War in Ancient India c6.s1.11

c6.s1.11

In the Epics again aurva figures as a fire-arm.⁴² Aurvāgni means subterranean fire, the invention of which was probably attributed to the sage Aurva. It cannot be taken seriously as a fire-arm and may fitly find a place among the mythical weapons of offence. We have spoken already of nārāca, and it is worthy of note that the term appears side by side with nālikā in the Epics.⁴³ Evidently they refer to two distinct types of metallic arrows. The nālikas were missiles often barbed. In later days the term meant guns.