Vedic Mythology c5.s2.t4.5

c5.s2.t4.5

The RV. often mentions Rudra's weapons of offence. He is once said to hold the thunderbolt in his arm (2, 33³). His lightning shaft (*didyut*) discharged from the sky traverses the earth (7, 46³). He is usually said to be armed with a bow and arrows (2, 33¹⁰· ¹¹; 5, 42¹¹; 10, 125⁶), which are strong and swift (7, 46¹). He is invoked with Kṛśānu (§ 48) and the archers (10, 64⁸); and seems to be intended when Indra is compared with the archer on the car-seat (6, 20⁹, cp. 2, 33¹¹). In the AV. he is also called an archer (1, 28¹; 6, 93¹; 15, 5¹⁻⁷). In that and other later Vedic texts his bow, arrow, weapon, bolt, or club are frequently referred to (AV. 1, 28⁵ &c.; ŚB. 9, 1, 1⁶).