BY THE ANCIENT HINDUS. 



175 



The Hindu is fond of connecting everything, even the most 

 material substance, with some metaphysical cause. We 

 must not be surprised, therefore, if weapons and arms do not 

 make an exception to this rule. 



A supernatural origin is ascribed to all armour. The 

 primeval Daksa had two daughters — Jaya and Suprabha — 

 who were given in marriage to Krsasva, the mind-begotten 

 son of Brahma. Jaya became, according to a promise of 

 Brahma, the mother of all weapons and missiles, while her 

 sister Suprabha brought forth at first ten sons who were 

 called Samharas restraining spells ; and afterwards through 

 the special favor of Brahma an eleventh son, Sarvamocana 

 (releaser of all), was born. 11 



The knowledge of everything connected with weapons 

 and arms is confined to the Dhanurveda, i.e., the knowledge 

 of the bow, and he only, who is well acquainted with this 

 Yeda, can hope to conquer his foes. The Dhanurveda is one 

 of the four Upavedas. Even the gods had originally no 

 intimate acquaintance with the precepts of the Dhanurveda, 

 and this deficiency was one of the causes why they were at 

 one time totally defeated by the demons or asuras. Eventu- 

 ally the gods were instructed in the mysteries of the 

 Dhanurveda ; and this Yeda was communicated to Prthu by 

 Brahma himself. 



The Dhanurveda when personified is credited with 

 possessing four feet, eight arms, and three eyes, and 

 Sankhyayana is mentioned as the head of his Grotra or race. 

 In his four arms on the right he holds a thunderbolt (vajra), 



11 See Nitiprakasika, 1, 45-47 ; II, 38. 



45. Krsasvo manasah putro dve jaye tasya sammate 

 jaya ca suprabha caiva daksakanye mahamati. 



46. Jaya labdbavara matto (a) sastranyastranyasuta vai 

 pascat dasa para capi tavat putran ajljanat. 



47. Sarhharan namadurdharsan durakraman baliyasah 

 mantradaivatasarhyogat sastranyastratvam aprmvan, 



38. Sarvamocananama tu suprabhatanayo maban 



rauktamuktakhilasamo madvarat (a) prathitah parab. 

 («) Brahma speak? here himself. 



