Вишнудың Каумодаки жебесі

Mace of the Hindu god Vishnu

Kaumodaki is the gadā (mace) of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Vishnu is often depicted holding the Kaumodaki in one of his four hands; his other attributes are the chakra, the conch and the lotus. The gada is also found in the iconography of some of Vishnu's avatars. The name, 'Kaumodak' first appears in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, where it is associated with Vishnu's avatar, Krishna. The gada is depicted in images of Vishnu since While initially unadorned, the size and shape of Kaumodaki vary in depictions. More elaborate design features like flutes and segments were added in depictions of Vishnu's gada. 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. In depictions that use this version, Vishnu rests one of his hands on her head, while she herself holds the gada, is seen emerging from it or has the gada carved on her head/crown. The gada, regarded as one of the oldest and strongest weapons, is a symbol of Vishnu's shakti. Various texts discuss the symbolism of Kaumodaki in Vishnu's iconography.

The etymology of, 'Kaumodaki' is unclear. According to a popular etymology, Kaumodaki derives its name from the Sanskrit word kumuda, the blue water lily or the blue lotus (Nymphaea nouchali).

Vishnu is usually depicted as four armed with the four attributes in his hands: the Panchajanya, the Sudarshana Chakra, the Padma and the Kaumodaki. Generally, the gada is held in the lower (natural) left hand of Vishnu in contemporary images. The gada sometimes also appears in the depictions of Vishnu's avatars Matsya, Kurma, Varaha and Narasimha. The gada appears as an attribute in the oldest known sculpture of Vishnu (from Malhar, Chhattisgarh), dated to c. 200 BCE. 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. It is depicted similar to a long pestle (musala). A similar image found in Jhusi as well as early images from Western India depict Vishnu resting his upper right hand on the mace or holding the mace in this hand. The gada started being depicted in other arms. Twenty four configurations of Vishnu images are noted, where the order of the four attributes is changed. While the hand holding the gada changed, the design of the weapon transformed too. 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. In Uttar Pradesh, the handle is tapered and expands at the top; sphere on the top also depicted with flutes. The Chalukyan gada is thick and "barrel" shaped, while the Pallava gada is depicted thick throughout. The Cholas carve Kaumodaki thinner, but is ridged and segmented. The personified weapons known as Ayudhapurusha emerge in Gupta era (320–550 CE) sculptures. The personified Kaumodaki is also known as Gada Devi (the suffix devi means goddess) or Gada nari ("gada woman"). Since the Sanskrit word gada is feminine, gada is regarded as a woman. A Gupta Vishnu in Udayagiri Caves depicts Vishnu accompanied by Gadadevi and the personified chakra. The motif of Kaumodaki holding the gada is mostly found in Uttar Pradesh and Bengal art.