What are ayudhas in the puranic traditions?

Weapons or auspicious objects the deities hold in their hands.

The correct answer is Option 2 - Weapons or auspicious objects the deities hold in their hands.

Ayudhas are weapons or auspicious objects the deities hold in their hands.

In the case of Vaishnavism, cults developed around the various avatars or incarnations of the deity. Ten avatars were recognised within the tradition. These were forms that the deity was believed to have assumed in order to save the world whenever it was threatened by disorder and destruction because of the dominance of evil forces. It is likely that different avatars were popular in different parts of the country. Recognising each of these local deities as a form of Vishnu was one way of creating a more unified religious tradition. Some of these forms were represented in sculptures, as were other deities. Shiva, for instance, was symbolised by the linga, although he was occasionally represented in human form too. All such representations depicted a complex set of ideas about the deities and their attributes through symbols such as headdresses, ornaments and ayudhas – weapons or auspicious objects the deities hold in their hands – how they are seated, etc.