War in Ancient India c6.27

c6.27

The arrow comes next. Its length is three cubits. Two movements are peculiar to it. How an arrow came to be designated śara is seen in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa,¹⁹ where it is stated that when Indra threw his thunderbolt against Vṛtra it became separated into four parts. The first three were the wooden sword (sphya), post (yūpa) and the chariot. The last piece which was broken off by the blow fell on the ground as a śara (arrow). Because it was broken it came to be so designated. There are also other references to it. What the arrow-head is to the arrow so is the Agni to the sacrifice.²⁰ The Kauṣitakī Brāhmaṇa mentions it as a part of the sacrificial fee.²¹