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DHANURVEDA(AVedarelatingtotheArt/ScienceofArchery)B.Chakravarti,ATARN,2001DHANURVEDA
from the BRHAT SARNGADHARA PADDHATI, a 15thCentury treatease in
Sanskrit on 'The Science of the Horn Bow' bySarngadhara. Translated
from the Sanskrit edition by Peter Peterson,Bombay,1888.This
translation was commissioned by ATARN from Dr. B. Chakravarti,M.A.,
Ph. D. Member of the Asiatic Society (Executive Council),
Kolkata,(20002001), CharterMember, Smithsonian National Museum of
theAmerican Indian, Washington DC. President, Bangala
BhasaSamskrtiSamsad,Kolkata.Copyrightreserved.The paragraph numbers
commencing '1714' in the text correspond
tothoseintheSanskrittext.TheFirstInstructor1714
I have composed this work in brief by extracting the
excellentutterances of God (Lord Siva) found in hisDhanurveda
(theVedarelating to the science of Archery andwise instructions of
(Sage)Vyasa. 1715 Nobody but Sarngadhara is considered to be an
expert in
theknowledgeoftheDhanurveda,becausehegothisskill(inholding,aiming
and shooting etc.) and judgment (for wind velocity
andspeedofthemovingtargetetc.)
inadreamatnightfromtheLordSivaHimself.
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1716
So,oneshouldnotharbouranydoubtaboutthisbook(becauseithasbeenrevealedinadream)justbecausesomeofitscontentsappearelsewhere
in other works by other, more clever archers
likeCintamani(viz.ViraCintamani). 1717 Archers (and warriors)
should practise and sharpen their
skill(weapontraining)insuchawaythattheyareabletoperformtheirdutiesandconquertheenemy.
1718
Ifjustonefamousarcherstaysinacity,thentheenemieswillremainatadistancejustasanimalsstayfarawayfromthedenofalion.
1719
Now,theprinciplesofselectionofthetraineesforweapontrainingwillbediscussed.AfterexaminingtheTrainee(disciple)thoroughly,thepreceptorwillgiveabowtoaBrahmindisciple,whoisnotgreedy,cunning,ungratefulorfoolish.
1720
Hewillgiveadhanu(meaningabow)toaBrahmindisciple,akhadga(meaninga
sword) to aKsatriya, a Kunta (meaninga lance) to
aVaisyaandaGada(meaningamace)toaSudra. 1721 Fightingwith hands
(Bahuyuddha) has its seven divisions. These arecarried outwith a
bow (dhanu) or a circularmissile (cakra) or alance (kunta) or a
sword (khadga) or a knife (churika)
andmace(gada)andlastlybyfightingwiththebarehandsonly. 1722
Apreceptorisknownbythenamesaptayuddhaifheiswellversedin
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sevenformsoffighting;apreceptorisa
Bhargavabynamewhenheiswellversedinfourtypesoffighting.Anexpertintwoformsoffightingisknownasyodhaandifoneisversedinonlyonetypeoffighting,oneisknownasGanaka.
1723
PeoplebornwhentheMoonisintheConstellationofHasta,Punarvasu,Pusya,Rohini,Uttara(inthreepositions),Anuradha,Asvini,Revatiandalsoonthetenthdaysof
theMoonDasamiarefit forArcheryTraining. 1724 People born in the
third, sixth, seventh, tenth or eleventh day of thelunar fortnight
are supposed to be fit for conducting all types ofwork. 1725
Thethird, fifth,seventh, tenth, twelfthandthirteenthdayofthe
lunarfortnightareacceptedtobeauspicious. 1726 Sundays, Fridays and
Thursdays are taken to be very suitable
forstartinganyworkrelatingtoweapons(i.e.weapontraining). 1727 On
these days the preceptor, following the rules of the Vedas,
willarrangeofferingofoblationsandconductsacrificesandofferingstoDeities
and Heroes, and gifts to the learned and the
poor.Thereafterheoffersweaponstohisdisciples. 1728 A feast should
be arranged for the Brahmanas as well as for themaidens. The
ascetics and other devotees of Lord Siva are to
beworshipped,withsinceredevotion. 1729
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AtraineeofArcheryistoworshiphistrainer(preceptor)offeringhimfood,
drinks, dress and ornaments along with scented
thingsflowersandgarlands. 1730 Thetraineewillobservea
fastandwearingonlyadeerskin,willprayforthebowfromhispreceptorfoldinghishands.
1731
ThenfollowingtheutterancesofSiva,thepreceptorshouldsanctifythelimbs
of his disciple, putting his hands on them, by
utteringappropriatemantrasandshouldperformotherritualsforremovingtheobstaclesandsinsofhisdisciple.
1732
TheLord(Siva)willberituallyimaginedtohavebeenplaceduponthetopknotofthediscipleshairatthecrown,LordKesavawillbesoplacedonthejointofthetwoarms,BrahmainthenavelandGanesaonhisthighs.
1733
ByutteringthemantraOmHomLordSankarawillbeworshippedonthetopknotatthecrown.OnthearmsKesavawillbeinvoked,withthesimilarmantraandBrahmawillbeprayedtointhenavel,andon
the two thighs the protection of Lord Ganesawill be
invoked,chantingthefollowingwordsateachplacerespectively: Om Hom
Sikha Sthane Sankaraya namah,Om Hom Vahvoh Kesavaya
namah,Om Hom Nabhimadhye Brahmane namah,Om HomJanghayor
Ganapataye namah1734Such placement (of theguardian deities) on the
limbs should be done in order to
derivewelfareandwellbeingofthediscipleandtopreventanyonefromdoingharm(tohim)bychantinginauspiciousmantras.1735
Thepreceptorshouldofferabowandarrowstothedisciplewhicharefittobeusedbyahumanbeingandthearrowsshouldbesanctified
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with mantras and the teacher would pass the mantra from
onearrowtotheotheraccordingtotherulesofVedas. The targets during
the training (from easier to more difficultones)1736
Firstofallanarchershouldlearnhowtopierceaflowerwithaleafbutwithout
any fruit, and then hewill pierce a leaf with a fruit,
andthenafish. 1737 Then the preceptor will make his disciple pierce
an
animal(mansavedha).Thesearethethreetypesofpiercing.Bypractisingshooting
of arrows gradually at targets in such manner the herowill achieve
the skill to pierce his targets more effectively andefficiently.
1738 The archer will be happy by taking his position ahead of a
runninganimal,atthesametimeaimingtopiercetheanimal.Heisateaseinsuchapositionandheachievessuccess.
