Pre-modern Warfare:India And Elsewhere

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<!--QuoteBegin-Hauma Hamiddha+Apr 4 2006, 02:17 PM-->QUOTE(Hauma Hamiddha @ Apr 4 2006, 02:17 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->In the Itrans transliteration scheme it is chakra- the first 'ch' (as in china) is cha. The aspirate form is written as Ch (Tamil does not distinguish the two). A quick note regarding the chakra yantra. It is described in the chapter 1.150 onwards in the Hindu version, may be slightly different in the bauddha version which has been translated:
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I tried typing in Chakra into the online sanskrit translator but drew a blank. Cakra however, gives me a disc/circular blade like weapon. Ok then. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> What does Chakra translate as then?

If the Shataghni is not a catapult but a catapult projectile, any ideas on the catapult that threw the Shataghni?

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The chakra yantras are placed on the fort walls or on towers along fort walls. It has a lower wheel with its rim attached with sharp swords or blades. The wheel has a upper sail that powers the wheel with wind or it is attached to a water wheel. The wheel rotates rapidly cutting up those who come its way.
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If I read this correctly, this means that the Chakra yantra wasn't a catapult as well right?

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Etymologically:
tAla- in many modern indian languages means bolt/lock/bar. vR^inta means frame or a spike. So clearly as the commentators state tAlavR^inta was blocade. vAraka root in sankrit going back to proto-Indo-Iranian period is a block. So both were unlikely to be catapults.
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Ok, I think I understand now. So the talavrinta and the hastivaraka were similar.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The vajra yantra is more likely to match the account of Philostratos. The kAlachakra tantra describes it thus:
"A waving vAta-paTTa (wind-cloth) and a stambha (post) are fastened in one samudra-ashri dhAra ma~Ncha (ocean–cornered platform). Men pull the machine from the back side by the rope, and it makes rocks goes up from the earth. It falls on houses descending like the crash of the vajra (thunderbolt).
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This really sounds like a lever principled traction catapult. I'm assuming the vatapatta would be a sling of some sort and the dharamancha the catapult pivot frame?

This account from the kAlachakra tantra makes it quite clear that is was a catapult, but the kAlachakra tantra dates to the 10th century A.D. which would be after the Islamic invasions of northern India, so any mention of catapults might have incorporated catapult ideas and principles from the middle east.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->If you really want more precise engineering details try to get hold of the yantra chapter of the samarangaNa sUtradhAra of king bhoja deva. Unfortunately I do not have my copy with me here.
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I'll see what I can get from the library. Hopefully it'll be in English. However, King bhoja lived ca. 1000-1055 A.D. after the Islamic invasions so again, any mention of catapults in the samarangana sutradhara from a cursory reading of the text, is not immediately clear that they are of Indian in origin.

Thanks for the help so far. What you've been throwing up is just amazing stuff.