It was a matter of awe and surprise as we watched the characters in Mahabharat and Ramayana use endless arrows from their quiver or summon deadly weapons by word of mouth. Rama, Arjuna, Ravana had special Astra or weapon given to them by the God they managed to please.
Here is a list of weapon which can be related to the most powerful Hindu god weapons often being compared to the nuclear weapons of our times.
1. Brahmastra
As the name suggests it was creator by the Creator himself. Brahma. it was considered as a very destructive weapon. It is said that when the Brahmastra was discharged, there was neither a counterattack nor a defense that could stop it, except by another Brahmastra, It is believed by Hindus that Brahmastra was created by him for the purpose of upholding Dharma and Satya, to be used by anyone who wished to destroy an enemy who would also happen to be a part of his (Brahma’s) creation.
2. Pashupatastra
Most destructive personal weapon of Shiva and Kali, When released, the weapon summons several monsters and a huge spirit which personify the weapon. Sometimes it can cause a catastrophic explosion similar to a hydrogen bomb. Each time the weapon is summoned, its head is never the same This weapon had to be obtained from Shiva directly. Infallible though can be nullified only by any other Astra of Lord Shiva or by an Astra of Lord Vishnu.In the Mahabharata, Arjuna obtained this weapon from Lord Shiva but did not use it because this weapon would destroy the entire world if used against a mortal enemy.
3. Narayanastra
It created showers of arrows and discs. The Astra’s power would increase the resistance offered to it. This weapon had to be obtained from Vishnu directly and could be used only once. If the user were to attempt invoking it a second time, it would rebound on him, and possibly, his troops.Ashwathama, a Kuru warrior-hero in the epic Mahabharata unleashes this weapon on the Pandava forces. Lord Krishna, who is an Avatar of Vishnu tells the Pandavas and their warriors to drop their weapons and lie down on the ground so that they all surrender completely to the power of the weapon.
Effects:
The Astras completely destroyed the target.The environment would be severely damaged- lands became barren, a decrease in rainfall leading to drought, and cracks in the land. Both men and women became infertile.
It is said that Oppenheimer, the father of the first atomic bomb in modern history, was interviewed by a student about how he felt after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedy, told in a shameful way that, “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. In both cases, he was referring to ancient Indian texts.