Devalok
From the epics · 2 tellings · Pan-India, West India

The bows in the shami tree

The Pandavas hide their weapons in a shami tree near a burial ground before their year in disguise, with a corpse hung beside them. At the year's end Arjuna, as Brihannala, sends the frightened prince Uttara up the tree for the Gandiva and drives off the Kauravas. The tree is worshipped on Vijayadashami for it.

Who is in it

Places: Matsya · Texts: Mahabharata

The story, beat by beat

  1. Yudhishthira fears the Gandiva will give them away; Arjuna chooses a shami near the burial ground.
  2. Nakula ties the unstrung weapons in the branches; a corpse is hung there as 'our mother'.
  3. At the year's end the Kauravas raid Virata's herds; Uttara goes out with Brihannala as charioteer and runs.
  4. Arjuna catches him by the hair and makes him drive to the shami; Uttara climbs and finds the Gandiva.
  5. Arjuna tells his ten names, Vijaya among them, routs the Kauravas, and returns the weapons to the tree.
  6. On Dasara the shami is worshipped at the town's edge with the shami verse, and its leaves given as gold.

disguise courage victory festival

How it is told, place by place

Base telling · Primary text (translation)

Mahabharata, Virata Parva 5, 38-44, 66

Pan-India All traditions 🪔 Dussehra

The Pandavas cannot carry their weapons into Virata's city; Arjuna picks a great shami near a burial ground on a hard hill. Nakula ties the unstrung bows, swords and quivers in its branches; they hang a corpse and tell shepherds it is their mother of a hundred and eighty years. At the year's end, the Kauravas raid the herds; Uttara rides out with Brihannala, panics at the sight of Bhishma, Drona, Karna and Duryodhana, and runs; Arjuna catches him and makes him drive to the tree. 'There are only bows in this tree, not corpses.' Uttara brings down the Gandiva; Arjuna gives his ten names, wins, and puts the weapons back.

The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66 § 4.5; The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66 § 4.38; The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66 § 4.41; The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66 § 4.44; The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66 § 4.66

Popular retelling

The shami puja of Vijayadashami

West India · mr All traditions 🪔 Dussehra

The Pandavas ask the shami to keep their weapons for a year; on the tenth of the bright half of Ashvin Arjuna worships the tree and the Goddess, takes down his bow and wins. Rama is said to have worshipped a shami before Lanka. So on Vijayadashami people circle the shami at the town's edge, recite 'Shami shamayate papam...' and a second verse for journeys free of obstacles, and take or give its leaves; in Karnataka the banni leaves are called gold, and the Mysore procession ends at Bannimantap.

What is different here:

Dates the recovery to Vijayadashami and adds the worship of the tree; drops the corpse, Uttara and the battle.

Shami Shamayate Papam, the shami puja verse of Vijayadashami (Shlokam; Balagokulam, HSS; Hindu Janajagruti Samiti); Mysore Dasara, Wikipedia; Vijayadashami, Wikipedia

Sources: The Mahabharata, tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883-96), Book 4, Virata Parva, sections 5, 38, 41, 42, 44 and 66; Shami Shamayate Papam, the shami puja verse of Vijayadashami (Shlokam; Balagokulam, HSS; Hindu Janajagruti Samiti); Mysore Dasara, Wikipedia; Vijayadashami, Wikipedia

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