1739
Ifthearrowiscastinthesoutherndirection,therewillbegreatquarrelandthearcherwillgotoa
foreignland. If it iscast
inthewesterndirection,thearcherwillgetwealthandcereals.Ifthearrowiscasttothenortherndirectiontheherowillgetgoodresults.
1740
Ifthearrowiscasttothenortheasternquarter(lsan),thedownfalloftheenemywillensue.Ifitiscastintheoppositedirection,differenttypes
of auspicious happeningsmay take place. In such activitieswith
weapons, a hero will achieve happiness, nourishment
andsuccessinweapontraining. 1741
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Thethreetypesofpiercingshouldbedoneaccompaniedbythesoundof a
conchshell and drum, and then the hero should entrust hisbow and
arrow to his preceptor by bowing down to him
andofferinghisobeisance. TheMeasurementofBow1742
Thefirstformofbowisaserviceableorpropertype.Thesecondoneisa bow
which is used in fighting (battle). A bow which is
lesspowerfulinweightandlengththanthearmsoftheheroisregardedasanauspiciousone.
1743 The life of an archer ismore precious than that of a bow.An
archer,whoisoverburdenedbyhisbow,neverhitsthetarget. 1744 A bow
which can be drawn by an archer with ease (by his
ownstrength)isconsideredtobeauspicious.ThebowsoftheGodsareheavierandsuperiortothoseofthehumanbeings.
1745
Abowmeasuringfivecubitsandahalfisconsideredtobethebestoneandthattypeiscalledadivineone,andthatwasheldbySankarainancientdays.
1746 ThenthebowwastakenbyParasuramaandfromhimitcametoDronaand then
itwas received by Partha fromDrona, and thereafter
itwastakenbySatyaki. 1747
Duringgoldenage(satyayuga)thatdivinebowwasheldbyMahadeva.In the
silver age (treta yuga) it was held by Raghava. During thebronze
age (dvapara yuga) it was taken by Drona, who was
aBrahmanabycaste.
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1748
Thelengthofahandisequaltothelengthoftwentyfourfingersofthehandandabowmeasuresfoursuchhandlengths(caturhasta)andthis
type is known to be thebowof a humanbeingwith all goodsigns. 1749
Abowmayhavethree,fiveorsevenjoints.Abowhavingninejointsisrenownedbythenamekodanda,whichtrulyisanauspiciousone.
1750 A bow having four, six or even eight joints should be
discarded. Butthere are some bows which are more extended in size
and aremadebyanewtechnique. 1751 A bow should not be used if it is
extremely old, or made of
unripematerials,orusedbyoneskinsmen,orburnt,tornorspoiledinsideoroutside.
1752 A bowwithout a string, or a bow inwhich the string is not
suitablyfitted,oranarrowwithafaultoranarrowinwhichtherearejointsontheupperormiddleorlowerportionshouldnotbeused.
1753 A bow made of unripe materials may break up. A bow in a
verydilapidatedconditionlosesitssmoothness.Abowalreadyusedbyoneskinsmenmayalwaysbeanobjectofanxietyordisputeamongfriendsandrelatives.
1754 Aburnt bow causes a house to burn, and a bowhavingholes
alwaysbringsdefeatanddestructioninwar.Suchabowdoesnotreachthe
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target,externalorinternal. 1755
Ifaninferiortypeofarrowisfittedtoabow,itmaybringdefeatinwar.Moreover,ifsuchanarcherisbeingattacked,hecannotshootbackeffectively.
1756 A joint on the upper portion of a bowor even one on its lower
side,causes destruction and loss ofwealth. Bowswithout such
defectsareconsideredtobeveryeffectiveforalltypesofactivities. 1757
ThebowofVishnu isnamed Sarngadhanuand it isconsidered tobethe best
weapon. It was a bow, the measurement of which wasseven times
greater than an ordinary bow which is made byViswakarma. 1758 That
bow remained untouched by anybody in Heaven, in the NetherRegion or
on Earth. It could only be used by the one
(DivineEmancipatedBeing)whoistheLordofLords. 1760
Gradually,overmanyyears,HecreatedandextendedthebowwhichisfittobeusedbyhumanbeingsItmeasuressixandahalfvitasti(i.e.thespanof
thethumbandthemiddle
fingerwhenstretchedfully,roughlymeasuringhalfacubit) i.e. total
threeandahalfcubits inlength.Thebowservesallpurposes. 1580
ASarngabowissuccessfullyusedbythesoldiersonelephantbackandthecavalry.Forcharioteersandfootsoldiers,however,abowmadeofBambooismoreuseful.
Thecharacteristicsofabowstring1761
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Ishallnarratethecharacteristicsofthebowstring,andthesearetobeappliedwhilemakinga
string.Very light silken threadsshouldbeused. 1762
Thestringsshouldbemadeofthreeroundthreadswhicharefreefromany
joinst,pure, fine, very soft andpolished so that these
threadscanwithstandattackinawar. 1763
Forwantofsilkthread,stringcanbemadewithintestinesofadeerorwiththeintestinesofashebuffalooracow.
1764 Fine strings are to bemadewith skin of a goat or gokarna
(anothervarietyofanimal)whichhasjustbeenslaughtered.Thehairontheskinshouldberemovedthoroughly.
1765 Sometimes stringsarepreparedwith thebark (outer
skin)ofmaturebamboos(plants)andthosestringsaretiedwithsilkenthreadsformakingstringsthatwithstandstandadversesituationsinwar.
1766
AttheadventofthemonthofBhadra(September)thebarkoftheArkatreebecomescommendableformakingstringsandhencehardandsacredstringsshouldbemadewithit.
1767 The threadswhich are obtained from the barks of the Arka tree
areeighteencubitsinlengthandtheseshouldbemadeintripleplytomakeaproperstring(forthebow).
Thecharacteristicsofarrows1768
IshallnarratetheauspiciouscharacteristicsofArrows.
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Arrowsshouldneitherbeveryheavynorveryfine.Theyshouldnotbemade of
unripe materials which are grown on barren land. Anarrow with small
joints or having splits should be
avoided.Thematerialforanarrowshouldbeselectedthus1769 The arrow
should havematured joints, it should bemade with fullyripe
materials, the colour of the arrow is to be brownish
andgatheredattherighttime.Thematerialshouldbehardandround.Thetreefromwhichthearrowistobemadeshouldgrowonfertileland.[Suchanarrowiscommendablefortheuseofakinginbattle.]
