E-BOOK NO. 4270 MOUNTED ARCHERY - SPORTS OF THE WORLD SERIES
krishna rao khanapur
Rajaram Krishnamurthy
MOUNTED ARCHERY IN MHABHARATHAM
Verses and References
Mahabharata, Book 1 (Adi Parva), Chapter 102, Verse 17: This verse explicitly states the proficiency of heroes in multiple forms of combat:
dhanurvede'śvapṛṣṭhe ca gadāyuddhe'sicarmaṇi |
tathaiva gajaśikṣāyāṁ nītiśāstre ca pāragāḥ ||17||
"They were proficient in archery, on horseback, in mace-fighting, and with sword and shield. Similarly, they were experts in elephant training and political science."
धनुर्वेदेऽश्वपृष्ठे च गदायुद्धेऽसिचर्मणि ।
तथैव गजशिक्षायां नीतिशास्त्रे च पारगाः ॥१७॥
17. They were proficient in archery (dhanurveda), on horseback, in mace-fighting (gadāyuddha), and with sword and shield. Similarly, they were experts in elephant training (gajaśikṣā) and political science (nītiśāstra).
Words meanings summery:
धनुर्वेदे (dhanurvede) - in the science of archery, in the bow-Veda
अश्वपृष्ठे (aśvapṛṣṭhe) - on horseback, on the back of a horse
च (ca) - and
गदायुद्धे (gadāyuddhe) - in mace-fighting, in battle with a mace
असिचर्मणि (asicarmaṇi) - in sword and shield, in wielding sword and shield
तथा (tathā) - so, thus, in that manner, similarly
एव (eva) - indeed, just, precisely, only
गजशिक्षायाम् (gajaśikṣāyām) - in elephant training, in the instruction of elephants
नीतिशास्त्रे (nītiśāstre) - in political science, in the scripture of conduct
च (ca) - and
पारगाः (pāragāḥ) - those who have reached the other shore, experts, proficient
अश्वपृष्ठे (aśvapṛṣṭhe) - on horseback, on the back of a horse
(noun)
Mahabharata, Book 6 (Bhishma Parva), Chapter 116, Verse 19: Describes Arjuna mounting his chariot and preparing his Gandiva bow for battle, highlighting the rapid transition to combat:
arjunastu tathetyuktvā rathamāruhya vīryavān |
adhijyaṁ balavatkṛtvā gāṇḍīvaṁ vyākṣipaddhanuḥ ||19||
"But the valorous Arjuna, having said 'So be it!', mounted his chariot. Forcefully stringing his Gāṇḍīva bow, he drew it (back)."
अर्जुनस्तु तथेत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य वीर्यवान् ।
अधिज्यं बलवत्कृत्वा गाण्डीवं व्याक्षिपद्धनुः ॥१९॥
19. arjunastu tathetyuktvā rathamāruhya vīryavān ,
adhijyaṁ balavatkṛtvā gāṇḍīvaṁ vyākṣipaddhanuḥ.
19. tu vīryavān arjunaḥ tathā iti uktvā rathaṃ āruhya
gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanuḥ balavat adhijyaṃ kṛtvā vyākṣipat
19. But the valorous Arjuna, having said 'So be it!', mounted his chariot. Forcefully stringing his Gaṇḍīva bow, he drew it (back).
अर्जुनः (arjunaḥ) - Arjuna
तु (tu) - but (but, however, on the other hand)
तथा (tathā) - 'so be it' (indicating agreement or affirmation) (so, thus, in that manner, 'so be it')
इति (iti) - indicates the preceding word (tathā) is a direct statement (thus, so, often indicates direct speech or thought)
उक्त्वा (uktvā) - having said (having said, after saying)
रथं (rathaṁ) - chariot (chariot, car)
आरुह्य (āruhya) - having mounted (the chariot) (having ascended, having mounted)
वीर्यवान् (vīryavān) - valorous (Arjuna) (valorous, powerful, heroic)
अधिज्यं (adhijyaṁ) - (making the bow) strung (strung (a bow), having the bowstring placed)
बलवत् (balavat) - forcefully (mightily, powerfully, strongly)
कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made (the bow strung) (having done, having made)
गाण्डीवं (gāṇḍīvaṁ) - Gaṇḍīva (Arjuna's bow) (Gaṇḍīva (name of Arjuna's bow))
व्याक्षिपत् (vyākṣipat) - he drew back (the bowstring, meaning he bent the bow) (he threw, he bent (a bow), he drew back)
धनुः (dhanuḥ) - bow
Mahabharata, Book 6 (Bhishma Parva), Chapter 55, Verse 112: Describes the precision of arrows fired by Arjuna:
śilīmukhāḥ pārthadhanuḥpramuktā; rathāndhvajāgrāṇi dhanūṁṣi bāhūn |
nikṛtya dehānviviśuḥ pareṣāṁ; narendranāgendraturaṁgamāṇām ||112||
"The arrows released from Arjuna's bow... entered the bodies of their kings, great elephants, and horses."
