History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.480.2

v4.c62.480.2

Dikshitar's book on the same subject may be consulted for details. The numerous weapons mentioned in the Mahābhārata (e. g. Udyoga 155. 3-9) also are passed over here. Vide Hopkins' paper in J. A. O. S. Vol. XIII pp. 269-303 for detailed descriptions. The Allahabad Stone Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta (middle of 4th century A. D.) contains a long list of weapons (C I. I. III pp. 6-7).280a One important question is whether gunpowder and fire-arms were known to our ancient and medieval works. Śukra refers to gunpowder called *agnicūrṇa* in II. 93,196, IV. 7. 203, guns (IV. 7. 209-211) and gives the formula of gunpowder in IV. 7. 201 (viz. the mixing of five *palas* of saltpetre, one *pala* of sulphur and one *pala* of coal powder). The Śukranītisāra is comparatively a late work and was probably written in the 13th or 14th century when cannon came to be used in Europe for the first time. Both in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata the word *śataghnī* (killing a hundred people) occurs frequently. In the Yuddhakhāṇḍa²⁸¹ 3. 13 it is stated that at the gates of Laṅkā hundreds of iron śataghnīs, looking burnished, sharp and terrible, had been arranged by the demons. In a poetic description of Laṅkā in the Sundarakāṇḍa chap. 2, it is said that śataghnīs and śūlas were like the hair on the head of Laṅkā (verse 21).