1770
Thesizeofthearrowshouldbetwocubitslessonefistinlengthanditsbreadthwillbelikethelittlefinger.Thisisthemeasurementofanarrow
which is to be placed on the bow for drawing
anddischargingtowardsthetarget. 1771
Theendofanarrowmaybefletchedwiththefeathersofcrane(kanka),swan
(Hamsa), sasada (A variety of bird), fisher bird (matsyada),heron
(kraunca), cataka (kinkini), vulture (grdhra) and hen(kukkuta).
1772 Four
feathersaretobeattachedtoeacharrow.Thegapbetweentwofeathersshouldbesixfingers.
1773 Inthebow(Dhanu)namedSarnga,thegapbetweentwofeathersistobe of
ten fingers and the four feathers should be firmly
tiedwithhardthreadsmadefromintestines. 1774 There are three types
of arrows masculine, feminine, and neuter.Arrows which are flat and
heavy in front are designated as
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feminine, If flat and heavy in its lower portion it is termed
asmasculine. 1775 If the topportion and the lowestportionof the
arrow is of the samesize, it isknownas neuter.Suchanarrowis fit
forpractising(bytraineesetc.)The femalearrowhits a target at
adistancewhile amalearrowcanfirmlypiercetoughtargets.
Thecharacteristicsofthetiporarrowhead1776 The arrowhead should
bemade of pure iron. It should be sharp andpointed andwithout any
sort of disorder. The head of the arrowshould be painted with a
coating of diamond protective pasteaccording to the proportion of
the feathers (vajrameans hard asdiamond). 1777
Theheadortipportionofanarrowmaybemadeofbrassanditsshapewillbelikethatofahorseshoe;oritmaybelikethetailofacoworitmayoftheshapeofahalfmoon.AnarrowiscalledBhalla(i.e.amissile)whenitsheadisassharpasthetipofaneedle,andagainitis
known as Dvibhallakam (.i.e., double missile) when there
aretwotipsliketheteethofaheifer. 1778 The arrowhead may be shaped
in different forms according to theexisting system of a country,
such as Karnikam or kakatundametc.. 1779
Bythearrows(madeofbrassorpurified
iron)skinshouldbepierce;byrazorbladearrows,theenemysarrows(andhishands)maybesevered,andbyneedlepointedarrowsashieldorarmourmaybepierced,andanarrowheadshapedlikehalfamoonshouldbeusedtosevertheheadoftheenemy.
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1780 A spearheaded arrow may pierce the chest of the enemy,
while adoublespearedarrowmaypiercethestringofhisbowandcounterhis
(enemys) arrows. Arrowsmade of ironmay be countered
bythearrowsknownasKarnika,andothertargetsmaybepiercedbyarrowsintheshapeofthebeakofacrow.ThetypeofarrownamedGopucchaisusedforaimingat(andtearingoff)theenemyflag.
1781 Ifanarrowismadeofpurewoodit isknownbythenamegopuccha(meaning
the tail of a cow). The tip of such an arrow ismade
ofpointedironmeasuringthreefingers.
Themethodsofannealingarrowheads1782 I shall narrate the process of
annealing arrowheads. The
followingdivinemedicineistobespreadontotheheadofthearrowsothatitcanpierceanunbreakablearmourjustlikealeafofatree.
1783 Longpepper(pippali)andsulpher(kustha)androcksalt
(saindhava)should be ground by mixing urine of a cow while
pounding, toprepareapaste.Thatpaste shouldbe rubbedon
theweaponandthenitshouldbeheatedonfire. 1784 Thepaste for annealing
should not be very cold. If the arrow fails
topierceanything(i.e.hitthetarget)orifthearrowheadisonefromwhich
theyellowcolourhas faded, thepasteshouldbeapplied
tothetipandheatedthereafter,andthentheheadofthearrowheadshould be
dipped in oil to remove the heat to make it especiallyeffective.
1785 Five typesofsaltshouldbegroundtogetherandthatcompound is
to
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be soaked in honey and paste of white corn (sveta sasya).
Thearrowheadistobecoveredwithsuchapasteandthenheatedoverafire. 1786
Thearrowhead is tobeannealed,andafterheating, its colourwillbelike
that of the neck of a peacock, i.e. a yellow colour when hot.Then
it should be dipped into clear water for its
permanentprotectionandstrength.
Nowthetwotypesofroundsviz.Naracasi.e.allironroundsandNalika,knownasroundsshotfromthegun(arebeingdescribed)1787
Naracaisaroundtotallymadeofiron.Insomenaracas,therearefivebroadwings
and such rounds are always effective (in hitting thetargets). 1788
Nalikaisaformofround,shotfromaweaponlikethegunfittedwithtube or
barrel; it is used while a target is to be hit at a
greatdistance,orinawartakingplaceinahighfort. Hand position for
drawing an arrow and position for releasing anarrow.1789 Sthana
(the posture to be taken by a warrior while shooting), haseight
forms, for performing different types of shooting and
theholdingandoperationof thetriggerorarrowsby
mustimeaninggriphasfiveforms,whilethescoringareasofatargetor
vyayasarealsooffivetypes. ThePosition(Sthanas):1790 If the left leg
of an archer is stretched in front and the right leg iscontracted
at the knee and their distance measures two handlengths (cubits),
suchpostureof the archer is knownby the termAlidham. 1791
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By stretching the right leg forward and contracting the left
leg,
thearrowgoesfaronrelease.Thisfootpositionofthearcheristhoughttobeveryspecial(orpraiseworthy)andisknownasPratyalidham.
1792 If the archer extends his legs equally and their distance is
one
cubitapart,heassumesthepositionknownasvisakhasthana,apositionforshootingadifficulttarget.
1793
Iftheplaceonwhichthearcherstandsisnottoouneven,hislegsaretobeplaced
at equal distance (for keepingbalance)withoutmakinganymovement, and
fixing them in an uniformposition. The
bodyshouldbemadebenttotheleftatleastonecubitdown. 1794
Ifthearcherkneelsdownandhisthighsarecontracted,hispositionisknownbythenameDardurakramam,meaningthemovementofthe
frog. This is a position by which an archer is sure to hit
adifficulttarget. 1795 The stanceormovement of an archer is
compared to that ofGaruda.When hemoves forward by touching his left
knee on the groundandthenhecontractshisrightknee,andthisiscalledthe
GarudaKramanposition. 1796
Awellknownpositionofsitting(crosslegged),knownaspadmasana,isveryauspiciousforanarcher.
Releaseandshootingofarrowsbyawarrior.1797
Therearevariousformsofrelease,madebythearcherbyfoldinghisfingers to
securehisarrowandshoot from thebowstring
suchaspataka,vajramusti,Simhakarna,MatsariandKakatundietc.
