War in Ancient India c6.s5.9

c6.s5.9

It is needless to mention that there is a close link between the Arthaśāstra literature and the epic and Puraṇic literature. The Asuras or the demon warriors put on armour made of the skins of elephants, antelopes, and barks of some trees.¹¹⁹ It is said that during the fight between the king of Virāṭa and Suśarma, all the soldiers put on their respective coats of mail. Virāṭa's brother Śatānīka wore one of adamant, and ornamented with gold, whilst his eldest son Sankarṣaṇa had a coat of well-tempered iron.¹²⁰ Again, the great warrior Kṛpa’s mail armour was of tiger-skin.¹²¹ In the *Mahābhārata* war all had finger-guards and put on coats of mail made of the skin of the antelopes and other animals.¹²² And Duryodhana had a helmet formidable to look at.¹²³ The soldiers had also bracelets made of bull’s hide.¹²⁴ Jayadratha, the great king and warrior, wore a plate of gold which was broken into two pieces by Saubhadra’s sword.¹²⁵ When Bharata came to meet his brother Rāma, Guha, the lord of the Niṣādhas took him for an enemy and asked his followers to be ready for an attack with their mail accoutrements.¹²⁶