FReeper Canteen ~ Part IV of War in Ancient India ~ August 3, 2004

A Tribute to Hindusim ^ | August 3, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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ANCIENT WARFARE





Part IV: War in Ancient India

Bow and Arrow:

In the words of H. H. Wilson: "the Hindus cultivated archery most assiduously and were very Parthians in the use of the bow on horse-back." One feature of this weapon was that it could be handled by all the four classes of warriors. 

Frescos on the Angkor Wat depict scenes from the Hindu epics Mahabharata and Ramayana, showing Kshatriyas engaged in war. For more refer to chapter on Suvarnabhumi: Greater India

Other Weapons: 

The Bindipala and the nine following are minor weapons of this class. Probably this was a heavy club which had a broad and bent tail end, measuring one cubit in length. It was to be used with the left foot of the warrior placed in front. The various uses of this weapon were cutting, hitting, striking and breaking. It was like a kunta but with a big blade. It was used by the Asuras in their fight with Kartavirya Arjuna.

The Nalika is a hand gun or musket rightly piercing the mark. It was straight in form and hollow inside. It discharged darts if ignited. As has been already said, Sukracarya speaks of two kinds of nalika, one big and the other small. The small one, with a little hole at the end, measured sixty angulas  (ie. distance between the thumb and the little finger) dotted with several spots at the muzzle end. Through the touch hole or at its breach which contained wood, fire was conveyed to the charge. It was generally used by foot-soldiers. But the big gun had no wood at the breach and was so heavy that it had to be conveyed in carts. The balls were made of iron, lead or other material. Kamandaka uses the word nalika in the sense of firing gun as a signal for the unwary king. Again in the Naisadha, a work of the medieval period, Damayanti is compared to the two bows of the god of love and goddess of love, and her two nostrils to the two guns capable of throwing balls.

Thus there is clear evidence of the existence and use of firing guns in India in very early times. 

The Cakra, the next weapon in the category, is a circular disc with a small opening in the middle. It was of three kinds of eight, six and four spokes. It was used in five or six ways. It resembled the quoid of the Sikhs today. Lord Vishnu is popularly addressed as Sankha-cakra-gada-pani, that is having Sankha or conch, Cakra or disc, and Gada or mace in three of his four hands.The various uses of a disc were felling, whirling, rending, breaking, severing, and cutting. It is one of the instruments peculiar to Lord Vishnu. Kautalya speaks of it as a movable machine. The Cakra belongs to the category of a missile. According to the Vamanapurana, the Cakra has lustrous and sharp edges. 

The Tomara is another weapon of war frequently mentioned in all kinds of warfare. It was of two kinds, an iron club (sarvayasam) and a javelin. . According to the Agni Purana it was to be with the help of an arrow of straight feathers, and was powerful in dealing blows to the eyes and hands of an enemy. 

The Dantakanta, is another weapon of war, perhaps the shape of a tooth, made of metal, of strong handle and a straight blade. It had two movements. 

The Pasa, which is a noose killing the enemy at one stroke, of two or tree ropes used as a weapon attributed to the god Varuna. It was triangular in shape and embellished with balls of lead. It was associated with three kinds of movements. In the Agni Purana are described eleven ways of turning it to one's own advantage by dexterity of hand. 

The Masundi, was probably an eight sided cudgel. It was furnished with a broad and strong handle. It apparently comes from the root-meaning to cleave or break into pieces, and perhaps akin to the Musala. 

All these and more found used in one battle or another both in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. 

Next Tuesday: Part V of War in Ancient India

[Kathy in Alaska]

Interesting flower arrangement today. Thanks men in the Military and the Canteen.

[Spotsy]

My ISP has been going in and out,
and I really should get to work . . . see you later tonight.

[tomkow6]

Are you messin' with me????

[Old Sarge]

FEATHERS!!!

Missed you, last few days...

