War in Ancient India c7.s3.29

c7.s3.29

But it is in a later work, the Yuktikalpataru of Bhoja, that we have three classes of ships—the Sarvamandira, the Madhyamandira, and the Agramandira. The first was called Sarvamandira because it had apartments all round. In the Sarvamandira were carried treasures, animals, and ladies of the harem. This was the vessel ordinarily used by kings in times of peace. The Madhyamandira was so called because the living apartments were situated in the middle. It was a sporting vessel and generally used in the rainy season. The vessel of the third kind, the Agramandira, took its name from the circumstance that the living room was located in front or at the top of the vessel. The Agramandira was used for distant and perilous voyages and also sea-fights.¹²⁰ There are also in the Yuktikalpataru other references to vessels. There are 27 types of ships mentioned here, the largest having the measurement 276 ft. × 36 ft. × 27 ft. weighing roughly 2,300 tons. The following passage points to the use of ships in warfare. The line: *naukādyam vipadam jñeyam*¹²¹ makes it clear that naval expeditions were common. Under the heading of *yānam* or march mention is made of expeditions by land, water and air. We shall examine these later on in detail.