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Infantry: The Foot-Soldier (Padati) Relative Superiority : The fate of an army at war is basically dependent on the quality of 'men' it comprises of. It is too well-known to repeat that all other components like forts, chariots, horses, elephants or tanks, planes and weaponry etc. in recent times, remain always subservient to the soldiers who handle these and therefore, even in modern times infantry is known as the 'queen of battle'.

551 Importance : Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika, while describing the importance of footsoldiers harps on this point in quite unmistakable terms. The author says that 'among the four-fold army the first three, namely, Chariots, elephants and horses, remain under 51 the fourth category - the foot-soldiers. Therefore, possibly, the author dilates at length on the qualities of a soldier. Much depends on from which family a soldier comes. Selection and recruitment : At the time of recruitment it was possibly the custom to appoint persons from martial 52 families which have produced soldiers of repute for generations - father, uncles, grand-fathers etc. besides his own personal qualities like good conduct, resoluteness of purpose (drdha-vrata) and truthfulness, courage and experience at war. (134.4-5). Personal qualities of a warrior (bhata) : Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika describes a soldier as one, whose limbs are replete with scars of injuries, caused by sharp points of enemy's swords, who in the 51. 52. 'trividham ra thanagasvanamakam balamasti vat / taddhi turvabaladhinamiti nirnitamadride' // (134.24-25) Also Cp. Sukraniti (4.7.23) which prescribes an overdose of foot-soldiers in any army. Perhaps here is referred to the Maula variety of Kautilya and others. Cf. Arthasastra (9.2.1)

552 din of battle is never known to retrace his steps, who with exemplary courage fights out and kills any elephant or horse that chances to come his way etc. Also, we have examples of such brave soldiers who, while placing their master in the rear, continue to fight at the front of the battle field, regardless of their lives. Such combatants while fighting, value their own kith and kins as nothing better than the spectacles of a dream. Thus without any family attachment they fight for the master. Further, the author expects them to fight unitedly in thought (aikamatya) and action, (Cp. Kiratarjuniyam 1.19) while keeping their mind, which is very unsteady, like the leaf of a holy fig tree, under restraint (6-12). he is the meritorious Bravery: In the opinion of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika warrior, who in the midst of great wars does resist the stream of arrows of enemy with the nonchalance of one who has abandoned worldly objects (tyagavan). The warriors are variously compared with the becursed heavenly beings who, on dwindling of merits, have fallen from the starry kingdom (naksatra-pada) etc. (13-14). Dress, Physical features, Weapons etc. : From the description of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika it can begleaned that a soldier used to wear a dress flowing upto his feet (ahaddhakancuka pada) and

553 a girdle tied to his waist (kaksa sannaddha) besides the coat of mail on the breast (vaksasthala vyudhakan kata) and the turban (usnisa) on the head. The soldiers used to be heavily-built, were of exalted stature with prominent chest, firm shoulders, long arms and of great strength. Further, we come to know that they used to wear ornaments at neck and were not unused to sweet perfumes which they applied to their body. Fillets on their head are described to be wound round with wreaths of flowers. (15-20). Weapons: They are stated to be adepts with the use of a variety of weapons like bow and arrows, sword, lance etc. Normally some of them carry a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Some bear discus, some mallethammers, (gada), some bludgeon some bludgeon (parigha) while others carry Spike (sula), hammer (mudgara) and Kuthara or battle-axe. (20-23). Organisation : Commander : For hundred of such soldiers, a man who is braver than others, should be appointed by the king as commander (adhyaksa ). Such a person, we learn, has the privilege of travelling in an andolika (a kind of palanquin drawn by horses), which is fitted with an umbrella, a thong (kasa) and is with musical instruments that are capable of playing tunes (tur]). (25-27)