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1798
Iftheforefingerisextendedandbroughtundertherootofthethumb,thepositionofthegripisknownbythenamepataka.Thisformofthe
grip is then applied by a shooter for shooting (rounds) at
adistanttarget. 1799 If the thumb enters the gap between the middle
finger and
theforefingerthensuchareleaseiscalledvajramusti.Suchreleaseisusedwhenathickarrowandallironroundsknownasnaracasareshottowardsthetarget.
1800 If the tipof the forefinger isplacedsquarelyon thenailof the
thumbfinger, thensucharelease isknownbythename
matsari.Suchareleaseisusedtopierceafineorthintargetknownascitra.
1801 Areleaseisknownbythenamekakatundi(thefaceorthemouthofacrow) if
the top portion of the thumb is placed on the tip of
theforefinger.Sucharelease is
tobeusedwhenanarchershootshisarrowintoathicktarget.
Methodsofholdingthebowanaimingthearrow1802 There are three methods
of holding a bow and aiming an
arrow,namely(i)downwards;(ii)upwardsand(iii)straight.Amongthesethree
methods, the archer adopts the particular one which
issuitabletoservehispurpose. 1803
Thearrowaimeddownwardscaneasilyhitatargetatafardistance.Iftheaimisstraight,itwillcertainlypiercethetargetandiftheaimisupwards,
then by applying greater strength, the archer
willinvariablypiercehistarget.
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DescriptionoftheVyayah(typeofscoresonhittingthetarget)1804 If an
arrow hits on the root of a target (i.e. outer ends), the score
isknown by the name kaisika. If it hits the horn of the target
(i.e.magpie)itisknownbythenamesattvikah.Ifithitstheearofthetarget(i.e.innerportion)itisknownbythenamevatsakarnaandif
it hits the neck of the target (i.e. bullseye) it is known by
thenameBharata. 1805 If an arrow hits the shoulder of the target
(at a great distance),
thescoreforshootingofsuchanarrowisknownbythenameskandha.Vyayas are
of five varieties. In case of a mixed warfare
(citrayuddha),arrows(shotbeingquickandmany)hit
theouterendofthetarget(i.e.kaisika)mostly,whilethearrowshitthehornwhenaimeddownwardstohitthetarget.
1806
Ifthetargetispiercedontheear(innerpartofthetarget),thescoreisknownas,
vatsakarna.If itpiercesthetargetdeeplyandfirmly,
itisknownasBharata(bullseye)andifitispiercesthetargetatagreatdistancedeeplyandfirmlytheprocessisknownbythenameskandha.
Targetsandtheirvarieties:1807
Targetscanbeoffourvarieties(1)Sthiri.e.fixedorstationerytarget(2)
Cala i.e. moving target (3) A moving archer shooting at astationary
target (4)Dvayacala where the archer aswell as
thetargetbotharemoving. 1808
Thearcherwhoaimsatthetargetbymakinghismindmotionlessandsteadyandpiercesthethreetypesoftargetsisknownbythetermsthiravedhimeaninganarcherwhoseaimneverfails.
1809
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If an archer, while motionless himself, successfully pierces a
movingtarget the preceptor as well as the wise call (such
personcalavedhi) and the target by the name calalaksya meaning
amovingtarget. 1810 Ifanarcher isonthemovebut
fixeshismindonasteadytargetthenthe targetwill be known by the name
calacalameaning movingyet steady. This is a process of shooting
which is blameless andbeyondordinarymeasure. 1811 When an archer is
on the move himself and also aims at a movingtarget, then the
target (and situation) is known by the namedvayacalameaning
twomoving elements (the archer aswell
asthetarget).Topiercesuchtargetsonehastopractiseveryhard. 1812 If
an archer practises archery hard, he can unfailingly hit a
distanttarget with his arrow, and with one arrow he can pierce
manytargets. Through hard practice an archer achieves firm grip
andabilitytoaimandshootarrowsquickly. 1813 Undergoing hard labour,
an archer realises the art and techniques
ofdifferenttypesofwarfare,andthroughitheachievesvictory.Hence,anarchershouldalwayspractiseshootinginfrontofhisteacher.
1814 Anarcher,whobegins to practise the shooting of arrowwithhis
lefthand,willbecomesuccessfulintheartofshootinginnotime. 1815 When
success comeswith the left hand, the trialwith the right handshould
start. In the course of time, the archer should practise
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shootingarrowsaswellasroundswithboththehands. 1816 When
proficiency (in shooting) is achievedwith the right hand, thenagain
exercise should be started with the left hand. An
archershouldpractise in the standingposition (keeping the feet
parallelandonecubitapartfromeachother)namedVisakhaandaimingattherootofthetargeti.e.kaisikavyaya.
1817 At sunrise, the target should be shot in thewestern direction.
In
theafternoonthetargetshouldbeshotintheeasterndirectionsoastoachieveabetteraimatthetarget.
1818 Arrowsshouldbeshottowardsthenorth,buttheyshouldnotshotforthe
purpose of destroying life. Arrows should not be
dischargedsouthwardsexceptintimesofwar. 1819
Atargetsetatadistanceof sixtybowlengths is regardedas thebestone.
If the same is set at a distance of forty bowlengths, it
isregardedasamediumone,whereasatargetatadistanceoftwentybowlengthsisregardedasthelowesttype.
Adiscussiononaimingandshootingofprojectiles:1820 This is a
description of rounds or projectiles named naraca.
Thenaracasareshotinnumbersofforty,thirtyorsixteenatatime,topiercethetarget.
1821
Onewhoshootsfourhundredshotsnamedkandabetweentheperiodofsunriseandthesunse,isconsideredasthebestamongarchers.
1822
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Ifthenumberofrounds(thenaracas)shotduringthistimeperiodisthreehundred,theshooterisknownasmediocre;butiftherearejust
two hundred, then the shooter of the rounds is known to
bekanisthaka;i.e.ofthelowestcategoryorstandard.Archerstargetsshould
be of aman length (threeandahalf cubits or 6 feet)
andfittedwithsignsofacrescentmoon. 1823 One who shoots the top
portion of such a target is known to be asuperior shot, while one
who pierces the belly of the target isknown as a mediocre one,
whereas one who hits the feet of thetargetisknownasaninferiorshot.
