Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis)
by S. Anusha | 2016 | 34,012 words
This page relates 鈥楧hanus (Bow)鈥� of the study on the Nitiprakasika by Vaisampayana which deals primarily with with Dhanurveda, i.e., the science of war, weapons and military strategies of ancient Indian society. It further contains details on Niti-shastra, i.e., the science of politics and state administration but most verses of the Nitiprakashika deal with the classification and description of different varieties of weapons, based on the four groups of Mukta, Amukta, Muktamukta and Mantramukta.
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Dhanus (Bow)
[Full title: War weapons > 艢腻蝉迟谤补蝉 > Mukt膩yudhas > Dhanus (Bow)]
The Dhanus and 滨峁 together form an inseparable unit; but 狈墨迟颈辫谤补办腻艣颈办腻 terms the two as two different 尘耻办迟腻测耻诲丑补蝉.
(a) Manner of stringing the bow:
According to the rules of dhanurveda, the bow is to be bent with the left hand; by drawing the 驳耻峁嘺 (string) upto the ear and holding the bow from behind placing the left thumb on the lastaka and the four fingers on its back. By fixing the eye on the aim and nothing else the arrow is to be released.
This will help one to protect oneself (IV. 11-4):
[...]
(b) Lak峁a[1] :
The targets which are thus attacked using the arrow are of different types. Also, the method of destroying each of these targets is also different.
Accordingly the target and the method of destroying them are (IV.15-7):
[...]
(1) 础惫颈肠腻濒测补 (Stationary)鈥揵reaking asunder the mountains.
(2) 厂奴办峁补 (Subtle)鈥揷utting of thread or twine or string which holds a bunch of flowers.
(3) 厂耻办耻尘腻谤补 (Light)鈥揵reaking of egg shells.
(4) Guru (Heavy) 鈥揻elling huge bodies like elephants or demons
(c) Movements of Dhanus in hitting the target[2] :
Fourteen different movements are possible with the Dhanus while releasing the 滨峁, to hit the target. The meaning of the technical terms indicating the movements given in the text can be understood clearly with the help of the commentary 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈
Accordingly, the fourteen movements are (IV. 18-9):
[...]
(1) 笔谤补迟颈蝉补苍诲丑腻苍补鈥揳iming properly
(2) 膧办补谤峁峁嘺鈥搕wanging by pulling the string鈥�[...]
(3) 痴颈办补谤峁峁嘺鈥�腻办补谤峁峁嘺 with the bow bent low鈥�[...]
(4) 笔补谤测腻办补谤峁鈥搒haking the bow all around鈥�[...]
(5) 础苍耻办补谤峁鈥損ulling bow while chasing enemy鈥�[...]
(6) 惭补峁囜笉补濒墨办补谤补峁嘺鈥揹rawing bow for shooting by moving in circular motion鈥�[...]
(7) 笔奴谤补峁嘺鈥揻illing the directions with twanging noise鈥揫...]
(8) 厂辫丑腻谤补峁嘺鈥搗ibrating the 顿丑补苍耻蝉鈥揫...闭
(9) 顿丑奴苍补苍补鈥揷overing the enemy by moving the hands 诲颈蹿蹿别谤别苍迟濒测鈥�[...]
(10) 叠丑谤腻尘补峁嘺鈥搒winging it in such a way that the enemy is confused鈥�[...]
(11) 膧蝉补苍苍补辫腻迟补鈥搒hooting nearby鈥�[...]
(12) 顿奴谤补辫腻迟补鈥搒hooting afar
(13) 笔峁涐梗峁璦辫腻迟补苍补颈鈥搒hooting backwards
(14) 惭补诲丑测补尘补辫腻迟补苍补鈥搒hooting at medium range
(d) Varieties of Dhanus[3] :
The different varieties of the Dhanus elucidated are: (IV. 21-2):
[...]
