War in Ancient India c9.s3.36

c9.s3.36

The *Śivatattvaratnākara* has an interesting chapter on the use and construction of a fortress.⁵⁸ A king without a fort is compared to a snake without poison and an elephant without a rut. Here nine kinds of fortresses are mentioned. To the classical six of the *Mahābhārata*, three more are added. This only shows that as time went on, the types of fortresses increased in number. According to this late authority, the best are the mountain and the water-fortifications, while the Darudurga and Naradurga belong to the inferior kind. Secret ways with machines and weapons guarding them are mentioned, besides the collection of articles for daily use.