Mirror: http://tinyurl.com/pq62w8r
It appears that the orthographic shapes chosen during the Bronze Age to denote a metallic thunderbolt weapon use the wavy lines or streaks of lightning as a metaphor. Now that it is evident that iron forging is dated to the 3rd millennium BCE, the use of hardened or carbide ferrous metal weapons cannot be ruled out. The ancient word which denoted such a metallic weapon is vajra in Rigveda, specifically described as Ayasam vajram, metallic weapon or metallic thunderbolt.
I suggest that the association of the gloss vajra with lightning becomes a metaphor to further define vajrasangAta 'adamantine glue' which creates a steel metallic form with nanotubes or cementite.
The samAsa used by Varahamihira is vajrasanghAta, an adamantine glue. In archaeometallurgical terms, this is defined as a mixture consisting of eight parts of lead, two of bell-metal and one of iron dust.
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![Image result for vajra lightning ancient near east]()
Lightning as a metaphor for the nanotubes or cementite on crucible steel.
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The micrograph shows the microstructure for an Fe - 1.4 wt % C steel, the white regions being cementite. From: Callister, "Materials Science and Engineering," Wiley (1997).
It is possible that this phenomenon of lightning-likes streaks of white or cementite observed in crucible steel might have provided the model for creating hieroglyph of a wavy forms of three prongs in a weapon(trident) called vajra, mentioned as a weapon in the Rigveda
Reference to thunderbolt weapon made of metal:
त्वष्टा वज्रम् अतक्षद आयसम् मयि देवासो वृजन्नपि क्रतुम्
मामानीकम् सूर्यस्ये वादुष्टरम् माम् आर्यन्ति कृत्येन कर्त्वेनच
Translation. Griffith: 3 For me hath Tvastar forged the iron thunderbolt: in me the Gods have centred intellectual power.
Translation: Sayana, Wilson: 10.048.03 For me Tvas.t.a_ fabricated the metal thunderbolt; in me the gods have concentrated pious acts; my lustre is insurmountable, like that of the Sun; men acknowledge me as lord in consequence of what I have done, and of what I shall do. [My lustre is the Sun: my army is hard to overcome, like the sun's lustre; ani_ka = lit., face].
2 He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvastarfashioned. (RV 1.32.2).
6 Even for him hath Tvastar forged the thunder, most deftly wrought, celestial, for the battle,(RV 1.61.6)
9 When Tvastar deft of hand had turned the thunderbolt, golden, with thousand edges, fashioned(RV 1.85.9)
10 Yea, Strong One! Tvastar turned for thee, the Mighty, the bolt with thousand spikes and hundred(RV 6.17.10)
Tvastr the maker of divine instruments makes Vajra for Indra, notes Rigveda."Tvastr made it for him from the bones of the seer Dadhica: it is hundred-jointed, thousand-pointed. ...'' Samudramanthanam narrative in Bhagavata Purana.
![Indra Holding Thunderbolt Vajra]()
Indra Holding Thunderbolt Vajra – Keshava Temple, Somnathpur
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Indra with Vajra
Khmer style, NE-Thailand, That Phanom Rung Temple,
12th century, Buriram Province, Worship of Siva.
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It appears that the orthographic shapes chosen during the Bronze Age to denote a metallic thunderbolt weapon use the wavy lines or streaks of lightning as a metaphor. Now that it is evident that iron forging is dated to the 3rd millennium BCE, the use of hardened or carbide ferrous metal weapons cannot be ruled out. The ancient word which denoted such a metallic weapon is vajra in Rigveda, specifically described as Ayasam vajram, metallic weapon or metallic thunderbolt.
I suggest that the association of the gloss vajra with lightning becomes a metaphor to further define vajrasangAta 'adamantine glue' which creates a steel metallic form with nanotubes or cementite.
The samAsa used by Varahamihira is vajrasanghAta, an adamantine glue. In archaeometallurgical terms, this is defined as a mixture consisting of eight parts of lead, two of bell-metal and one of iron dust.
