War in Ancient India c10.12

c10.12

The make of machines for offence and defence to be used on the ground and in the air is described. Some of these are water machines, musical instruments, doorkeeper machines, streets, houses and pillars by means of ‘yantra’ or machine, and other varieties. These require separate study. Considering briefly some of the flying machines alone that find distinct mention in this work, we find that they were of different shapes like those of elephants, horses, monkeys, different kinds of birds, and chariots. Such vehicles were made usually of wood. We quote in this connexion the following stanzas so as to give an idea of the materials and size, especially as we are in the days of rigid airships navigating the air for a very long time and at a long distance as well.