230 



ON THE "WEAPONS USED 



In an extract taken from the Mujmalut TaicdrVch — which 

 was translated in 1126 from the Arabic, into which language 

 it had been translated a century previously from a Sanskrit 

 original — we read: " that the Brahmans counselled Hal to 

 have an elephant made of clay and to place it in the van of his 

 army, and that when the army of the king of Kashmir drew 

 nigh, the elephant exploded, and the flames destroyed a great 

 portion of the invading force. Here we have not only the 

 simple act of explosion, but something very much like a fuze, 

 to enable the explosion to occur at a particular time." llf ' 



Vaisampayana mentions among the things to be used 

 against enemies smoke-balls, which contained most likely gun- 

 powder, and which were according to the explanation proposed 

 by his commentator made of gunpowder. 117 



The following stanza, which is taken from the Eajalaks- 

 mmarayanahrdaya, a part of the Atharvanarahasya, is no 

 doubt a clear proof of the fact that the Hindus were fami- 

 liar with gunpowder at a very remote period : "As the fire 

 prepared by the combination of charcoal, sulphur, and other 

 material depends upon the skill of its maker so also may 

 thou, O ! representative of knowledge (Laksmi), by the 

 application of my faith manifest thyself quickly according to 

 my wish." 118 



The Sanskrit word for gunpowder is agnicuma, fire- 

 powder, which is occasionally shortened into curna. The 

 Dravidian languages have all one and the same word for 

 medicine and gunpowder; in Tamil marundu, in Telugu 

 mandu, in Kanarese maddu, and in Malayalam maruna. 



116 See the History of India of the late Sir H. M. Elliot, VI, 475 ; I, 107. 



117 See note 60. 



118 See Kajalaksmmarayanahrdaya : 



Ingalagandhadipadarthayogat 

 karturmanlsanuguno yathagnih 

 caitanyarupe mama bhaktiyogat 

 kanksanurupam bhaja rupam asu. 