Intermissions(anadhyaya)inlearningshooting1824
Asallactivitiesareprohibitedontheeighthandthefourteenthdayofthelunarhalfmonthandalsoonthedayofthenewmoonandonthe
day of the full moon, shooting practice is also prohibited
onthosedays. 1825 Practiceshootingshouldbestopped if there
isanuntimelyroaringofclouds, or there is stormy weather or if the
target is broken ordestroyedbyarrowsorroundsshotearlier. 1826
Thepractiseofshootingshouldbeabandonedifanarrowisbrokenattheverystartofpracticing,orifaserpentisseenattheplacewherepracticeistakingplace.
1827 Ifthebowstringsnapsattheverystartofshootinganarrowfromthebow,
then thepractice shouldbeabandoned,while
takingnoteofthe(inauspicious)obstacle. 1828
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I amgoing tonarratea toughexercise in shootingpracticewhich
thepureheartedarchershouldperform;andonlybyknowingthiscanarchersbecomesuccessful,andnototherwise.
1829
Whentakingupthebow,anarchershouldtiehistopknotand,takingupafirmstance,heshouldplacehishandonthearrow.
1830
Thebowshouldbepickedupinthelefthand(assessingitsweightandbalance)
and the arrow should be nocked onto it thereafter
bypickingupthearrowwiththerighthand. 1831
ThearchershoulddrawthebowandwithoneattemptpiercetheearthandthenbowdowntoLordSivaandGanesa,theguardiandeityofobstacles.
YogaBreathcontrolinshooting1832
Atthetimeofdrawingthebow,theconsentofthepreceptorshouldbeprayed
for.At the timeofdrawingthebow,
lifegivingbreathalsoshouldbeinhaled(tofillupthelungs)carefully.
1833
Breathshouldbeconservedbyclosingtheeyesandnose(kumbhaka),andthebreathshouldbereleasedwiththesoundhum.Anarcherwho
desires success in his art should practise such
breathingexercises(Pranayama). 1834
Thetechniqueofthegripcanbesuccessfullyachievedthroughexercisewithinsixmonths,andthetechniqueofsuccessfulaimingtakesoneyear.The
learningof theshootingprojectiles, naraca,
isachievedbyanarcheronlythroughthegraceofLordMaheshwara. 1835
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Inordertobecomesuccessful inarchery,onemusthold(andhandle)his
arrows very gently and carefully, like a flower, and press thebow
like killing a serpent. The archers attention to piercing thetarget
should be as (undivided and undistracted) as in earningmoney. 1836
A preceptor expects that his disciples shooting will be effective
andefficient. The descendants of the Bhrgu clan (like
Parasurama)desirethatthearrowofthediscipleshouldhitthetargetatagreatdistance.Akingdesiresaspectaculardisplayofhittingtargets(byhis
guards and soldiers), while the common people just
wanttargetstobepiercedwell. 1837
Iftheshootingofanarrowisconductedforentertainment(asagameof
archery) or welfare of the people, then even if the target
ispiercedjustmarginally,itwillbeapraiseworthyaction. 1838
Thearchershouldtakethepositionknownasvisakha(standingwiththefeetapart)whilenockinghisarrownamedgopucchaontothebowstringwithagripliketheearofaLion(simhakarna).
1839 Whileperforming kaisikavyayathetopknotofanarchershouldnotmove,
and he should shoot the arrow. keeping both his right
andleftshouldersmotionless. 1840 At the time of shooting an arrow,
the eyes of the archer should
notmove:hisaimshouldbeattentivelyfixedonthetarget.Theviewofthe
target should be covered by the fist and his eyes should
gazeaheadofthearrow. 1841
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Realisingthatthemindfollowsthelineofthegaze,thearrow(kanda)shouldbeshottothetargetuponwhichthegazeisfixed.Anarcherwhoundertakesregularandhardpracticenevermisseshistarget.
1842 An archer who can bring his arrow from the quiver, nock it to
thebowstring,drawbackthestring,aim,andshootit(thearrow)veryquickly
becomes a "quick shooter" on account of his constantpractice. 1843
Whenanarcherhastoshothisarrowatadistanttarget(durapatanam),heshouldassumethepositionof
pratyalidhaandaima femininetype of arrow downwards, drawing it with
the grip known aspatakamusti. 1844
Ifarrowshavetobeshotupwards(urdhapatanam),thearchershouldtaketheposeofafrogandfromthestanceof
askandhavyaha,heshouldfixamalearrow,holdingitinatightgripi.e.vajramusti.Ifonepractises
this regularly, he increases the strengthof his
armsandwillbecomesuccessfulinpiercingtoughtargets. 1845
Wisemenennumeratethreetypesofpropermotionsofthearrows,viz.(i)suchimukha(meaningflyingstraightlikethetipoftheneedle)(ii)
minapuccha(fishtailing)and(iii)
bhramari(movingallovertheplacelikeabumblebee). 1846
Thetrajectoryofanarrowiscalledsucimukhawhenitisunfletchedofhasverylittlefletching.
1847 Ifthebowishard,thenthegripofthearcherisnotverytight,andthe
-
arrow may follow a trajectory known as matsyapuccha
(fishtailing). 1848
Ifthearrowwhenaimedatthetargetdoesnottravelinastraightline,but
approaches it in a toandfro or semi circular manner, suchmovement
iscalled Bhramariby the learned.
[Ifanarrow,aimedatthetargetdoesnottravelstraightbutreachesitinacurvesuchatrajectoryiscalledBhramari.]
Deflectionofarrows1849
Therearefourdifferentcauseswhichdeflectamovingarrowfromitstrajectory
before reaching the target. These are (i) vamaga(deflection to the
left) (ii) daksaga (deflection to the right)
(iii)urdhaga(overshootingthetarget)and(iv)adhaga(fallingshort).
1850 If the rear of the arrows vibrates against the inside of the
grip(gunamusti)and thebow isheld ina levelgrip (dhanumusti),
thefrontofthearrowwillveertotheleft.[Hencethegripofthearrowshouldbefirmsothatthearrowmaynottrembleanddeflectfromthetarget.]
1851 If anarcherdoesnothold thearrowproperlyandaim it
straight,hisarrowwillundoubtedlygoeithertoonesideorshortofthetarget.
1852
Ifthearchersgriponthebowisabovethelinetotargetandthearrowisnockedbelowthe
line to the target, thearrowwillgoupwards.Anarrowreleased
fromsuchapositionwillundoubtedlyveer farawayfromthetarget. 1853
Whileshootinganarrow,thegriponthebow(capamusthi)shouldbe
-
belowcentreandthearrowshouldbenocked(gunamusthi)abovecentre,pointingslightlydownwards.
