The Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India, as Represented by the Sanskrit Epic c2.s5.591

c2.s5.591

I have quoted above the absurd statement that all the Kurus were ignorant of the art of stone-fighting, as contrasted with the mountaineers, who are especially ‘stone-fighters.’† But our last reference to the rude and irregular fighting of all combatants will dispute this statement. For when two fighting fail of weapons, they take to aught their ingenuity suggests, ‘dirt, fire, water, ashes, stones, wood,’ and so forth, and then attack with the fists.‡ Fisticuffs, alternating with hairpulling, biting, etc., ends in a wrestling match. If this does not succeed, he whose attendants can help lets them run up and cut the other’s head off.§ In another scene we have resort to fists and feet at once when clubs give out; and such expressions as ‘nail to nail,’ ‘hair to hair,’ ‘tooth to tooth,’ show the close position of combatants.‖