232 



ON THE WEAPONS USED 



have seen in tlie Nltiprakasika, of stone. The gun is to be 

 kept clean and must be always covered. 120 



The term used for gun nalika (nalika, nalika) is derived 

 from the word ndla (nala), a reed, a hollow tube, which is 

 another form for its synonyms nada, nadi, or nadi; in the 

 same way nalika corresponds to nddiJca. Considering that 

 the guns were in ancient times made out of bamboo, and that 

 some bamboo guns are still used in Burmah, the name appears 

 both appropriate and original. That the idea of bamboo 

 being the original material for guns was still in the mind of 

 the author of the Sukranlti seems to be indicated by his 

 calling the outside of the stock of a gun bark (tvak.) 121 



The gun is very seldom mentioned in Sanskrit writings, 

 and even where it has been mentioned the meaning of those 

 passages has been generally misunderstood. In all European 

 Sanskrit dictionaries the word nalika or nalika has been 

 rendered as stalk, tube ; arrow, dart, &c, but the third 

 signification gun is not given ; though it is one which is 

 known to every learned Pandit. At the outset every body 

 can easily see that the meaning of arrow and of gun can be 

 rightly applied to a reed; the arrow is a reed which is 

 discharged as a missile, and a gun is a reed out of which 

 missiles are shot. 



In the slokas 21 and 24 of our extract of the Sukranlti we 

 read that a king should keep on a big war chariot two large 

 guns, and in si. 31 we are f urther informed that his beautiful 

 iron chariot should be furnished with a couch, a swing, and 

 among other things also with sundry arms and projectile 

 weapons. This tallies with an account concerning the forti- 

 fications of Manipura, as described in Mr. J. Talboys Wheeler's 

 " History of India : " On the outside of the city were a 

 number of wagons bound together with chains, and in them 



120 See Sukranlti, Chapter Y, 61. 135-39 and 149-151. 



121 See Sukranlti, Chapter V, 61. 139. 



