Book Title: Sambodhi 2006 Vol 30
Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Page 8
________________ 2 SATYA PAL NARANG SAMBODHI continuous in the Purāņas. Krauñcadvipa is identified with Asia Minor as well which was divided in seven varśas including Usna.7 In the RV. Rbhus are also depicted as Ušanas and as poets. His epithet is dhirah i.e. an intellectual and the authorship of kavya is attributed to him. He is depicted as a youth who is a singer (śiñjrd) cf. śiñija in Classical Literature. The tribal romantic youths sing the songs of love or other themes including those of warriorhood in the battlefield. In later literature, the same characteristic of a romantic aesthete (vanku) originally an attribute of Rudra is available with Krsna (Bänke Bihāri) along with the characteristic of the knowledge of cakravyuha, a form of battlefield. Relation to Fire: In the RV.10 Uśanas is said to have established Agni for Manu. Uśanas had pleased the fire. "They used fire also to fight. (See: Construction of vyuha) Construction of Vyuha: The opinion of Uśanas is quoted in the Bhismaparvan of the Mahabharata where the dictum of Bṛhaspati is found. A small army should present a compact front while one who has a large army should spread it out. Then a reference is made to a vyûha called Vajra (Mahabharata Bhiṣmaparvan 19.7). The same parvan speaks of a vyuha called Krauñcāruna ( in Mahabharata Bhismaparvan 50.40) which was suggested to Indra by Bṛhaspati; a vyūha called Krauñca is mentioned in Drona-parvan (7.25) and in the Karṇaparvan of the Mahabharata.12 It is said that a certain vyuha ( array of army) was arranged in accordance with the opinion of Bṛhaspati and Uśanas. (31.12-13). Kālidāsa also speaks of Krauñcarandhra in different context which has a relation to Bhrgu for construction. 14 It is noteworthy that Kautilya deals with vyūhas in X.6 and in the first sūtra refers to the arrangement of a vyüha according to Ušanas and according to Bṛhaspati." A Bärhaspatya vyūha is also alluded to. A number of vyühas are mentioned in the Manusmrti, (VII. 187), viz. Danda, Sakata, Varaha, Makara, Süci, Garuda, in VII. 188; Padma and Vajra vyūhas are also mentioned (VII. 191). Kautilya. mentions Sakata in X.6.26 and Vajra in X.6.35 in the Arthaśästra. It is remarkable that the Vajra array referred to above is mentioned in

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