Indian Antiquary Vol 07

SR No.: 032499
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 386
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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186
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1878.
MISCELLANEA. THE FIREARMS OF THE HINDUS. If this Nalika is thick and has no wooden frame Many were the weapons of war in use amongst attached to it, it is called the Brihat-Nalika. the Aryans, even so early as the Vedic period, प्रवावं शकटास्तु सुयुतं विजयप्रदम् । such as the pas sela, bagra, chakra, It is sometimes so big that it requires to be drawn dhanu, &c.; and many more were invented in by a cart. It graces war and secures victory. the ages of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Gunpowder. The classification of these weapons, according to
अग्नि चूर्ण। the Agni Purana, is four-fold :-(1) Yantra-Muk
सचिलवणत पञ्चपलानि गन्धकात् पलम् । ta, (2) Pani Mukta, (3) Mukta-Mukta,
अन्तर्धूम चिपकार्कस्मुह्यद्यडारतः पलम् । and (4) Amukta. Besides these weapons, there is mentioned
शुद्धासंग्राह्य सञ्चूर्ण सम्मील्य प्रपुटेद्रकैः। another called the Agni Astra (firearm),
स्मार्कणां रसेनास्य शोधयेदातपेन च। but no description of it has been found in any
पिष्वाशर्कर वचेतदग्निचूर्णं भवेत् खलु॥ Sanskrit work. The Sataghni, Professor Jaba-khar (saltpetre), sulphur, charcoal of Akanda Wilson supposes to be a firearm; but he gives no (Calotropis gigantea) (soaked in the milk of Eudescription of it. The Hindus had also another phorbia nivulia, and dried and then burned in closed kind of weapon, called the Maha-Yantra. It pottery). All these ingredients should be reduced would thus seem that instruments like the cannon to powder and then mixed together in due proporand the gun were early in use among them. tions, and used as gunpowder in the Nalika.
We shall describe the Agni Astra as given गोलो लोहमयो गर्भगुटिक केवलोऽपिवा। in the Sukra-Nits, a work said to have been writ- सीसस्य लघुनालार्ये ह्यन्यधातुमयोऽपि वा। ten by the sage Sukra-Acharya; and we find लौहसारमयं चापि नालास्त्रं वन्यधानुजम् । mention of it in the Agni Purana and in the Mudra
नित्य सन्मार्जन स्वच्छमस्तं पत्तिभिवावृतम् । Rakshasa. From the description we have here of
Round and made of iron and fired with smaller the Nalika-Yantra and gunpowder, we are bullets, or it is solid. It is used in the Bșihatled to believe that these were in use amongst the Nala. For the smaller, one small bullet of lead or Hindus at an early date.
other metal should be made. The Nala should be Nalika Yantra.
made of iron or of like metal, and kept constantly नालिक विविधं ज्ञेयं बृहत्क्षुद्रविभेदतः।
clean. This instrument is for infantry and cavalry. तिर्यगृथ्वं छिद्रमूलं नालं पञ्चविसस्तिकं ।
क्षिपन्ति चानियोगा गोलं लक्ष्येषु नालगम् । The Nalika is of two sizes--the larger and the नालास्तं शोधयेदादौ दद्यात्तत्राग्निचूर्णकम् । smaller. It is about five spans in length, slightly निवेशयेत्तहस्तेन नालमूले तथा दृढम् । bent in the middle and bored towards the bottom.
तंतु सगोलकं वह्यात ततःकर्णेऽग्निचूर्णकम् । मूलापयोर्लक्ष्यभेदि तिलविन्दुयुतं सदा ।
कणेचूणनिदानेन गोलं लक्ष्ये निपातयेत् । यन्त्रावातानिकृन् पावचूर्णधृक् मूलकर्णकम् ।।
The manner of firing the Nalika with bullets is सकाष्ठोपाडावुष्णञ्च मध्याङ्गलिविलान्तरम् । as follows:-First clean the Nalika well, then स्वान्तेऽमिचूर्ण सन्धात्री शलाका संयुतं दृढम् ।।
pour in powder and shot, and stuff the bore with It should have, moreover, two notches, one at
a little gunpowder. Thus loaded and fired, it is
sure to do execution. the top and the other at the bottom, for securing
लक्ष्यभेदी यथा वासोधनुा विनियोजितः। the aim, and an ear near the bore, and the flint
भवेत्तथानुसन्धाय -: for striking fire inserted near it. It is set in a
The bullet flies with the velocity of an arrow wooden frame which elongates into a thin blade
from a bow. upwards, and has a hole in it of the width of the middle finger. It has further a ramrod for beating
समं नूनाधिकैवंधैरमिचूर्णान्यनेकाशः। and settling down the powder.
कापयन्तिच सद्विद्याश्चन्द्रिका भादि मन्तिच।
Besides the materials mentioned above for preलघुनालिकमप्येत् प्रधाय्य पत्तिसादिभिः।
paring gunpowder, many other ingredients were यथापाथातु त्वक सारं यथास्थलविलान्तरम्
also known to adepts in the art, and used यथादर्षे बृहत् गोलं दूरभेदी तथासथा।
in different proportions for the same purpose : This is the smaller Nalika. It should be used
Sukra-Niti, Section 4. by infantry and cavalry. It is as thick as it is
The slokas, quoted here from the Sukra-Niti, do long, and thus capable of taking a long aim.
not seem mere modern interpolations; but we stop मूलकील द्रमालक्ष समसन्धानभाजि यत् ।
here for want of sufficient corroborative evidenco. बहनालिक संडुतन् काष्ठवुन विवर्जितम् । Berhampore, Bengal.
Rix DiS SEN.