and pāśa are held by Gaṇēśa, Sarasvati and other deities. Śakti, vajra and ṭaṅka are Subrahmaṇya’s characteristic weapons. Musala and hala are found in associa-