The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c20.56

c20.56

*Shutarnal* — ‘Shutarnal, Zamburak, Shahin. These words seem all three to refer to the same weapon, what we should call a swivel-gun or wall-piece. Shutarnal is literally “camel-gun barrel”, and denotes the fact that they were sometimes carried on and fired from camels’ backs. Zamburak is derived from *Zambur*, a bee or wasp, with a diminutive added, and thus means ‘a little wasp’, probably in allusion to its sound when fired, or its power of stinging or wounding. *Shahin* literally “falcon”, seems a later name for the same thing; a name which was brought into India by Nadir Shah.’ Irvine, *The Army of the Indian Moghuls*, pp. 135-6.