War and Weapons in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺

Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates 鈥榃ar and Weapons in the Matsya Purana鈥� of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

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War and Weapons in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺

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The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 discusses the causes of war. 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈 and Candra had a conflict with the 罢腻谤腻. Because the Candra had kidnapped 罢腻谤腻. After many explanations of 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈 and other gods, even when the Candra did not return the 罢腻谤腻, there was a war with the Candra (P鈥�23/29). 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补鈥檚 war was for expansion of domination. The demons wanted to be richer than the gods and rule over them, sothe gods struggled (MP-47/41). However, sometimes it is said in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that the kingdom is conquered by fighting in accordance with the 碍峁Ｄ乼谤补惫颈诲丑颈 .^[1] As K膩rtavirya Arjuna conquered the whole world by following the 碍峁Ｄ乼谤补惫颈诲丑颈.^[2] It is said in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that difference persons, Rathi and 惭补丑腻谤补迟丑颈 also acquired titles. Such as K膩rtavirya Arjuna (MP-43/25), 艢颈惫补 (MP-47/155) etc.

In Hindu military science, apart from morality, restraint has also been valued and as a result, a beautiful combination of the two codes of conduct has taken place. The principle of war has also been mentioned in several episodes of Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥揟he gods refrained from fighting because the demons gave up their weapons.^[3] The principle of war is that if the opposition gives up arms or surrenders, they can no longer be fought. When Agni attacked during the destruction of Tripura, he killed the wives there and did not treat them politely. Agni destroyed beautiful gardens, temples, house and also burned wives and children. Then Agni is reprimanded by a demon鈥檚 wife because Agni had thus cruelly violated the principle of war.^[4] The general rule of war is that warriors must fight opponents of their equal ability. But in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补, Dev and Asura broke that rule and stared fighting with the infantry, the warriors of the chariot, the cavalry and the elephants. Ambassadors were sent to the opposition before the actual war began. Before the battle, Indra sent a messenger to 罢腻谤补办腻 saying that Indra was the ruler of the heavens. In fact, it inspired the 罢腻谤补办腻 to fight (M.P.-159/23).

The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 mentions the fourfold class of armies. This included a combination of chariots, elephants, cavalry and infantry. The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , calls this combined force as 鈥�Caturanga 鈥� or 鈥�Caturangabala鈥�.^[5] In the 148th chapter of the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , it is said that Candra, Surya and A艣vin墨kumars also joined with the Caturangi army in the fight against the 罢腻谤补办腻.^[6] King Dyumatsena regained his lost kingdom by the Caturanga army.^[7] This Caturangi army should be deployed in autumn and spring (惭笔鈥�240/21).

The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺a also mentions about various weapons use in war.

Bows, Arrows and Quiver:

This weapon is frequently mentioned in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Yamar膩ja became angry and threw a fire鈥搇颈办别 arrows on the Grasana (MP-150/11). Jambha, on the other hand, started throwing arrows to block Kuber鈥檚 path.^[8] The bow is also mentioned as a weapon of Lord 艢补苍办补谤补, which is called 鈥�Pinaka 鈥�.^[9] There are also examples of Tripura being ignited by three arched arrows in the coop of 艢补苍办补谤补.^[10] There are also descriptions of arrow bows in many places. For example, 笔峁泃丑耻 was born with an arrow and a bow^[11], Yadu鈥檚 son was called the great archer 鈥楳补丑别艣惫补蝉腻鈥�^[12], K膩rtavirya arjuna was called 鈥樑歛r膩sani鈥� for his heroism in archery^[13], Rukmakavaca defeated many archers and win the world.^[14] Chapter 149 also mentions a number of weapons such as鈥�叠丑腻濒腻, Vajra, 骋补诲腻 (Mace), 碍耻迟丑腻谤补 (axe), arched arrow and Ardhacandra 叠丑腻濒腻 (MP鈥�149/7, 8, 9).

Fire-Arm:

There are many references to fire arms in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . In the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补, for example Jambha used a weapon called 鈥�Ayogudana 鈥�.^[15] Lots of weapons were stored in the king鈥檚 fort. He had a weapon called 鈥�骋耻诲腻 鈥� in it.^[16] In the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 , Jambha also uses a firearm called 鈥�碍耻苍辫腻苍补 鈥�.^[17] During the battle between Hiranyakasipur and 狈补谤补蝉颈峁僪补, Hiranyakasipu beat 狈补谤补蝉颈峁僪补 with another firearm called 鈥�艢补迟补驳丑苍颈 鈥�.^[18] At the beginning of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 鈥檚 war, there was talk of using a firearm called 鈥�狈腻濒颈办补 鈥� in the war.^[19] All of the above weapon belong to firearms.

