Essay name: Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (Study)
Author:
Artatrana Sarangi
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages
This is a study in English of the Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (written by Lolla Lakshmidhara) representing an encyclopedic manual for emperors. The Samrajyalaksmipithika encompasses about 3870 verses in addressing topics such as public festivals, governance, warfare (military strategy), and rituals associated with the Tantric worship for the deity Samrajya-Lakshmi.
Chapter 5 - Forts, Castrametation and the Royal Army
55 (of 135)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
550
might have changed and so also the techniques of war,
but the concept of a well-equipped army has turned only
brighter with every passing age and its possession, a
virtual necessity for the rulers.
It is in this light that the informations provided
by SLP on this topic assume important proportions and
are fit to be studied inas-much as these open up the
veils of centuries and reveal before us state of Armed
forces of the time of SLP (16th Century A.D.).
NOW
we propose to deal with the classical four-fold
division of royal army, discussion on each of them, weaponry
like bow and arrows, practices of a bow-man, targets (lak峁)
and arrows of different types, description of expedition
and war and an epitaph on war-martyrs.
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'.