1854 The right time to release an arrow iswhen the target, the tip
of
thearrowandthegazeofthearcherareinline.Insuchasituationthearcherneverbecomesunsuccessfulinhittingthetarget;thatis,thearcher
should cover the target with correct Dhanumusti
andGunamusti(hisgripofbowandarrow)inordertopierceit.
Thecorrecttrajectoryofarrows1855
Ifthetargetandtipatthearrowarealigned,andtheeyeaimwithoutanywavering,
an arrow shot from such a triple alignment
cannotmissthetarget.[Thiscallsforarcherscalmnessofmindandstrongdetermination.]
1856
Anarrowwhichissharpenedwellatthetipandisfittedwithfeathersofabirdanddischargedfromafirmgripwithforce,cannotremaininthebodyofahumanbeingoranelephantorahorse.[Itpiercesbut
does not remain in their bodies because it passes rightthrough.]
Attitudesofanarcher1857 An archer, who thinks his arrows are
(light) like grass, his bows(consuming) likeburning fuel and
thebowstring (attractive) likehislife,isconsideredtobeabestarcher.
Descriptionofthefourtoughtargets1858 Ifanarchercanpenetrate the
following four typesof (tough) targets,namely,
thosemadeofearthenpotora
lumpofearth,hisarrowscannotbe(countered)destroyedevenbyathunderbolt.
1859
Ironplatesmeasuringthethicknessofoneandahalffingersshouldbe
-
prepared (as targets for exercise). An archer who pierces
suchplateswithasinglearrowisknownbythedesignationofDrdhghatiatoughmarksman(marksmanoftoughtargets).
1860
Anarcherwhocanpenetratetwentyfourlayersofleatherwithasinglearrowcanpierceeventheskinofapowerfulelephant.
1861 Anarcher,who canhit an earthen jar inwhirlingwateror a
lumpofearththroughacirculatingwheel(placedbelowit)heisknownbythenamedrdhavedhimeaningatoughmarksman.
1862 A target made of iron can be pierced by arrows named
kakatunda(beakof the crow)and targetsof leather (like shieldsor
armour)canbepiercedbyarrowsnamed aramukha(a
lumpofearth).Anearthenjarora lumpofearthmaybehit
throughamoving(disc)wheelbyanarrownamedsuchimukha. 1863
Onewhoknowshowtocounterandcutanarrow,andonewhoknowshow to pierce a
piece of wood, or one who knows how to scorepoints in a shooting
range (Vinduka i.e. Chandmari)
andonewhocanpiercetworoundballs(golakayuga)atatime,alwaysbecomesvictorious.
1864 When a target (animal) charges towards an archer, he should
aim tosplit the arrowwhich has already pierced the front of the
animal(target).Heshouldholdsomearrowscurvedinhisgrip.Heshouldsevertheheadoftheanimal(orenemy)withanarrowwithasemicirculartiporanarrowhavingtwotips.
1865
-
If an arrow coming straight forward obliquely cuts another arrow
inthe sky, then the archer displaying such a skill is known
asVanacchedimeaningonewhocutsanarrowintheair. After describing the
cutting of arrows, the cutting of wood isdiscussed:1866 If an
archer fixes horsehair to a piece of wood and also he binds
acowryshell there (asa target)while spinning thewood,
ifhehitsthistarget,heisknownasDhanurdhara,meaningarealarcher. 1867
AnarcherisknownbythenameKasthacettameaningapieceofwoodifhecanpierceapieceofwetwoodplacedinthepositionofatailofa
cow by an arrow known by the name ksurapra meaning
anarrowwithasharphorseshoeshapedhead. 1868
Ifawhitepointisplacedonthetargetbyattachingawhitevandhukaflower,anarcherwhoisabletohitthatpointiscalledacitrayodhi.
Aimingatmovingtargets:1869 If two wooden balls are thrown from in
front upwards to a greatdistance, they cannot be penetrated by an
arrow which
followsfrombehind;butifthearrowsticksintotheballbehindlikeatail,or
it hits but does not get attached there, the archer is called
amarksman(ofmovingtargets).
*Thefollowingverserelatestotheearlierverse18691870*
Anarcherwhocanattachtwoarrowsatatimeandpierceshistarget(thetwowoodenballs)isconsideredasthebestofallarchersandisworshipped,(i.e.honoured)bythekings.
1871 Irrespectiveofwhetheranarcher
ridesonanelephant,orahorseormoves on foot, if
hepractiseswhilemoving, is sure to succeed in
-
piercinghistarget. Shootingthetargetfromits/sound/resonance1872
Potsmadeofbellmetalshouldbekeptatadistanceoftwocubitsfromthe
target. Another person should produce sounds by hitting
potwithpebbles(sarkara). 1873 An archer should assess the distance
of the source from which
thesoundiscomingbyconcentratingattentivelyandbyusinghisears,andshouldlocatethetargetandpenetrateit.
Repeatedexerciseformarksmanship1874 Anarchershouldagaincause
thesound tobeproduced
frompotsbyhittingthemagainwithpebblesandshouldagainlocateandaimtopiercethetargetneartheoriginofthatsound.
1875
Thearchermayincreasehisdistancefromthetargetgraduallyfrom10cubits
to 20 cubits and then to 100 cubits and should practise
indarknesspiercingthetargetfromthesoundemittedbyit. 1876 An
extremely intelligent archer with earnest attention can pierce
atarget with his arrow. Such a difficult task is performed by
anarcheronaccountofhisgoodluck. Exercisewithweapons1877 As
longasanarcher fails
toachievesuccess,heshouldpracticehard.Whenanarcherslabourmakeshimamarksman,heneedsnottakehisbowinhandduringrainydays.
1878 Anarchershouldalwayspractisewithhisweaponsfortwomonthsinthe
autumn so that he may not forget the art of weapons he
-
acquired earlier. [Themonths of August and September
comprisetheseasonofAutumninIndia.] 1879
InthemonthofAsvin(whenthehorsesareyokedtothecarriage)andduring the
divine ninth lunar day of the fortnight, Lord Siva,Goddess Candi,
the Preceptor, weapons and horses should beworshipped. 1880 Daksina
(offerings ofmoney) should be given to the Brahmanes andthe maidens
should be given good feasts. Animals should besacrificed along with
the sound of auspicious instrumenst
(likeconch,gongandcymbals)andchantofmusicinhonourofGoddessDurga
(and thus the archerhimself shouldpray for victory to
theGoddessofWar). 1881 Then the archer (after performing rituals as
above) should
practiserecitalsofVedichymnsaccordingtotherulesoftheVedasaswellasAgama(vedoktanagamoditan).Forsuccessintheartofshootinghis
weapons and arrows, an archer should intone japas andperform
sacrifices (homas) according to te scriptural laws(vidhanatah).