The micrograph shows the microstructure for an Fe - 1.4 wt % C steel, the white regions being cementite. From: Callister, "Materials Science and Engineering," Wiley (1997).It is possible that this phenomenon of lightning-likes streaks of white or cementite observed in crucible steel might have provided the model for creating hieroglyph of a wavy forms of three prongs in a weapon(trident) called vajra, mentioned as a weapon in the Rigveda
Reference to thunderbolt weapon made of metal:
त्वष्टा वज्रम् अतक्षद आयसम् मयि देवासो वृजन्नपि क्रतुम्
मामानीकम् सूर्यस्ये वादुष्टरम् माम् आर्यन्ति कृत्येन कर्त्वेनच
Translation. Griffith: 3 For me hath Tvastar forged the iron thunderbolt: in me the Gods have centred intellectual power.
Translation: Sayana, Wilson: 10.048.03 For me Tvas.t.a_ fabricated the metal thunderbolt; in me the gods have concentrated pious acts; my lustre is insurmountable, like that of the Sun; men acknowledge me as lord in consequence of what I have done, and of what I shall do. [My lustre is the Sun: my army is hard to overcome, like the sun's lustre; ani_ka = lit., face].
2 He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvastarfashioned. (RV 1.32.2).
6 Even for him hath Tvastar forged the thunder, most deftly wrought, celestial, for the battle,(RV 1.61.6)
9 When Tvastar deft of hand had turned the thunderbolt, golden, with thousand edges, fashioned(RV 1.85.9)
10 Yea, Strong One! Tvastar turned for thee, the Mighty, the bolt with thousand spikes and hundred(RV 6.17.10)
Tvastr the maker of divine instruments makes Vajra for Indra, notes Rigveda."Tvastr made it for him from the bones of the seer Dadhica: it is hundred-jointed, thousand-pointed. ...'' Samudramanthanam narrative in Bhagavata Purana.
Indra Holding Thunderbolt Vajra – Keshava Temple, Somnathpur
Indra with VajraKhmer style, NE-Thailand, That Phanom Rung Temple,
12th century, Buriram Province, Worship of Siva.
Bas-relief of Phnom Kulen in Cambodia, IX century.Indra holds double-vajra, seated on a column.
Panchalas of Ahichhatra, 75-50 BC, Indramitra, 5.92g, 17mm, Indra holding 'Vajra' (Thunderbolt) http://www.coinnetwork.com/profiles/blogs/hindu-deities-of-indian-coins
Indra on Airavata elephant, holding vajra.Sculpture from Orissa.![]()
Indra on Airavata, Consort Shachi. Keshava Temple, Somnathpur.
Vajradhara (Adi-Buddha) is he thunderbolt-bearer. rdo-rje-hc'an 'he who holds a thunderbolt'; ocirdara (corruption of vajradhara), or Vacir bariqci (he who holds a thunderbolt); Symbols: vajra 'thunderbolt'; ghaNTa 'bell'; MudrA: vajra-hUmkAra. Colour: dark blue; S'akti: PrajnApaaramita; Other names: Karmavajra, dharmavajra. Vajradhara, the 'indestructible', lord of all mysteries, master of all secrets, is an exoteric representation of Adi-Buddha and in this form is believed to reign over the Eastern Quarter...Certain Lamaist sects identified Vajradhara with Vajrasattva, while others looked upon Vajrasattva as an active form of Vajradhara, who was too lost in divine quietude to occupy himself directly with the affairs of sentient beings. Others again worshipped Vajradhara as a supreme deity distinct and apart from Vajrasattva...Vajradhara was thus looked upon as Adi-Buddha by the two greatest sects of the MahAyAna schoo; the dKar-hGya-pa (Red-caps) and the dGe-lugs-pa (Yellow-caps)...He has the UrNA and ushNIsha. His arms are crossed on his breast in the vajrahUmkAra mudrA holding the vajra and ghaNTA. These two symbols may, however, be supported by flowering branches on either side, the stems being held in the crossed hands, which is his special mystical gesture." (Getty, Alice, 1988, The gods of Northern Buddhism: their history and iconography, Courier Corporation;1914, Oxford, Clarendon Press, p.ix).
