The Mythology of ‘Pinaki’

–sourced from internet

Being very kind to his devotees, Lord Shiva holds a bow in his hands in order to protect all creatures. That bow is named as Pinaka. Shiva is called Pinaki, as he is holding Pinaka bow.

This Pinaka has a very strange story. Once sage Kanva-Muni was performing severe austerities in dense forest. While performing austerities, he was fixed deep in transcendence and thus he never knew that his body is turned into a mound, being eaten by termites. A beautiful bamboo had also grown upon that mound. Lord Brahma appeared there at the time of completion of penances. With the power of his infallible water Brahma ji made Kanva’s body as bright as gold. He also bestowed many benedictions upon him and while going back, he thought that it can not be an ordinary bamboo which is grown at the Kanva’s head. It must be well utilized. He clipped the bamboo and gave it to Vishwakarma and Vishwakarma made three bows out of it named Pinaka, Sharnga and Gandeeva. Brahma ji offered these bows to Lord Shankar. Being pleased with the austerities of Vishnu, Lord Shankar gave him the Sharnga bow. Gandeeva was given to Arjuna, as Supreme Lord Shiva was highly satisfied by his austerities and penances guided by Krishna. But Pinaka was kept by Shiva for self. The literary meaning of ‘Pi’ पि is Pihit पिहित that means ‘to cover’ and ‘Naka’ नाक means heaven. This bow is called as Pinaka because it covered the heaven by it’s influence. This Pinaka bow is shaped like a serpent with seven hoods. Lord Shankar holds it in his hands for the benefit of the world. Bhaskar Roy also supports the same purport—

नाकोऽपि येन पिहितो मुनिकण्वमूर्ध वल्मीकवेणुजधनुस्त्रितयाग्रजन्मा।
यः सप्तशीर्षफणिरूप उदारकर्मा चापस्तमावहसि नाथ! ततः पिनाकी॥

The holy sound of Omkar is accepted as a bow in spiritual practices, by which Lord Pinaki is captured eternally.