Devastatingweaponsfromelements(likewaterandair)1882
AnarchershouldstriveforweaponsnamedNarayana,Saiva,Aindra,vayavya,varunaandtheagneya(producinggreatfire)whichthepreceptorsgiveoutattheirdiscretion.
1883 An archerwho is pure in heartmasters hisweapons by applying
hismind(tounderstandtheprinciplesofgrip,aimandrelease),word(enquiryfromhispreceptor)andactivehands(forpractice).Hecankillwithhisweaponsamanwhoisunworthyandunable(to
live)
-
andwhoisevil. 1884 A man who knows how and when to apply (use or
withhold) hisweapons is knownas an archeror amusketeer.Awise
archerormusketeerdoesnotusehisarmsinaneverydaysituation. 1885 An
archer, who takes the stem langali (jalapippali) plant when themoon
is in theHastaconstellationanduse
itssaponhisweaponseasilyremovestheprideofanygreatherointhebattle.
1886
Bytakingtherootofanapamarga(apang)plantatsunrisewhenthereisyoganaksatra(inthesky)andbyanointingitsjuiceonhandandweapons,aherogainsthepowertowardoffhisenemiesarrows.
1887&1888
Bytattooingonthehand(asatalisman)orbyapplyingthesapofthefollowing
plants onto his arms, a hero can ward off pain fromenemy weapons:
adhapuspi, samkhapuspi, lajjalu, girikarnika,nalini, sahadeva,
putramarjarika, visnukranta and aparajitaand other plants with
matted fibre. This matted fibre should betaken on a Sunday in a
clean and pure state as instructed by thepreceptor. (Medicinal
plants, mystic chants and precious
crystalsandstonesarefortheuseofman;butthereasonoftheirpotencyandtheiroriginisbeyondtheempiricalscientificthroughwhichwetrytograspthings.)
1889 A hero does not have anything to fear snakes, tigers and
similarapparentlydangerouscreatures,becausehisbodyisblessedbytheeightGoddesses(TheGoddessesarethepresidingdeitiesofvariouselements
of nature, viz. Brahmi, Mahesvari, Indrani,
Varahi,Vaisnavi,Kaumari,CamundaandCandika.).
-
1890 By the influence of the powder obtained from chuchundari
plantduring the rise of Hastanaksatra on a Sunday, even an
elephantdoesnotdaretocomeinfrontofthewarrior. 1891 If the
chuchundari plant and powder extracted from the blossom ofthe vilva
treeareanointedon thebodyofawarrior, thenevenamad elephant sheds
its wanton strength and a lion gives up
itsfierceness,justseeinghimfromadistance. 1892
Therootofthewhitekarnikatree(svetadrikarika)canremovedustonhis
hands and similarly the root of the white
kantarika(svetakantarika)removesaherosfearoftigersetc. 1893
TherootofthePataliandPusparkaplantsshouldbedugup,andifkeptinthemouthofthewarrioralongwithbetelnutpowder,hisbodycannotbepiercedbysharparrowsinthebattlefield.
1894 If theendof the rootof the gandha (campaka) tree is
collectedonaSundayaccordingtoscripturalrules,whenthemoonisinthePusyaconstellation,andputinsidehismouth,thewarriorgetsimmunityfromweaponsoftheenemywhichcannotenterhisbodyorseverit.
1895 ByfastingonaSundaywhenthemoonisinthePusyaconstellation,ifthe
warrior collects the matted part of subhra sarapumkha orjatanili
andplaces theseonhisbreast,heador inside themouth,these remove or
ward off incoming arrows or weapons of
theenemy.Kings,whentheybecomeverymuchafraidofthievesetc.inordertowardofftheirfear,obtainthehelpofsuchplantscollected
-
onsuchaSunday(pusyabhaskara).
DosandDontsduringtheoperationofwar1896 Anarchershould first
takeabathand thendress inwhite.Heshouldworship the Deities and the
Brahmanas while chantingauspiciousmantrasandmusic. 1897
AnarchermustgiveofferingsinthenameofKingandtothepresidingdeities of
the ten quarters. He is to worship all his weapons
andintonemantrasforhisprotectionasfollows 1898
"Om;O,Goddess,kindlyprotectuswithYourspear;OMotherAmbika,kindlyprotectusbyYoursword,protectusbytheringingofYourbell
and by the sound of the bowstring from other dangers
anddifficulties. 1899
"OCandikaOGoddess,kindlyprotectusontheeast,west,southandnorthaswellbybrandishingYoursword.
1900 "Kindly protect us by Your calm and pleasant looks, which
pervadethroughout the threeworlds, and also by Yourmost fearful
form.Kindlyprotectusandtheworldatlarge. 1901
"O,AmbikawiththehelpofYourweaponssword,spearandmacewhichareinyourhand:kindlyprotectusallineveryway."
1902 The warrior should anoint his body with divine ointments
andmedicines and protect his body by wearing different
talismans.After taking a little bhattvaka drink, the archer should
start
-
practisingforbattle. 1903 A warrior should please his Generals
and the superior fighters
onelephantsandotherchiefsofhisarmywithgiftsofpreciousitemsandclothes.
1904
Afterplacinganeffectivecharioteeronthechariot,thewarriorhimselfshould
get into it (the chariot) and he should yoke only
thosehorsestothechariotwhicharehealthy,wellnourishedandcapableofdoinghardmaneuvers.
1905 Awarriorshouldkeepfourbowsinthechariotasaprecautionagainstall
misfortunes, and he should keep four hundred arrows in hisquiver.
1906 Heshouldalsoplace in the chariot a sword (khadga), shield
(carma),mace (gada), spear (sakti), parigha (a type of weapon),
hammer(mudgara), projectiles (naraca), axes (parasu), lance
(kunta),pattisa(atypeofweapon)andardi(atypeofweapon)etc.. 1907
Onewhodoesnothavea chariotorelephant,will
rideonhorseback,fixingaquiveronhisvestbeltandtakingasword,sakti(spear)andbowinhand.
1908 After keeping Lord Visnu in mind, the name of Arjuna should
beintonedbythewarrior.Thereafter,heshouldestablishhispositionalongwithhisfourtypesoftroops(namelytheelephantriders,thecavalry,thecharioteersandtheinfantry).