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Vajrasatva with vajra
Khmer style, NE-Thailand
13th century,
Vajrayana, Tantric Buddhism,
Phimai Museum, Thailand.![]()
The vajra is the most important ritual implement, symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism
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Vajra pestles, vajra bell and vajra's tray: 五鈷杵 gokosho, 独鈷杵 tokkosho, 金剛盤 kongōban, 三鈷杵 sankosho and 五鈷鈴 gokorei.
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Open vajra.
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Yamantaka, Fear-Striking Vajra, Lord of Death (Tibetan: Gshin-rje-gshed), multiheaded, holding vajra, rope, dagger, riding a water buffalo, statue of a guardian, enormous strength, Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism, Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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"The Assyro-Chaldean gods were represented holding a trident (v. trizUla) with the points zig-zag shaped, representin lightning. In Mesopotamia the golds hold a double trident, which is also found in the caves of Ellora, as well as other parts of India, in the hand of Siva. The Northern Buddhists believe that Buddha wrested the vajra (double trident) from the Hindu god Indra, and adopted it as a Buddhist symbol with the slight change of closing the points of the darts. The Indian vajra with three darts is flat and the points do not touch. The Tibetan 'thunderbolt' with four darts is round, and as the points are closed the two ends resemble lotus-buds in form. A fifth dart runs through the centre of the vajra, from end to end, making five darts, which represent the five bodies of the DhyAni-Buddhas. In Japan the vaja (kongO0, called doko (or tokko) has only one dart, which is four-sided. There is also a three-darted vajra, the san-kO, which resembles the Indian form in that it is flat and that the points are not closed. The five-darted kongO, the go-kO, differs from the Tibetan vajra in that all the five darts are outside. It is looked upon as representing the five elements as well as the five bodies of the celestial Buddhas. If the vajra has seven darts around an eighth, it is called kyukokyo...Padmasambhava introduced the vajra into Tibet, and through his influence it became most popular. The priests adopted its use to exorcise devils, and it was also introduced into the ceremonies for worshipping AmitAyus. In the esoteric doctrine the vajra is the mystic symbol of the linga, and the expression, 'in vajra attitude', is the attitude of yab-yum. The vajra is the special symbol of Akshobhya and of VajrapANi. Vajradhara holds it in his right hand and the vajra-handled bell in his left hand, as does also Trailokyavijaya, KongOsatta, and Aizen-myO-O; Vajrasattva holds it balanced on his right hand, while the left hand holds the vajra-handled bell on his hip. The vajra is carried as an accessory symbol by all the Yidam, but not by the DharmapAla...The Vajra-dhAtu, is the 'diamond' element. Vajra is here translated 'diamond' rather than 'thunderbolt', and represents the Spiritual world, or complete Enlightenment -- the esoteric teachings of the Dharma-kAya as against the exoteric teachings of the NirmANa-kAya. It is the sixth element, the manas (mind), and is symbolized by the triangle with the point below (v. tri-koNa), as well as by the full moon. It is located in the West, and is symbolized by the setting of the sun." (Getty, Alice, 1988, The gods of Northern Buddhism: their history and iconography, Courier Corporation, p.200)
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''Marduk destroying Tiâmat, who is here represented in the form of a huge serpent.'' From a seal-cylinder in the British Museum,
no. 89,589.
![]()
''Battle between Marduk (Bel) and the Dragon[Tiamat]. Drawn from a bas-relief from the Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal, King of Assyria, 885-860 B.C.E, at Nimrûd.''![]()
Eagle on thunderbolt with oak-leaf. Ptolomy III, 246 - 221 BC
Egypt, Eurgetes, Alexandria.
Opposite site: Zeus-Ammon.
Source: Wildwinds.com
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Syracyse, 288 B.C.E![]()
Zeus and thunderboltSicily, Syracuse, 357-354 B.C.E
''Vajra
The Vajra, thunderbolt, which Usana Kavya is said to have fashioned, as also Tvastri in RV 1 .32.2, was Indra's exclusive weapon and on account of his skill in wielding it, he is called in RV Vajrabhrit, bearing the bolt, Vajrivat, armed with the bolt. Vajradaksina, holding the bolt in his right hand, Vajrabahu orVajrahasta, holding the Vajra in his hand, or Vajrin, armed with the bolt, which is the commoner epithet of them all. Not much information about the shape of Vajra is available in the RV. However, it is said that it was made of iron, and that it belonged to the category of the weapons called the astras i.e. those weapons which are operated by throwing.