[beachn4fun]

See you later Spotsy. It's been fun. FR seems to be really run slow for me, so I think it is time to call it quits for now, too. I'll see you tomorrow.

[StarCMC]

I'm here.

Thanks for the warning. ;o)

[Old Sarge]

"Stand aside, this one's MINE!"

[Lady Jag]

You bet I am.

[USAF_TSgt]

Back to work? Are you kidding? Just as I got here?
Actually, I'm just about out of here and heading your way, heading home...

[Fawnn]

American Soldier by TOMMY FRANKS

[tomkow6]

Hi, Fawnn!

Hi, Fawnn's Mom!

String Of Pearls

[StarCMC]

NEWCOME, WALLACE GRANT

Name: Wallace Grant Newcomb
Rank/Branch: O3/United States Air Force
Unit: 13th TFS
Date of Birth: 27 July 1940
Home City of Record: Painted Post NY
Date of Loss: 03 August 67
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 212500 North 1061700 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D

Other Personnel in Incident: none

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

WALLACE G. NEWCOMB
Captain - United States Air Force
Shot Down: August 3, 1967
Released: March 14, 1973

I was born 27 July 1940 in Easton, Pa., but came to Painted Post, N.Y., about
one week later where I have lived ever since. I went through school here and
graduated from high school in the class of '58. After that I went to the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and graduated with a BBA, Bachelor of
Business Administration. I got my commission through the Air Force ROTC
program. So much for school. However, I very much enjoyed my days at the
University and would recommend it without any qualifications or reservations.

I entered the Air Force in Undergraduate Pilot Training at Craig Air Force
Base, Alabama. There we flew T-37s and T-33s. My ambition was to fly the F-105
D, mainly because it was the biggest, fastest and at that time it seemed like
it may have been the last of the single seat fighters. Fortunately that no
longer seems to be the case as single seat aircraft seem to be appearing
again. As luck would have it, I was able to get my F-105 assignment and then
went west to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada for F-105 gunnery school. After
Nellis I went to Germany. This was a good assignment but it did not last long
enough. Then I went to Thailand. At Korat I got shot down on 3 August about 7
AM on a Thursday morning. From then on my story is similar to many others.

I guess my biggest recreational activity is skiing, a sport which I really
love. Incidentally, it was great fun getting started again with all the
changes in equipment and techniques since I last skied. I am also sort of a
bug on sports cars.

So far I am still single and have no pressing plans for marriage. My Mom and
Dad are living and their home is my present address.

I must say that Painted Post gave me a great welcome when I returned to the
states.

December 1996
Wallace Newcomb retired from the NYANG as a Lt. Colnel. He and his wife
Janet reside in South Carolina.

[StarCMC]

0881 Battle at Saucourt: French King Louis III beats the Vikings

This must be on the short list of French military victories....

[Old Sarge]

"So, whatcha think, a super-size doorstop?"

"What do we want?"
"I Don't Know!"
"When do we want it?"
"NOW!!"

"The Americans told me the solution, Achmed: when one steals gasoline, do not take it from an Apache!"

"When the Americans said, 'Beans and Bullets', Rashid, they did NOT mean put them BOTH in the same kettle!"

[StarCMC]

1943 During World War II U.S. General George S. Patton slapped an Army private hospitalized for battle fatigue accusing the young man of cowardice.

You know, I just love Patton. He didn't give a RIP about what people said about him - he was his own person. I wish our military was allowed to operate a little more today like it was in his day without all the pandering to the activist groups.

[Fawnn]

"What do we want?"
"I Don't Know!"
"When do we want it?"
"NOW!!"

Repeating the philosophy of the recent DNC convention? ;)

[StarCMC]

We await with "bated breath." LOL

Ok, you can breathe again! He he he!!

[beachn4fun]

Sean Hannity was talking about this book yesterday. He was saying how good it was.

Here's another one I found relating to another thread. It looks interesting too!

[tomkow6]

MINE

[tomkow6]

MINE