Most deities in Hindu mythology possess a weapon or more than one weapon that enables them to tide over a particularly conflicting or tough situation. The users of these weapons are said to have an indepth knowledge about the use and misuse of the astra weapon. Apart from their usage in the epic Ramayana and Mahabharata, they are talked about in the Puranas and Vedas as well. Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the variety of astra possessed by various deities, their USPs and the conditions that existed involving their usage. He also talks in depth about some very wellknown astra like the Sudarshan Chakra, the Brahmastra, Indras Vajra et al.