In RV V.34.2 cited earlier where Uiani is said to have presented a weapon with thousand bhristis to Indra. Geldner has translated bhristis as spike. The meaning of the word, however, is doubtful. It also occurs in RV 1.133.5 in the context of the picaci who is described as pisangabhristi. Geldner thinks that the weapon is Soma.
JB 1.97 narrates the story of the birth of Vajra: The devas and the asuras were contesting. Those devas created a sharp-edged thunderbolt (which was) as if a man. (They through) him (? tam) warded off the asuras. Having pushed them away, he returned to the devas. The devas were frightened. They attacked him, and broke him into three. Broken into three, he remained the same ...
It seems likely that the vajra was similar to trisula. A double trisula is found on some of the Assyrian bas-reliefs [see picture below: 4.0 Thunderbolts (vajras) in Mesopotamia], where it is depicted as having the three edges on each side with the handle in between.
Before acquiring the thunderbolt, the devas and the asuras were fighting with the staves and bows (dandairdhanubhisca) and did not succeed in defeating each other. Thereupon they started pairing the masculine and feminine words with a view to ending the battle conclusively.
AiBr. II.31 states in the ritual language the reason of the balance in the strength of the devas and the asuras: "The Asuras performed at the sacrifice all that the Devas performed. The Asuras became thus of equal power (with the Devas) and did not yield to them (in any respect). Thereupon the Devas saw (by their mental eyes) the tusnim samsa i.e. silent praise. The Asuras (not knowing it) did not perform this (ceremony) of the Devas. This "silent praise" is the silent (latent) essence (of the mantras). Whatever weapon (Vajra) the Devas raised against the Asuras, the latter got aware of them . The Devas then saw the silent praise as their weapon; they raised it, but the Asuras did not become aware of it. The Devas aimed it at the Asuras and defeated the latter who did not perceive (the weapon aimed at them). Thereupon the Devas became the masters of the Asuras...""
This may simply be interpreted as suggesting that the asuras were alert every time they were attacked, but when taken unawares, they succumbed to the attack.
The discussion of archaeological material shows that this original double trisula was transformed by the asuras into a weapon which could perform two kinds of functions. It could be thrown and could be held as well.''
Source: Shendge, Malati J.: The civilized Demons: The Harappans in the Rigveda. Pgs. 79-80.
वज्र[p= 913,1] a kind of hard mortar or cement (कल्क) VarBr2S. (cf. -लेप) mn. " the hard or mighty one " , a thunderbolt (esp. that of इन्द्र , said to have been formed out of the bones of the ऋषि दधीच or दधीचि [q.v.] , and shaped like a circular discus , or in later times regarded as having the form of two transverse bolts crossing each other thus x ; sometimes also applied to similar weapons used by various gods or superhuman beings , or to any mythical weapon destructive of spells or charms , also to मन्यु , " wrath " RV. or [with अपाम्] to a jet of water AV. &c ; also applied to a thunderbolt in general or to the lightning evolved from the centrifugal energy of the circular thunderbolt of इन्द्र when launched at a foe ; in Northern Buddhist countries it is shaped like a dumb-bell and called Dorje ; » MWB. 201 ; 322 &c ) RV. &c a diamond (thought to be as hard as the thunderbolt or of the same substance with it) , Shad2vBr. Mn. MBh. &c n. a kind of hard iron or steel L. mfn. adamantine , hard , impenetrable W. mfn. shaped like a kind of cross (cf. above ) , forked , zigzag ib. [cf. Zd. vazra , " a club. "](Monier-Williams)
Note: In Rigveda, vajra refers to something hard or mighty compared to a thunderbolt or a jet of water. At what stage of semantic evolution, the gloss was expanded to mean 'adamaentine, glue' is unclear. This is the stage when the artisans might have recognized the feature of cementite, as a nanotube which forms when carbon combines with iron. It is clear that in VarAhamira's time, the gloss vajra meant an adamantine glue: sanghAta. It is possible that this gloss was signified by the sangaDa 'lathe' which is a device most commonly deployed on Indus Script Corpora. Kalyan
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
June 15, 2015
![Vientine, Laos]()
Indra in Vientaine, Laos
http://swamiindology.blogspot.in/2014/09/why-did-sumer-and-egypt-worship-indra.html
