Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4600

c9.4600

Once the Devas made Viṣṇu and Śiva quarrel with each other, to test their might. The fight between the two began. Viśvakarmā gave each of them a bow. The bow of Viṣṇu was called Vaiṣṇavacāpa; the bow of Śiva was called Śaivacāpa. This Vaiṣṇavacāpa is Śārṅga. Due to the power of Śārṅga, Śiva was defeated in the fight. Getting angry Śiva gave his bow to the King Devarāta of Videha. It was this bow that Śrī Rāma broke at the time of the Svayaṃvara marriage of Sītā. After the fight, Viṣṇu gave his bow to Ṛcīka. That bow changed hands from Ṛcīka to Jamadagni and from him to Paraśurāma, who presented this bow to Śrī Rāma on his return after the marriage with Sītā.