War in Ancient India c8.68

c8.68

Bhīṣma says⁴¹ that kings desirous of victory should manufacture a variety of arms and armour both for animals like elephants and bulls, and for soldiers. The armour for animals must be made of durable leather so as to afford protection against cuts or thrusts from bones, thorns, or other keen-edged objects. The arms consisted of well-tempered iron weapons of all sorts and sizes. It is also said that swords, lances, standards of different hues, coats of mail, yak tails, banners, battle-axes, spears, shields, bells and other instruments were to be made in enormous quantities and housed in their respective places in the store room.