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]

Thank you, Sgt, for your service to our country.
Prayers for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Peggy.

Thank you, Luke, for your service to our country, and prayers
for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our National Anthem

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning fellow cubevillians!

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Kathy. How's it going?

And a very pleasant good morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all of our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your continued service to our country.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning Tonk. How's it going?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Diva. How's it going?

[beachn4fun]

50?

[laurenmarlowe]

Good morning to everyone!

[The Mayor]

August 3, 2004

Out Of The Thorns

Read: Hebrews 12:7-11

No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. —Hebrews 12:11

Bible In One Year: Psalms 63-65; Romans 6

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The gorse bush is a shrub that was imported from Europe and now grows wild in the Pacific Northwest. It has dense, dark green shoots, and in springtime it provides a dazzling display of fragrant, vibrant yellow flowers. But it's best known by hikers and fishermen for its vicious spines.

Remarkably, the flowers grow right out of the thorns.

Missionary and artist Lilias Trotter wrote, "The whole year round the thorn has been hardening and sharpening. Spring comes—the thorn does not drop off, it does not soften. There it is as uncompromising as ever, but half-way up appear two brown fuzzy balls, mere specks at first, that break at last—straight out of last year's thorn—into a blaze of golden glory."

So it is with the suffering that accompanies God's chastening. Just when our situation seems hopeless and hardest to bear, tiny signs of life appear that will soon burst into bloom. Take the toughest issue, the most difficult place. There, God in His grace can cause His beauty to be seen in you.

No chastening seems pleasant at the time, "Yet when it is all over we can see that it has quietly produced the fruit of real goodness in the characters of those who have accepted it in the right spirit" (Hebrews 12:11 Phillips). —David Roper

For all the heartaches and the tears,
For gloomy days and fruitless years
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow! —Crandlemire

God's hand of discipline is a hand of love.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Everyone. Good morning to our

Military and our allies.

Thank you Diva for your continued support and hard work.

Let me say first thing..........

I can't believe I got here before there were 50 posts. AND, that I managed to arrive just in time to snag #50. Must be my lucky day. And, I needed it after yesterday. I never did get caught up with all the posts. I'm going to try to stay on top of them today.

Now, I must go a post a few personals so that I can get ready for battle. Got to get more equipment!

[beachn4fun]

Morning Ms. Feather. HUGS! How are you?

[beachn4fun]

Hey Laurenmarlowe........

[beachn4fun]

Morning Mayor. How are you?

[beachn4fun]

Morning EG. HUGS! How are you?

[The Mayor]

Doin well, Thanks..

Runnin out the door..

[beachn4fun]

Good morning. Glad to see you at the Canteen

[beachn4fun]

Morning MEG