Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2081

c8.2081

Śiva has a bow named Pināka. Pāśupata is the arrow that is used on that bow. Pināka is a serpent with the colours of a rainbow. It has seven heads and has fierce canine teeth. Poison flows from them always. The string of the bow is wound round the neck of Śiva. The arrow, bright like the sun and equal to the fire of death, is the Pāśupata. It will burn all that it touches. Neither Nārāyaṇāstra, Brahmāstra, Āgneyāstra nor Vāruṇāstra can stand against this. In times of old Śiva burnt the Tripuras (three cities of the notorious three demons) by this arrow. Even Brahmā and Viṣṇu could be killed by Pāśupata. (Chapter 14, Anuśāsana Parva). Devotees worship Pāśupata as a deity. If the Pāśupata mantra is recited once it will remove all obstacles from the way and if recited a hundred times it will end all your calamities and bring success in any war for you.