(1) 艢腻谤峁単颈办补鈥�罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says that this is the bow that is made of horns; it is bent in three places: [...]
(2) Vainava鈥揂ccording to 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈, this bow is made of 痴别峁嘘 (bamboo); it is curved like a rainbow.
It is of four cubits in length鈥�
[...]
罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 quotes 惭别诲颈苍墨 here in support of the above words -
[...]
(3) 艢补蝉迟谤补鈥揟his bow is used to fling vaitastika 产腻峁嘺蝉 (arrows of 12 补峁単耻濒补蝉 length). This bow has two strings and used to shoot pebbles. The length is of three hands and thickness is of two fingers.
(e) Armours for the archer:
The wrist guard and finger protective coverings (thimble) used by archers. In addition to these, the warriors also use the helmet, neck-guard and kavaca made of skin of 驳辞诲丑腻 (alligator) (IV. 23, 25): [...]
(f) Stances of archer:
The archers take different positions in order to hit the target with accuracy. The various positions (See Appendix II)are (IV. 24): [...]
(1) 笔谤补迟测腻濒墨岣峢补鈥揃ending fully low to touch the ground 鈥揫...]
(2) 膧濒墨岣峢补鈥揃ending half by spreading the left leg forward鈥�[...]
(3) Samapada鈥揝tanding with both the feet in an even position鈥�[...]
(4) 痴颈艣腻濒补鈥揝preading both legs equally apart鈥揫...]
(5) 惭补峁囜笉补濒补鈥揝itting with both legs folded together鈥揫...]
(g) Movements of an archer on a chariot:
The movements possible for the archer fighting from a chariot are (IV. 26-7):
[...]
(1) 笔谤补诲补办峁峁嘺鈥揼oing clockwise, from right to left
(2) 艢补颈驳丑谤测补鈥揼oing swiftly
(3) 础辫谤补诲补办峁峁嘺鈥搑everse of 笔谤补诲补办峁峁嘺
(4) Gatam鈥揷harging towards enemy
(5) 笔谤补迟测腻驳补迟补鈥搑eturning (opposite of gatam)
(6) 惭补峁囜笉补濒补鈥搕urning around
(7) Avasthiti -returning
(8) 惭颈艣谤补峁嘺鈥搈oving along enemy鈥檚 chariot
(9) 厂辫丑辞峁璦苍补鈥揵reaking of enemy鈥檚 惫测奴丑补
(10) 痴墨迟丑颈鈥搒traight movement
The use of Dhanus and 滨峁 as principal war weapons can be traced to the Vedas. The terms 颈峁办峁泃 and 颈峁办腻谤补 occurring in the 峁欢惫别诲补 indicate that there was a regular profession of making arrows. The 碍补耻艣墨迟补办颈 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 (IV.2) records that bow with three arrows was a 诲补办峁峁嘺 in the Abhyudita sacrifice. 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (245.5.6;7-10) talks of three varieties of bow鈥搈ade of steel, horn or wood. It also explains in detail how to use the bow and arrow (249.9.19).
搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 says that 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 when they went to forest, carried with them bow, arrows, quivers, swords, armour (II.31.29); also 驳辞诲丑腻 and 补峁単耻濒颈迟谤腻峁嘺 (II. 99.23).
搁补驳丑耻惫补峁兣沘[4] mentions warriors fighting mostly with bows and arrows.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
痴补艣颈峁ａ弓丑补鈥檚 Dhanurveda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻 (II. 60) mentions about warriors striking targets from different places: [...] 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (249. 37) also registers that warriors strike when on animal back, on foot or on chariot.
[3]:
础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补 (II.18.8) mentions six types of bows as鈥�迟腻濒补, d膩rava, 艣腻谤峁単补, 办腻谤尘耻办补, 办辞诲补峁囜笉补 and 诲谤奴峁嘺
[4]:
搁补驳丑耻惫补峁兣沘 -III. 53, 57; VII. 38; IX. 12, 61