Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 404

Sec. V]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATĪ SŪTRA
379
He, whoever, whether horse or elephant or soldier or charioteer was killed, knew (or thought) "I am killed by Mahasila (large stone)". That is why it was called Mahasila kantaka Sangrama.
While in the Rathamusala Sangrama one chariot, having no horse, no charioteer, no soldier but having a club (or mace) ran to all directions, causing destruction of a large number of peoples, chieftains, etc., and making mud of blood (in the battle field).'
These two devastating wars were immortalized by the association of the names of these two weapons like the atomic warfare of the second great war of global magnitude in which two atom bombs were dropped by the American Air Force on Hirosima and Nagasiki, the two island cities of Japan in 1945.
The introduction of these two new engines as mentioned in the BhS shows the unique importance attached to weapons in the history of warfare of ancient India, though they were not widely known, as there was no mention of such weapons anywhere else in the ancient world.
The reference to these two war-engines reveals that they were a surprise to the confederate army of Vaisāli which was winning in the first phase of the war. They were invented by the engineering genius of 'Military Science' of Magadha.
Probably they remained as secrets of the military art of that state and died a natural death for further use in future war, as the useless destructive thing did not survive, while the useful always did in the evolution of human civilization.
Several Jaina texts also provide the following list of different kinds of arms used in the wars of ancient India, viz. muggara (Indian club or mace), musundh3 (octagonal club), karakaya (saw), satti (spear), hala (plough), gadā (mace or heavy
1 Bhs, 7, 9, 301.
2 Panhavāgaraṇa. pp. 17a, 44. etc.
8 Musundi is also referred to in the Mahabharata-II. 70, 34.