Javelin:

This is one of the weapons in the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 .^[20] A weapon called 鈥�艢补办迟颈 鈥� was used in the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-150/79) which was made of gold bells or made of gold metal (MP-160/22). It was extremely terribly sharp and the nozzle was attached to the fire (MP-150/7, 9, 232; 151/22; 153/208). There is also a reference to such a weapon called 鈥�Tomar 鈥� in the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-140/14, 149/8, 173/12) which was very bright and sharp (MP-177/13, 148/93). This weapon was also kept in the king鈥檚 fort (MP-217/29).

Many such weapons were also used in the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 such as 笔谤腻蝉补 (MP-149/7; 150/1, 10, 73, 231; 151/7), 叠丑颈苍诲颈辫腻濒补 (MP-149/7, 150/10, 153/32), Kunta (MP-153/33), 艢补苍办耻 (MP-149/8), 艢耻濒补 (MP-135/37; 140/6, 14, 19; 149/8) and 罢谤颈艣耻濒补 (MP-138/31). 罢谤颈艣耻濒补 was also collected in the fort of the king (MP-217/31).

Club:

The 骋补诲腻 (mace) is one of these weapons which is significant weapon used in the war of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-140/14, 39). It has also been called only as 鈥�Astra 鈥� (MP-135/70). Gada鈥檚 account states that it was jeweled, heavy, divine, radiant made of iron and adorned with gold (MP-150/69-71, 177/28, 160/19). 惭耻艣补濒 is another similar weapon used in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤腻 (MP-140/6, 14; 137/34; 148/89, 92). It is also said in its description that it is heavy and bright (MP-140/6, 177/10). Danda is another weapon used in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-140/6; 150/16, 19, 41; 162/32).

Battle-axe, Hatchet:

鈥�笔补谤补艣奴 鈥� (MP-150/67, 153/31), and 鈥�笔补谤补艣惫补诲丑腻 鈥� which is very sharp and divine (MP-136/39, 138/14, 31, 138/45, 140/6, 138/44, 150/159) and 鈥�碍耻迟丑腻谤补 鈥� (MP-153/133) such weapon was one of the weapons used in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补. The 鈥�碍耻迟丑腻谤补 鈥� also collected in the King鈥檚 fort (MP-217/31).

Cakra:

This weapon is basically the weapon of Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. Therefore, the incarnations of Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 also have the pattern of holding this weapon. This Cakra was used in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-149/8; 150/73, 203; 152/2). It has been said that 痴颈峁ａ箛耻鈥檚 Cakra is also known as 鈥�Sudarsana 鈥� which is equal to a thousand sun in darkness and as strong as Vajra (MP-151/34). Cakravartin鈥檚 Cakra is one of the gems (MP-142/63). K膩rtavirya Arjuna was called Cakrin (MP-43/25).

Sword:

Usually swords were the main weapon in war. So this sword was also used in the battle of 顿别惫腻蝉耻谤补 (MP-136/39; 138/14, 45; 148/85). It was sharp (MP-148/85, 150/159) and as bright as the moon (MP-136/35). It was kept in a scabbard and pulled out during the war (MP-153/209). It was also collected and kept in the king鈥檚 fort (MP-217/30). K膩rtaviry膩rjuna was called as Khargin (MP-43/25). 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 also held this sword to kill the Jambab膩n demon (MP-45/12).

Shield or Kavaca:

It was a fortress used for self-defense (MP-159/182). It is also collected in the fort (MP-217/30).

In spite of this there are mention about more weapon in the Matsya-笔耻谤腻峁嘺. Such as鈥�

础苍办耻艣补 (MP-138/39, 149/8, 153/203),
叠丑奴艣耻峁囜笉颈 (MP-150/73, 106; 152/28, 153, 195),
顿腻迟谤补 (MP-217/33),
Guda (MP-217/30),
贬耻岣峚 (MP-217/30),
碍耻诲诲腻濒补 (MP-217/33), L膩guda (MP-217/30),
Mudgara (MP-138/14, 149/8, 150/124, 151/7, 150/6, 64, 198),
笔腻艣补 (MP-135/77, 150/93, 146/47, 150/128, 162/33),
Parigha (MP-135/49; 136/39, 42),
Rajju (MP-217/33) and
Yantra (MP-179/60, 177/12) etc.