Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c17.74

c17.74

**Contents of Military Training.** We may also give in this connection some details of the military training which the Kshatriya princes receive in the Epic. The art of warfare was made up of several arts connected with the traditional divisions of the ancient Hindu army, viz. the horse, the foot, the elephant, and the chariot. The entire military science and art of the age seem to have been comprehended by the generic term *Dhanurveda*, the dhanu or bow being regarded as the type or symbol of all weapons or methods of warfare. Thus the *Dhanurveda* or the general science of weapons and warfare is mentioned in different references as conveying different kinds of military knowledge or accomplishments In one [vii, 45, 17] the heroes are "equipped with the strength born of the skill acquired" (*śikshābalopetāḥ*). In another [vi, 74, 10; also 82, 37; 90, 42, etc.], "lightness of hand" (*pāṇilāghava*) is acquired. Other references [ix, 22, 16; vii, 142, 38; 169, 3] mention "lightness and cleverness" (*lāghava* and *saushṭhava*). The *Dhanurveda* also imparts the "knowledge of seizing weapons" (*Śastragrahaṇavidyā*, vi, 76, 7 and vii, 114, 4). It also teaches the arts of mounting a car (*āroha*), leaping down (*paryavaskanda*), running (*saraṇa*), leaping easily (*sāntarapluta*), discharging weapons simultaneously (*samyakpraharaṇa*), and of advancing and retreating (*yāna vyapayāna*) [vi, 76, 8; cf. *Rāmāy.*, vi, 69, 30 ff.]. All this shows that the *Dhanurveda* is the same as Astraśikshā or art of handling missiles [vi, 118, 21]. Another passage [vii, 23, 39] even speaks of a man as being a paragon (*pāraga*) of proficiency "in the Dhanurveda of missiles and Brahmaveda". The *Rathaśikshā* or skill with the car became also a part of the Dhanurveda, wherefrom the knight learnt the art of "circling" with his war-car, of "doubling and returning", and the negative skill of avoiding being made a *viratha* (deprived of one's war-car), and preventing it from being splintered into fragments by the enemy's blows. There was also taught the skill in the use of armour so as to make it invulnerable. The skill seems to have been imparted by oral instruction. Droṇa knew "how to instruct one to wear the breastplate so that it should be invulnerable" [vii, 48, 27; 103, 17 (varma bhāsvaram)]. One passage [i, 139, 6, 17] extends the scope of Dhanurveda so as to include the knowledge of fighting with all weapons of which the bow is a mere type, viz. fighting with club, sword, car, bow, arrow, and missiles. This extended scope leads to its four divisions [i, 130, 21; iii, 37, 4; v, 158, 3; ix, 44, 22], according to the weapons taught or methods of using them [iii, 115, 45]. Though it is called a Veda (or more properly Upaveda) to denote its literary existence it was not studied naturally in the manner of the study of the other Vedas, of memorizing the texts. The learner must study it in isolation and by practice with his arms; if necessary, he must seek the aid of a teacher to show him their use; and, in one case, he makes an earthen idol of the ideal teacher and worships him, so that he may imbibe his excellence by his self-absorption. Ekalavya left home for the sake of his practice, which thus included both physical exercise and spiritual, for the perfect marksman must not see anything but the target [i, 132, 33; 133, 5; 131, 42; 132, 13, 14, 34-5]. That the study of the Dhanurveda is to be principally by practice is also shown from the case of Arjuna who goes out and practises even at night and thus becomes an expert in the various military arts such as those connected with the management of horses, elephants, and the like [i, 132, 28].