The Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India, as Represented by the Sanskrit Epic c2.s5.612

c2.s5.612

But the *yantra* is generally a defense in a fort (ii. 5. 36), over the gates of towns (iii. 15. 5; xii. 69. 45), where the use is nowise explained, except as by the later commentators taken to be machines to cast iron balls with powder, i. e. cannon. Here they are at most catapults.† The so-called *astrayantra*, instead of meaning cannon, means a manœuvre in fighting (as a technical term).‡ But the *yantra* is not unknown on the field; hence its peculiar properties, had it had any, could not have escaped notice (vi. 17. 33; 54. 55, 61; with *tomara*, *tūnīra*, etc.). Again, we find that, when elephants are on a peaceful march, they carry *yantra* already ‘strung,’ with other weapons.§ The later division of the army as six-fold, including ‘treasure and *yantra*,’ applies to any machines (see above). The noise produced by the *yantra* may be thought, in spite of this number of disproving examples, to favor the meaning of cannon. For we read ‘the noise of the great bow was like that of a *yantra*.’ But there is no reason why the catapult discharging stone should not be so used; and negatively, again, why is the smoke of the discharge never alluded to?‖