War in Ancient India c15.8

c15.8

If we pass on to the Epic period we find different varieties of musical instruments. E. W. Hopkins who has made some study of these instruments⁵ seems to think that *bherī* may not be cymbals. *Bherī* is certainly a special sort of drum. There was also a *mahābherī*. The old *dundubhi* was there and it was often accompanied by the *bherī*. The *bherī* was sounded by beating, and the beating of the *bherī* was a call to arms.⁶ Other varieties of the drum mentioned in the epic are *paṇava*, *krakaca*, *ānaka* (beaten at one end), *mahānaka*, *Peśī* (*kāhalā*), *puṣkara* and *paṭaha*. There is a doubt whether *krakaca* said to be *jayamangala* by the commentator can come under the category of drums.⁷