Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis)
by S. Anusha | 2016 | 34,012 words
This page relates 鈥楽amhara weapons (1): Sopasamhara-astras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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Sa峁僪膩ra weapons (1): 厂辞辫补蝉补峁僪腻谤补-astras
[Full title: War weapons > Astras > 厂补峁僪腻谤补蝉 > 厂辞辫补蝉补峁僪腻谤补-astras]
狈墨迟颈辫谤补办腻艣颈办腻 II. 22-7 enlists the forty four astras falling under the 厂辞辫补蝉补峁僪腻谤补 variety.
Some of the names are explained by the commentary with interesting and pertinent remarks:
[...]
(1) 顿补峁囜笉补肠补办谤补鈥揇iscus of punishment[1]
(2) Dharmacakra鈥揇iscus of right
(4) Aindracakra鈥揇iscus of Indra
(5) 艢奴濒补惫补迟补鈥揝pear (like) of 艢颈惫补; the commentary 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 makes a note that it is 艣耻濒补惫补迟补 merely in name鈥揫...闭 Probably he means that it is not the trident of Lord 艢颈惫补. 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 also notes that there is an alternative reading as 艣奴濒补惫补谤补鈥揫...闭
(6) 叠谤补丑尘补艣墨谤峁鈥揾ead of Brahma; 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says that it is different from[...]鈥揫...闭
(7) 惭辞诲补办墨鈥搕丑别 charmer
(8) 艢颈办丑补谤墨鈥搕丑别 pointed; These two are considered by 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 as other names of 驳补诲腻; probably varieties of 驳补诲腻
(9) 顿丑补谤尘补辫腻艣补鈥搉oose of right
(10) 痴补谤耻峁嘺辫腻艣补鈥搉oose of 痴补谤耻峁嘺
(11) 笔补颈苍腻办腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of 艢颈惫补; This is explained as the weapon of Agni - [...]
(13) 艢耻峁补鈥搕丑别 dry
(14) 膧谤诲谤补鈥搕丑别 wet; 补艣补苍颈 is another name of these two weapons, 艢耻峁补 and 膧谤诲谤补, emitting fire - [...]
(15) 艢颈办丑补谤腻蝉迟谤补办补鈥搕丑别 flaming missile
(16) 碍谤补耻帽肠腻蝉迟谤补鈥搕丑别 碍谤补耻帽肠补 missile
(17) 贬补测补艣墨谤峁鈥�horse-headed missile
(18) 痴颈诲测腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of knowledge
(19) 础惫颈诲测腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of ignorance
(20) 骋补苍诲丑补谤惫腻蝉迟谤补鈥搕丑别 Gandharva missile
(21) 狈补苍诲补苍腻蝉迟谤补鈥搄oy-producing missile; Commentary explains it as having 惫颈诲测腻诲丑补谤补 as 诲别惫补迟腻 -[...] it also records that it is also known as asiratna - [...]
(22) 痴补谤峁苍补鈥搑ainy missile
(23) 艢辞峁苍补鈥揹rying missile
(24) 笔谤补蝉惫腻辫补苍补鈥搒leep-causing missile
(25) 笔谤补艣补尘补苍补鈥搕丑别 soothing missile; pacifies the anger of the enemy, says 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈鈥�[...]
(26) 厂补苍迟腻辫补苍补鈥搕ormenting missile
(27) 痴颈濒腻辫补苍补鈥搘ailing missile
(28) Madana[2] -deluding missile; According to 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 it creates madness in the minds of the attacked - [...]
(29) 惭腻苍补惫补鈥搈issile of Manu; 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says it throws the enemy to a far off place - [...]
(30) 艢腻尘补苍补[3] 鈥揷onciliatory missile
(31) 罢腻尘补蝉补鈥搈issile of darkness; 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says that it creates delusion in the minds of the enemy鈥�[...]
(32) 厂补峁僾补谤迟补鈥搕丑别 rolling missile
(33) Mausala鈥揷lub-shaped missile
(34) Satya鈥搈issile of truth
(35) Saura鈥搈issile of Sun
(36) 惭腻测腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of illusion; 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says that it is different from those of the asuras but it creates delusions - [...]
(37) 罢惫腻峁ａ弓谤补鈥搈issile of 痴颈艣惫补办补谤尘补
(38) 厂辞尘腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of the moon
(39) 厂补峁僪补谤补鈥搈issile of restraining; this is explained by 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 as that which takes away one鈥檚 life - [...]
(40) 惭腻苍补蝉补鈥搒piritual missile
(41) 狈腻驳腻蝉迟谤补鈥搈issile of the serpent; 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈惫峁泃颈 says that it shall bind the enemy like a serpent - [...]
(42) 骋补谤耻岣嵞乻迟谤补 -missile of 骋补谤耻岣峚
(43) 艢补颈濒补[4] 鈥搑ocky missile; according to the commentary, this astra effectively creates a line of mountains to ward off the enemy attack in the form of astras like 惫腻测补惫测腻蝉迟谤补-[...]
(44) 莫蝉颈办补鈥搑eed missile
Footnotes and references:
[3]: