Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c18.10

c18.10

**Upanayana for Military Education.** Military science was called Dhanurveda. According to a work called *Dhanurveda-Saṁhitā* attributed to Vasishṭha, an Upanayana ceremony had to be performed by a military student who was given a weapon, while a Vedic Mantra was uttered by the preceptor. In the case of a Brāhmaṇa student it was a bow, for a Kshatriya a sword, for a Vaiśya a lance, and for a Śūdra, a mace. The preceptor, the military master. was to have been accomplished in the use of seven weapons, viz. the bow, the disc, the sword, the spear, the mace, the arms, and the *Khārikārā*.