Pre-modern Warfare:India And Elsewhere

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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->One it or a version of it existed for a long time in Hindu epic lore.
Second - It is hurled from a catapult device. Ballista is an arrow type of hurling machine.
Third- it has fire as a constituent
fourth- Its kill mechanism is the iron spikes - loha kanta that are spewed or disbursed.
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So the shataghni is just a projectile and not a catapult? What was the catapult that threw the projectile then? The chakra yantra?


<!--QuoteBegin-Hauma Hamiddha+Apr 4 2006, 11:10 AM-->QUOTE(Hauma Hamiddha @ Apr 4 2006, 11:10 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->A quick note: The chapters 2.3 and 2.18 of the arthashAstra, respectively on the provisions for fortification and the weapons to be collected by the military superintendent, provide brief accounts of weapons. I append the Sanskrit verses. I will translate later.

2.3.34 tAsu pAShANa.kuddAlAH kuThArI.kANDa.kalpanAH /
2.3.34 buShuNDI mudgarA daNDAsh.h chakra yantra *shataghnayaH* //
2.3.35 kAryAH kArmArikAH shUlA vedhana agrAsh.h cha *veNavaH* /
2.3.35 *uShTra-grIvyo.agni samyogAH* kupya kalpe cha yo vidhiH //

Some points of note here:
-The shataghni is clearly described as a weapon used to defend the fort along with the chakra-yantra or the wheel driven weapon. It is the same chakra yantra described in the kAla chakra tantra.
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Any details on the chakra yantra? (Shouldn't it be cakra yantra?)

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->-A weapon to hurl tridents through the mouth of tubes is mentioned too in the defense of forts.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What was this weapon called?

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->2.18.05 sarvato-bhadra jAmadagnya bahu-mukha vishvAsa ghAti saMghATI yAnaka parjanyaka bAhu Urdhva bAhv.h ardha bAhUni sthita yantrANi //
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What does it say about the sarvatobharda?

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The tAla-vR^inta and  hasti-vAraka are mentioned here are not ballistas. The tAla-vR^inta is a large bolt with spiked gates that is used to blockade the entry to forts. The hasti-vAraka is a spiked shield used to block charging elephants. I believe the chInas and Mongols also deployed similar blocades.

The sUkarikA and the spR^iktalA are hooks/spikes that are used against legs of men, horses, oxen and elephants.  The veNushara is the tube discharged arrow- possibly similar to what the chInas also used.
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Ah, I see. So the Talavrinta and hastivaraka are not catapults. Ok, will remove the hastivaraka. It might have been somewhat like this?

<img src='http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6633/miscdoorstopper1gg.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Interestingly, Philostratos who wrote the account of the Greek Alexander's campaigns mentioned the use of a Yantra, which he said worked by means of trumpets and thunder as if from the heavens to drive the Greek army away. I've been led to believe that this was the Talavrinta “Clapping Stalk” that created a tempest to unnerve the enemy. So the Talavrinta is just a door stopper like the hastivaraka?

Any more details of the venushara?


Thanks for your patience. Sorry for all the questions. I just want to get the write-ups on indian catapults as correct as possible before the book is published.