शिलीमुखाः पार्थधनुःप्रमुक्ता रथान्ध्वजाग्राणि धनूंषि बाहून् ।
निकृत्य देहान्विविशुः परेषां नरेन्द्रनागेन्द्रतुरंगमाणाम् ॥११२॥
112. śilīmukhāḥ pārthadhanuḥpramuktā; rathāndhvajāgrāṇi dhanūṁṣi bāhūn ,
nikṛtya dehānviviśuḥ pareṣāṁ; narendranāgendraturaṁgamāṇām.
112. pārthadhanuḥpramuktāḥ śilīmukhāḥ
rathān dhvajāgrāṇi dhanūṃṣi
bāhūn nikṛtya pareṣām
narendranāgendraturaṃgamāṇām dehān viviśuḥ
112. The arrows (śilīmukhāḥ) released from Arjuna's (Pārtha's) bow, after severing the chariots, banner-tops, bows, and arms of the enemies, entered the bodies of their kings, great elephants, and horses.
Words meanings summery:
शिलीमुखाः (śilīmukhāḥ) - arrows (śilīmukhāḥ) (arrows, bees)
पार्थधनुःप्रमुक्ताः (pārthadhanuḥpramuktāḥ) - released from Arjuna's (Pārtha's) bow (released from Arjuna's bow)
रथान् (rathān) - chariots
ध्वजाग्राणि (dhvajāgrāṇi) - banner-tops (tops of banners, banner-tops)
धनूंषि (dhanūṁṣi) - bows
बाहून् (bāhūn) - arms
निकृत्य (nikṛtya) - severing (having cut, severing)
देहान् (dehān) - bodies
विव्शुः (vivśuḥ) - entered (they entered)
परेषाम् (pareṣām) - of the enemies (of others, of enemies)
नरेन्द्रनागेन्द्रतुरंगमाणाम् (narendranāgendraturaṁgamāṇām) - of their kings, great elephants, and horses (of kings, great elephants, and horses)
Ambidexterity: Arjuna was known as Savyasachi (ambidextrous), able to shoot with both hands while moving.
MAHABHARATHA KARNA PARVA SEC 89 BOTTOM
Those shafts were five mighty snakes that had adopted the side of Takshaka’s son (Asvasena whose mother Partha had slain at Khandava). With ten broad-headed arrows shot with great force, Arjuna cut off each of those five snakes into three fragments whereupon they fell down on the earth. Beholding Krishna’s limbs thus mangled with those snakes transformed into arrows sped from Karna’s arms, Arjuna, decked with diadem and garlands, blazed up with wrath like a fire engaged in burning a heap of dry grass. He then pierced Karna in all his vital limbs with many blazing and fatal shafts shot from the bow-string stretched to the very ear. (Deeply pierced), Karna trembled in pain. With the greatest difficulty he stood, summoning all his patience. Dhananjaya having been filled with wrath, all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, the very splendour of the Sun, and Karna’s car, O king, all became invisible with the showers shot by him. The welkin seemed as if it were shrouded by a thick forest. Then that slayer of foes, that bull of Kuru’s race, that foremost of heroes, viz., Savyasaci, O king, soon slew in that battle 2,000 foremost of Kuru warriors, with their cars and steeds and drivers, forming the protectors of Karna’s car-wheels and wings and his van-guard and rear-guard and who constituted the very pick of Duryodhana’s car-force, and who, urged by Duryodhana, had been fighting with great energy. Then your sons and the Kauravas that were still alive fled away, deserting Karna, and abandoning their dying and wounded, and their wailing sons and sires. Beholding himself abandoned by the terrified Kurus and seeing the space around him empty, Karna felt no agitation, O Bharata, but, on the other hand, rushed at Arjuna, with a cheerful heart.'"
Darkness Usage: Arjuna could fight in darkness, a key skill for continuous warfare.
Advanced Techniques: Arjuna learned five advanced archery methods (Prayoga, Upasanhara, Avarti, Prayashchitta, and Pratighaata)
K Rajaram IRS 27326
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krishna rao khanapur
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