Indra on Airavata, Consort Shachi. Keshava Temple, Somnathpur. Vajradhara (Adi-Buddha) is he thunderbolt-bearer. rdo-rje-hc'an 'he who holds a thunderbolt'; ocirdara (corruption of vajradhara), or Vacir bariqci (he who holds a thunderbolt); Symbols: vajra 'thunderbolt'; ghaNTa 'bell'; MudrA: vajra-hUmkAra. Colour: dark blue; S'akti: PrajnApaaramita; Other names: Karmavajra, dharmavajra. Vajradhara, the 'indestructible', lord of all mysteries, master of all secrets, is an exoteric representation of Adi-Buddha and in this form is believed to reign over the Eastern Quarter...Certain Lamaist sects identified Vajradhara with Vajrasattva, while others looked upon Vajrasattva as an active form of Vajradhara, who was too lost in divine quietude to occupy himself directly with the affairs of sentient beings. Others again worshipped Vajradhara as a supreme deity distinct and apart from Vajrasattva...Vajradhara was thus looked upon as Adi-Buddha by the two greatest sects of the MahAyAna schoo; the dKar-hGya-pa (Red-caps) and the dGe-lugs-pa (Yellow-caps)...He has the UrNA and ushNIsha. His arms are crossed on his breast in the vajrahUmkAra mudrA holding the vajra and ghaNTA. These two symbols may, however, be supported by flowering branches on either side, the stems being held in the crossed hands, which is his special mystical gesture." (Getty, Alice, 1988, The gods of Northern Buddhism: their history and iconography, Courier Corporation;1914, Oxford, Clarendon Press, p.ix).
Vajrasatva with vajraKhmer style, NE-Thailand
13th century,
Vajrayana, Tantric Buddhism,
Phimai Museum, Thailand.
The vajra is the most important ritual implement, symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism
Vajra pestles, vajra bell and vajra's tray: 五鈷杵 gokosho, 独鈷杵 tokkosho, 金剛盤 kongōban, 三鈷杵 sankosho and 五鈷鈴 gokorei.
Vajrasattva holds the vajra in his right hand and a bell in his left hand.
"The Assyro-Chaldean gods were represented holding a trident (v. trizUla) with the points zig-zag shaped, representin lightning. In Mesopotamia the golds hold a double trident, which is also found in the caves of Ellora, as well as other parts of India, in the hand of Siva. The Northern Buddhists believe that Buddha wrested the vajra (double trident) from the Hindu god Indra, and adopted it as a Buddhist symbol with the slight change of closing the points of the darts. The Indian vajra with three darts is flat and the points do not touch. The Tibetan 'thunderbolt' with four darts is round, and as the points are closed the two ends resemble lotus-buds in form. A fifth dart runs through the centre of the vajra, from end to end, making five darts, which represent the five bodies of the DhyAni-Buddhas. In Japan the vaja (kongO0, called doko (or tokko) has only one dart, which is four-sided. There is also a three-darted vajra, the san-kO, which resembles the Indian form in that it is flat and that the points are not closed. The five-darted kongO, the go-kO, differs from the Tibetan vajra in that all the five darts are outside. It is looked upon as representing the five elements as well as the five bodies of the celestial Buddhas. If the vajra has seven darts around an eighth, it is called kyukokyo...Padmasambhava introduced the vajra into Tibet, and through his influence it became most popular. The priests adopted its use to exorcise devils, and it was also introduced into the ceremonies for worshipping AmitAyus. In the esoteric doctrine the vajra is the mystic symbol of the linga, and the expression, 'in vajra attitude', is the attitude of yab-yum. The vajra is the special symbol of Akshobhya and of VajrapANi. Vajradhara holds it in his right hand and the vajra-handled bell in his left hand, as does also Trailokyavijaya, KongOsatta, and Aizen-myO-O; Vajrasattva holds it balanced on his right hand, while the left hand holds the vajra-handled bell on his hip. The vajra is carried as an accessory symbol by all the Yidam, but not by the DharmapAla...The Vajra-dhAtu, is the 'diamond' element. Vajra is here translated 'diamond' rather than 'thunderbolt', and represents the Spiritual world, or complete Enlightenment -- the esoteric teachings of the Dharma-kAya as against the exoteric teachings of the NirmANa-kAya. It is the sixth element, the manas (mind), and is symbolized by the triangle with the point below (v. tri-koNa), as well as by the full moon. It is located in the West, and is symbolized by the setting of the sun." (Getty, Alice, 1988, The gods of Northern Buddhism: their history and iconography, Courier Corporation, p.200)
Thunderbolts (vajras) in Mesopotamia
The oldest thunderbolt reference is found in The Seven Tablets of Creation made of are baked clay and found among some 22.000 other tablets in the ruins of the palace and library of Ashur-bani-pal (B.C. E 668-626) at Ḳuyûnjiḳ (Nineveh)'' in modern day Iraq (location: N36.366 E43.166).
