India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c12.s6.54

c12.s6.54

(6) *Jyābāṇeya*, a war-like tribe whose bow-string served as arrow. The Vrātyas of the *Tāṇḍya Br.* (XVII.1.24) and the *Śrautasūtras* appear to be the same as Pāṇini's *āyudha-jīvī Saṅghas* of *Vrāta* type. Amonst them we have a feature called *jyā-hroḍa*, a kind of bow not for shooting arrows (*anishu-dhanushka*, *Lāṭ. Śr.*, VIII.7; and *ayogya dhanu*, *Kāt. Śr.*, XXII. 4.13), which seems to be a contrivance for hurling sling balls, most probably a pellet-bow. The *Jyābāṇeyas* seem to be a section of these Vrātyas. The *Mahābhārata* specifically mentions the Mountaineers (*Pārvatīyas*) as experts in fighting by hurling stone-blocks as big as elephant heads, and secondly by shooting stone-balls with slings (*kshepaṇīya*, Droṇaparva, 121. 34-35).