Bāṇa of the Thousand Arms

The dancer

Bāṇa was the eldest son of the generous king Bali, in the line of Prahlāda — and like his ancestors, a devotee of Śiva. He had a thousand arms, and once he danced the tāṇḍava before Śiva, beating out its rhythm on all thousand arms at once. Śiva, who loves his devotees, was delighted and looked on him with grace. Bāṇa could have asked for liberation; instead he asked only this: be the lord of my city, Śoṇitapura, and live here with your sons and your hosts, and protect me. And Śiva did.

A dream promised

Bāṇa had a daughter, Uṣā. One day, as Śiva sported with the gods by the river in Śoṇitapura, Uṣā watched him with Pārvatī and longed for a husband of her own. Pārvatī, who knows every heart, promised her: at midnight on the twelfth day of the bright half of Vaiśākha, the man who comes to you as you sleep will be your husband.

Too many arms

Meanwhile Bāṇa's pride had grown with his power. He came to Śiva and said: you gave me a thousand arms, and they have become a burden. There is no warrior left in the three worlds to match me. Give me a battle where these arms can be worn out. Śiva laughed and said: your wish will be granted. When the banner on your palace — a peacock with a human head — falls to the ground, know that your war has come. And your arms will fall like burnt wood.

Uṣā and Aniruddha

On the promised night Uṣā dreamt of a beautiful young man, and woke weeping because he was gone. Her friend Citralekhā, skilled in yoga and in painting, drew for her the faces of all the great princes of the world. When Uṣā saw the picture of Aniruddha, grandson of Kṛṣṇa, she cried: that is him. Citralekhā flew through the sky to Dvārakā and carried the sleeping Aniruddha back to Uṣā's rooms.

The guards found them together. Bāṇa, furious, attacked Aniruddha with his army and bound him in serpent-nooses. That day the peacock banner fell.

Śiva against Kṛṣṇa

When Nārada told Kṛṣṇa what had happened, Kṛṣṇa marched on Śoṇitapura with Balarāma, Pradyumna and the Yādava army. Śiva, bound by his word to protect Bāṇa's city, came out with his sons and hosts to meet them. What followed was one of the strangest battles in the Purāṇas: the two great gods facing each other on the field.

The Śiva Purāṇa is careful to say that it was all by Śiva's own will. At Śiva's own command, Kṛṣṇa released the jṛmbhaṇa weapon — the weapon of yawning — and Śiva, drowsy and yawning, withdrew, leaving Kṛṣṇa to face Bāṇa. Kṛṣṇa's discus, Sudarśana, cut away Bāṇa's arms one after another, until only four were left.

Kṛṣṇa raised the discus once more to cut off his head. Then Śiva stood between them. You have done what I asked, he said. Do not take his head — this discus, which I gave you, will never prevail against my devotee. Kṛṣṇa withdrew the Sudarśana. Aniruddha and Uṣā were married, and returned with Kṛṣṇa to Dvārakā.

The dance of repentance

Bāṇa sat alone, bleeding and ashamed. Nandī came to him and said: do not grieve. Whatever happened was Śiva's will. Go to him. Bāṇa went — without pride now — and wept, and praised Śiva, and began once more to dance the tāṇḍava, his blood falling on the ground as he danced, forgetting himself entirely.

Śiva was pleased and told him to ask for a boon. Bāṇa asked for his wounds to heal, for a place forever among Śiva's gaṇas, for his kingdom to pass to Uṣā's son, for enmity with Viṣṇu to end — and above all, for steady devotion and kindness to every living being. Śiva granted it all.