''Marduk destroying Tiâmat, who is here represented in the form of a huge serpent.'' no. 89,589.
''Battle between Marduk (Bel) and the Dragon[Tiamat]. Drawn from a bas-relief from the Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal, King of Assyria, 885-860 B.C.E, at Nimrûd.''British Museum. Nimrud Gallery, Nos. 28 and 29.
"The form of the vajra as a sceptre or a weapon appears to have its origin in the single or double trident, which arose as a symbol of the thunderbolt or lightning in many ancient civilizations of the Near and Middle East. Parallels are postulated with the meteoric hammer of the Teutonic sky-god Thor, the thunderbolt and sceptre of the Greek sky-god Zeus, and the three thunderbolts of the Roman god Jupiter. As a hurled weapon the indestructible thunderbolt blazed like a meteoric fireball across the heavens, in a maelstrom of thunder, fire and lightning." Source: http://www.sundial.thai-isan-lao.com/sundial_vajra_literature.html
"The vajra is the Indian representative of the thunderbolt, and a comparison of corresponding ideas with other Indo-European peoples leads to the conclusion that even in the Indo-European period there was some idea of a vaguely personified independent wielder of the thunderbolt. With the Germanic tribes he became the "Thunderer," the porr of Old Norse mythology, in Hellas and Rome he was associated with Zeus-Jupiter, and in India he became Indra. But a vague recollection of his original independence had left its impression on the religious mind of the Aryans, and he was never quite absorbed by Indra. Even in the Rigveda, our chief document for the period when Indra, rose to the rank of supreme god, we also find Rudra designated as vajrabahu (II, 33. 3); in the Atharvaveda Bhava and Sarva are asked to use their Vajra against evil-doers (IV.28.6), and Soma smites with the vajra (VI. 6. 2), &c.; in the Bhagavatapurana (X. 159. 20) Visnu wields the thunderbolt, and so forth." pp. 316-317 in Note on Vajrapani-Indra, Sten Konow, Acta Orientalia, 1930.
Eagle on thunderbolt with oak-leaf. Egypt, Eurgetes, Alexandria.
Opposite site: Zeus-Ammon.
Source: Wildwinds.com
Syracyse, 288 B.C.E
Zeus and thunderbolt''Vajra
The Vajra, thunderbolt, which Usana Kavya is said to have fashioned, as also Tvastri in RV 1 .32.2, was Indra's exclusive weapon and on account of his skill in wielding it, he is called in RV Vajrabhrit, bearing the bolt, Vajrivat, armed with the bolt. Vajradaksina, holding the bolt in his right hand, Vajrabahu orVajrahasta, holding the Vajra in his hand, or Vajrin, armed with the bolt, which is the commoner epithet of them all. Not much information about the shape of Vajra is available in the RV. However, it is said that it was made of iron, and that it belonged to the category of the weapons called the astras i.e. those weapons which are operated by throwing.