1909
-
ThewarriorsinwhoseheartLordJanardana,whosecolourisbluelikethe
blue lotus, resides, become successful and
victoriouseverywhereandtheyneverfeardefeat. 1910 These are the
names of Arjuna, which the warrior should
intone:.Arjuna,Phalguni,Partha,Kiriti,Vivatsu,Vijayi,Krsna,SavyasaciandDhananjaya.
How to calculate the number of different arms in a formation
calledAkshouhini1911
Thecharioteerswearingshieldsshouldnumber21,870(bycomputingthe
legends) sky (0),Tunes (svara)(7),Vasu (8), Indu (moon)
(1),andnetra(eyes)(2).[ThedigitsinSanskritarecountedfromrighttolefthence21,870].AccordingtoscholarswhoarewellversedinMathematics,
the number of chariots and charioteers putting anarmour in an
aksauhini amount to Twentyone thousand eighthundred;
thekingsareseventy innumberadded to thismake
thefigure(21800+70=21870). 1912 Thenumber ofwarriors on elephant
has also beendetermined to bethe same that is (21870) twentyone
thousand eight
hundredseventyinanaksauhini.Thishasbeenspeciallydirected. 1913 The
number of infantry soldiers is one Lakh (ten thousand)
ninethousandthreehundredandfifty(19,350) inan aksauhini
(allofthemareequippedwithweapons). 1914
Thenumberofcavalrysoldiersremainsfiftysixthousandsixhundredand ten
(56,610) as stated by scholars who are very effective incounting.
1915
-
Themathematiciansdecided thenumberof soldiers in a troop
calledmahaksauhiniastwosky(2),flourish(sagaras)(4),fourvedas(4),one
moon, (1) two eyes (2) one fire, one moon, 1, i.e.
244,121(Twentyfourlacs,fortyonethousandtwohundredandone. 1916
Inmahaksauhinikathenumberofsoldiersarethirteencrorestwentyonelacs,twentyfourthousandsandninehundred.132,124,900.
1917 The numbers of chariots in a mahaksauhinika is one crorewhich
isstated by scholars. But some scholarswho differ in opinion
statethatthenumberwillbethirtysevenlacs.(3,700,000). 1918 In such a
troop the number of elephants should be twelve
thousandfourhundredninety.(12,490). 1919
Insuchatroopthenumberofhorses(cavalry)shouldbe
fourcrores,elevenlacs,seventythreethousandandfourhundred(41,173,400).
1920 The number infantry soldiers (patya) in mahaakshauhini will
be(68,000,075)sixcrores,eightylacsandseventyfive. 1921 Sixtytwo
thousand four hundred and fifty is the number of
theformationknownbythescholarsasmahaksauhinika. 1922
Thetechniqueofmakingaformation(vyuha)inabattleisasfollowsthe
charioteers should be placed in front, behind them
theelephants,theinfantryatitsbackandthecavalryshouldbeplacedtoeachside.
-
1923 The formation of the soldiersmay be planned in the shape of
a
halfmoon,orasacircleoracarriage,afish,alotus,orsimplybymakingrowsorintheshapeofabush.
1924 TheKingshouldkeeparoundhimforhisprotectionthoseprinceswhohave
received the status of feudal lordsor subordinateKings
andalsoallotherattendantswhoare loyalandhaveaptitudetoservetheKing.
1925
Themainormostimportantpersonofafamilymustbeprotectedatallcosts.Whenthechiefofafamilyperishes,asaresultofthelossofthe
root of the dynasty, all the soldiers loose their strength
anddeterminationtofight. 1926 The quality of men behind the weapons
determines the battle morethan their number. Even a small number of
persons imbuedwiththe traits of heroism, trained in arms and loyal
to the king, willserve (the King and the country) better than a
large assembly
ofpeople(withoutloyalty,courageanddeterminationtowinthewar)whowillbeineffective(mundamandali).
1927 Even fivehundredheroescandefeata largearmy.Sometimeseven
iffive, six of seven such heroes fight bravely, they may defeat
theenemy. 1928 War veteranswho havewith them their holy bows, which
had
beentheirmeansforlivelihood,canbringvictoryeveniftheforwardlineofthekingwiththeirhorsesisnotverystrong.
-
1929 Archers who are close comrades and know battlecraft may
beatenemiesfightingthemonhorseback. 1930
Butasinglecowardlyarcherwhobreaksrankscandestroythepowerofa
largenumber.Eventhemostheroicandgreatest
fighterswillsufferabreakdownofmorale(theywilldesertwithsuchacowardintheirmidstandfacedefeat).
1931
Astrongandinsuperablebattalionmayrunawayandcourtdefeat,justlike
animals who are afraid of surging floodwater (if a
cowardbreaksranks.) 1932
Aherowhocanregroupfleeingsoldiers,returntocombatandrouttheenemywillreceivetheeternalfruitofthesacrificeofAsvamedhaateverystep.
1933
InthisworldtherearetwotypesofhumanbeingswhocanascendtoHeaven(penetratingtheorboftheSun):oneistheasceticwhohasextirpatedhissenseandknowledgethroughperformingYogaandprofoundmeditation.Theotherisaherowhodiesinhandtohandcombat.
1934 If aherodies surroundedbyhis enemies,withoututteringaword
infear,itissurethathewillreachthateternalsphere(Heaven). 1935
(Enemy) heroes who faint, or are wounded, or whose weapons
arebroken, or who are fighting with another warrior, or who are
-
askingforasylumorrefuge,shouldnotbekilled. 1936
Amightywarriorshouldnotchaseaweakfighterwhoisrunningaway,because a
warrior who apprehends death may suddenly becomeaggressiveandbrave.
1937 An emperor should organize his army comprising four
arms(caturanga, i.e. the charioteers, soldiers mounted on
elephant,cavalry and infantry) into a formation (vyuha) to encircle
theenemyanddeployvaliantheroesinfrontofitifhewantstobecomevictoriousinwar.
1938 The happiness and morale of the troops are the factors
whichcontributetothevictory,irrespectiveofthesizeofthearmy,smallorlarge.
1939
Aherowhoproceedswiththewind,byleavingtheSunbehindaswellasthebirdsandthefloatingclouds,surelybecomesvictorious.
1940
Oneshouldnotdieprematurely;norshouldoneliveafteronestimeisup.Henceoneshouldexercisepatienceandkilltheenemies(ofthekingandthecountry).
1941 Inwar, ifoneachievesvictory,onegainswealt,
Ifonedies,onegetsaplace in Heaven and earns fame in this world.
Hence one shouldexercisepatienceandkillonesenemies..This is the
teaching of Lord Vvyasa who has revealed theSivadhanurveda.