Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

War in Ancient India c7.s2: Section VI: Infantry

War in Ancient India c7.s2

Language
English

Section VI: Infantry

c7.s2.2

The next important division of the army was the infantry, or foot-soldiers. Originally chariots and elephants were mostly used for warfare. By frequent intercourse with countries which produced the finest horses the cavalry took an all-important place. Lastly came the foot-soldiers and the notion came to be entertained more and more with the march of time that the more numerically strong the army, the greater were the possibilities of its success. The *Atharva Veda* refers to one of the battle rites when arming a warrior: ‘I cover thy vitals with armour: let king Soma dress thee over with the immortal: let Varuṇa make for thee (room) wider than wide: after thee conquering let the gods revel.’⁹² One mode of equipment was with the ensigns.⁹³

c7.s2.3

⁹² Bk. VII. 118. 93 Bk. X. 1. 94 *Ar. Śās.* Bk. X. 5. पत्तिव्यूहः पुरस्तादावरणिनः पृष्ठतो धन्विन इति। also Bk. IX.

c7.s2.4

The *Arthaśāstra* speaks of the infantry as a separate army department under the charge of a special officer of the State. This receives confirmation from Megasthenes’ statement.⁹⁴ Besides the *maula* or hereditary troops which formed a considerable portion of the army, there were the *bhṛta* or mercenaries, the *śreṇi* or soldiers supplied by the different group and guild organisations in the state, the *mitra* or soldiers supplied by allies, the *amitra* or deserters from the enemy ranks, and the *āṭavi* or those recruited from forest tribes.⁹⁵ Professor Rapson says that these were probably marshalled, village by village, as in ancient Greece and Germany and as in Afghanistan at the present day. Though the military caste formed the bulk of the army, other castes were also admitted into it, under special circumstances. This classification formed probably a cross-division scheme, including cavalry men also. The value of a hereditary standing army and its loyalty to the king were well recognized.⁹⁶ The soldiers were given the necessary training required for actual operations in the field. They were instructed to fight from low ground or from eminences, to engage in open battle or diplomatic encounters, to fight from trenches and to fight both by day and by night. The *Nitiprakāśikā* gives a list of their duties.⁹⁷ They were to fix camps, supervise the work of free labourers engaged in military service, protect the treasury, arsenal, and other stores, and make arrangements for the formation of battle arrays. According to the *Śukranīti* and the *Kāmandakanītisāra*, the army was to be made as imposing as possible to frighten the enemy by its size. The *Śukranīti* also mentions that foot-soldiers possessed fire-arms when they fought.⁹⁸

c7.s2.5

² Frg. 34. 95 *Ar. Śās.* Bk. IX. 2. मौलभृतश्रेणीमित्राटवीबल। 96 *Niti*, 22, 15. Cp. *Ar. Śās.* तद्भावभावित्वान्नित्यसत्कारानुगमाच्च मौल-बलं मृतबलाच्छ्रेयः Bk. IX. 2.

c7.s2.6

⁹⁷ शोधनं कूपतीर्थानां मार्गाणां शिविरस्य च । स्कंधावारस्य करणं विष्टिकर्मप्रसाधनं ॥ कोशागारायुधागार धान्यागारादिरक्षणं । व्यूहप्राकारकरणं पत्तिकर्म प्रचक्षते ॥ VI. 66-7.

c7.s2.7

⁹⁸ IV. 7.24. See Oppert J.A.O.S. 1888, P. 296 and also C.H.I. I, p. 271.

c7.s2.8

When these foot-soldiers equipped themselves for war, Arrian says that ‘they carry a bow made of equal length with the man who bears it. This they rest upon the ground and pressing against it with their left foot, thus discharge the arrow having drawn the string backwards: for the shaft they use is little short of being three yards long, and there is nothing which can resist an Indian Archer’s shot—neither shield nor breast-plate, nor any stronger defence if such there be. In their left hand they carry bucklers made of undressed ox-hide which are not so broad as those who carry them but are about as long.’

c7.s2.9

शोधनं कूपतीर्थानां मार्गाणां शिविरस्य च ।
स्कंधावारस्य करणं विष्टिकर्मप्रसाधनं ॥
कोशागारायुधागार धान्यागारादिरक्षणं ।
व्यूहप्राकारकरणं पत्तिकर्म प्रचक्षते ॥ VI. 66-7.

c7.s2.10

Another mode of equipping for war is also mentioned. Instead of bows some foot-soldiers were armed with javelins. But all wore swords with broad blades and less than three cubits in length. These were wielded with both hands in close fight to effect a mighty blow.⁹⁹ As if to demonstrate the superiority of disciplined infantry, the *Agnipurāṇa* says that victory ever attends the army where foot-soldiers are numerically strong.¹⁰⁰

c7.s2.11

⁹⁹ Arrian, XVI.

c7.s2.12

¹⁰⁰ सेना पदातिबहुला शत्रूञ्जयति सर्वदा Ch. 228-7. See in this connexion the remarks of Irvine on the Moghul Infantry, p. 57. *The Army of Indian Moghuls*.

c7.s2.13

The *Śukranīti*¹⁰¹ distinguishes the foot-soldiers by the term *svagama* from *anyāgama* applicable to the other three limbs of the *caturanga*. The field suitable to their operations was that which contained huge stones or trees and ant-hills. It was to be free from thorns, and should be even, and wide.¹⁰²

c7.s2.14

¹⁰¹ IV. 7. 3.

c7.s2.15

¹⁰² Cp. *Śānti* 100. 23-25.

Linked texts (7)