Kaumodaki
Though the weapon may be depicted as an inanimate gada, Kaumodaki sometimes appears personified as a woman known as Gadadevi or Gadanari in sculptures of Vishnu.
[6] Generally, the gada is held in the lower (natural) left hand of Vishnu in contemporary images.
[3] One of the earliest images of Vishnu date to the Kushan period (30–375 CE) found around Mathura, the gada does not appear in a stylised design as in later depictions, but the mace is a simple "round top-heavy rod" held in his upper (back) right hand and lifted above the shoulders.
[7] In another Kushan sculpture, the gada is depicted as a long rod which is almost the height of Vishnu and is held in his upper right hand.
In late medieval art, especially Pala (8th–12th century CE), the size of the handle of the gada is reduced to a flute, while the top takes a highly decorated round form.
[13] Gadadevi may be depicted as a dwarf or as a normal human as in the Sheshashayi Vishnu panel of the Gupta Deogarh temple.
Vishnu's attributes originate from his avatars, Rama and Krishna, the heroes of the ancient Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata (existing in the 5th to 4th century BCE) respectively.
[5] According to the Vishnudharmottara Purana, Kaumodaki represents Vishnu's wife Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty.
[3][5] Another interpretation suggests that the Kaumodaki symbolizes the life-force (prana) from which all "physical and mental powers" arise.
He asked the Pandava Arjuna and his friend Krishna to aid him, as he feared the king of the gods and protector of the forest, Indra, will interfere.
Krishna was given the Sudarshana Chakra and Kaumodaki gada, while Arjuna got the bow Gandiva and various divine arrows.
The duo defeat Indra and Agni burns down the forest, pacing way for the establishment of the Pandava capital Indraprastha.
[22] The Mahabharata also records at the time of the chakra-musala war, Krishna's Kaumodaki along with other weapons appear in human form from the heavens to watch the battle.
[23] The Harivamsa, an appendix to the Mahabharata describes four of Vishnu's weapons fall from the heavens to aid Krishna and his brother Balarama in his battle against Jarasandha.
Balarama uses the plough and the club called Saunanda; while Krishna battles with Kaumodaki and the bow Sharanga.
[24] The Duta-Vakya ("envoy's message") of the Sanskrit playwright Bhasa (c. 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE) describes an episode from the Mahabharata when Krishna depicts his Vishvarupa (all pervading "Universal form") in the Hastinapura court and summons his weapons, who appear as humans, including the Kaumodaki.