In RV V.34.2 cited earlier where Uiani is said to have presented a weapon with thousand bhristis to Indra. Geldner has translated bhristis as spike. The meaning of the word, however, is doubtful. It also occurs in RV 1.133.5 in the context of the picaci who is described as pisangabhristi. Geldner thinks that the weapon is Soma.
JB 1.97 narrates the story of the birth of Vajra: The devas and the asuras were contesting. Those devas created a sharp-edged thunderbolt (which was) as if a man. (They through) him (? tam) warded off the asuras. Having pushed them away, he returned to the devas. The devas were frightened. They attacked him, and broke him into three. Broken into three, he remained the same ...
It seems likely that the vajra was similar to trisula. A double trisula is found on some of the Assyrian bas-reliefs [see picture below: 4.0 Thunderbolts (vajras) in Mesopotamia], where it is depicted as having the three edges on each side with the handle in between.
Before acquiring the thunderbolt, the devas and the asuras were fighting with the staves and bows (dandairdhanubhisca) and did not succeed in defeating each other. Thereupon they started pairing the masculine and feminine words with a view to ending the battle conclusively.
AiBr. II.31 states in the ritual language the reason of the balance in the strength of the devas and the asuras: "The Asuras performed at the sacrifice all that the Devas performed. The Asuras became thus of equal power (with the Devas) and did not yield to them (in any respect). Thereupon the Devas saw (by their mental eyes) the tusnim samsa i.e. silent praise. The Asuras (not knowing it) did not perform this (ceremony) of the Devas. This "silent praise" is the silent (latent) essence (of the mantras). Whatever weapon (Vajra) the Devas raised against the Asuras, the latter got aware of them . The Devas then saw the silent praise as their weapon; they raised it, but the Asuras did not become aware of it. The Devas aimed it at the Asuras and defeated the latter who did not perceive (the weapon aimed at them). Thereupon the Devas became the masters of the Asuras...""
This may simply be interpreted as suggesting that the asuras were alert every time they were attacked, but when taken unawares, they succumbed to the attack.
The discussion of archaeological material shows that this original double trisula was transformed by the asuras into a weapon which could perform two kinds of functions. It could be thrown and could be held as well.''
Source: Shendge, Malati J.: The civilized Demons: The Harappans in the Rigveda. Pgs. 79-80.
वज्र[p= 913,1] a kind of hard mortar or cement (कल्क) VarBr2S. (cf. -लेप) mn. " the hard or mighty one " , a thunderbolt (esp. that of इन्द्र , said to have been formed out of the bones of the ऋषि दधीच or दधीचि [q.v.] , and shaped like a circular discus , or in later times regarded as having the form of two transverse bolts crossing each other thus x ; sometimes also applied to similar weapons used by various gods or superhuman beings , or to any mythical weapon destructive of spells or charms , also to मन्यु , " wrath " RV. or [with अपाम्] to a jet of water AV. &c ; also applied to a thunderbolt in general or to the lightning evolved from the centrifugal energy of the circular thunderbolt of इन्द्र when launched at a foe ; in Northern Buddhist countries it is shaped like a dumb-bell and called Dorje ; » MWB. 201 ; 322 &c ) RV. &c a diamond (thought to be as hard as the thunderbolt or of the same substance with it) , Shad2vBr. Mn. MBh. &c n. a kind of hard iron or steel L. mfn. adamantine , hard , impenetrable W. mfn. shaped like a kind of cross (cf. above ) , forked , zigzag ib. [cf. Zd. vazra , " a club. "](Monier-Williams)
Note: In Rigveda, vajra refers to something hard or mighty compared to a thunderbolt or a jet of water. At what stage of semantic evolution, the gloss was expanded to mean 'adamaentine, glue' is unclear. This is the stage when the artisans might have recognized the feature of cementite, as a nanotube which forms when carbon combines with iron. It is clear that in VarAhamira's time, the gloss vajra meant an adamantine glue: sanghAta. It is possible that this gloss was signified by the sangaDa 'lathe' which is a device most commonly deployed on Indus Script Corpora. Kalyan
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
June 15, 2015
Indra in Vientaine, Laos
http://swamiindology.blogspot.in/2014/09/why-did-sumer-and-egypt-worship-indra.html