I stumbled across this gem on the Tropes site, yet I couldn’t find any further references to learn more about it. Anyone?
(from Humongus Mecha page): “but special mention goes to Hindu mythology. One of the three tasks the gods set to protect their elixir, the Amrita, was a robot with rotary saws for hands.”
I suspect, and this is only speculation (I could be way off), that this is an eliptical reference to the Indian/Buddhist Protector Deity Vajrapani (In Japan he might be known as Agyo.) He wields a Vajra, which is variously depictedwith much symbolism, and could, through translation and transliteration be depicted and translated as a sawblade. The Vajra is a spirtitual weapon that can cut through anything yet not be damaged (Diamond) and is of deadly force (Lightning). In some depictions it appears as a mace, in others as a sun like disk. Could be some other God in the Hindu Pantheon as well, perhaps ganesha vajra?
“Their reply was that Garuda would have to bring them the elixir of immortality, also called amrita. It was a tall order. The amrita at that time found itself in the possession of the gods, who guarded it jealously, since it was the source of their immortality. They had ringed the elixir with a massive fire that covered the sky. They had blocked the way to the elixir with a fierce mechanical contraption of sharp rotating blades. And finally, they had stationed two gigantic poisonous snakes next to the elixir as deadly guardians.” (Wikipdia, cited to the Mahabharata)
OOOh! that’s cool. That seems to explain it.
“And only the penitant man shall pass.”- Indiana Jones
Something Cool: Deadly Razor Sharp Indian Throwing Weapon called the Chakram.