| Dhanurveda | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Author | Bhrigu orVishvamitra orBharadwaja |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Period | 1100 – 800 BCE[1] |
Dhanurveda (धनुर्वेद) (transl. Science of archery / Knowledge of archery) is aSanskrit treatise on warfare andarchery, traditionally regarded as anupaveda attached toYajurveda (1100 – 800 BCE) and attributed either toBhrigu orVishvamitra orBharadwaja.[2] It is one among the four upavedas toVedas (along withAyurveda,Gandharvaveda, andSthāpatyaveda).[3]
Dhanurveda, a section of the Vedas (1700 BCE – 1100 BCE), contains references to martial arts.[4][5] TheCharanavyuha, authored byShaunaka, mentions fourupaveda (applied Vedas).[6] Included among them are archery (dhanurveda) and military sciences (shastrashastra),[4][5] the mastery of which was the duty (dharma) of the warrior class. Kings usually belonged to thekshatriya (warrior) class and thus served as army commanders. They typically practiced archery, wrestling, boxing, and swordsmanship as part of their education.[7]
Vedic hymns in theRigveda,Yajurveda, andAtharvaveda lay emphasis on the use of the bow and arrow.[8] The second Veda, the Yajurveda, containsDhanurveda (dhanus "bow" and veda "knowledge"), which was an ancient treatise on the science of archery and its use in warfare. Several works of ancient literature refer to Dhanurveda. TheViṣṇu Purāṇa refers to it as one of the eighteen branches of knowledge, and theMahābhārata mentions that it hassutras like other vedas.Śukranīti describes it as that "upaveda of yajurveda" which has five arts or practical aspects.
Dhanurveda describes the practices and uses of archery, bow- and arrow-making, military training, andrules of engagement. The treatise discusses martial arts in relation to the training of warriors, charioteers, cavalry, elephant warriors, infantry etc. It was considered a sin to shoot a warrior in the back and to fight more than one warrior at a time. The bow used in the Vedic period were calleddanush, and were described in detail in the Vedas. The curved shape of the bow is calledvakra inArtha Veda. The bowstring was calledjya, and was strung only when needed. An arrow was called aniṣu, and a quiver was called aniṣudhi.[9]
Many of the popular sports mentioned in the Vedas and the epics have their origins in military training, such as boxing (musti-yuddha), wrestling (maladwandwa), chariot-racing (rathachalan), horse-riding (aswa-rohana) and archery (dhanurvidya).[10]
Other scattered references to fighting arts in medieval texts include theKamandakiya Nitisara (c. 8th century[11] ed. Manmatha Nath Dutt, 1896), theNitivakyamrta bySomadeva Suri (10th century), theYuktikalpataru ofBhoja (11th century) and theManasollasa ofSomesvara III (12th century).
One of the earliest extant manuals of Indian martial arts is in theAgni Purana (dated to between the 8th and the 11th century).[12] TheDhanurveda section of theAgni Purana spans chapters 248–251, categorizing weapons into thrown and unthrown classes and further dividing them into sub-classes. It catalogues training into five major divisions for different types of warriors: charioteers, elephant-riders, horsemen, infantry, and wrestlers.
The work describes nineasanas (stances) for fighting:
A more detailed discussion of archery technique follows.
The section concludes by listing the names of actions or “deeds” possible with various weapons, including 32 positions to be taken with sword and shield (khaḍgacarmavidhau);[13] 11 techniques for using a rope in fighting, 5 “acts in the rope operation,” lists of “deeds” pertaining to thechakram (war-quoit), the spear, thetomara (iron club), thegada (mace), the axe, the hammer, thebhindipāla orlaguda, thevajra, the dagger, the slingshot, and a bludgeon or cudgel. A short passage near the end addresses larger concerns of warfare and explains the various uses of war elephants and men. The text concludes with a description of how to appropriately send the well-trained fighter off to war.[14]
The extantDhanurvedic text is relatively late, found in theAgni Purana (chapters 249–252) which is no earlier than eighth century. Itis an edited version of earlier manuals, containing techniques and instructions for kings preparing for war and training his soldiers. It includes the 5 training divisions — warriors onchariots, elephants,cavalry, infantry, and wrestlers; and five types of weapons — projected with machines (arrows and missiles), thrown by hand (spear), cast by hands and retained (noose), permanently held in hands (sword), and the hands themselves. The text states thatBrahmins andKshatriyas are permitted to teach martial arts and othercastes can be soldiers.[15]
Another extantDhanurveda-Samhita dates to the mid-14th century, by Brhat Sarngadhara Paddhati (ed. 1888).[16]
TheAusanasa Dhanurveda Sankalanam dates to the late 16th century.[17] A 17th-centuryDhanurveda-samhita is attributed toVasistha.
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