Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis)
by S. Anusha | 2016 | 34,012 words
This page relates ‘Kunta (Lance)’ of the study on the Nitiprakasika by Vaisampayana which deals primarily with with Dhanurveda, i.e., the science of war, weapons and military strategies of ancient Indian society. It further contains details on Niti-shastra, i.e., the science of politics and state administration but most verses of the Nitiprakashika deal with the classification and description of different varieties of weapons, based on the four groups of Mukta, Amukta, Muktamukta and Mantramukta.
Kunta (Lance)
[Full title: War weapons > Śāstras > Amuktāyudhas > Kunta (Lance)]
It is described as having sharp, metallic, hexagonal edge.
Tattvavivṛti considers it as a strong and powerful metallic rod:
[...]
The possible movements explained by Tattvavivṛti are (Nītiprakāśikā V.23):
[...]
(a) Uddīna - flying upwards ([...])
(b) Avadīna - flying downwards ([...])
(c) Nidīna -moving sideways ([...])
(d) Bhūmilīnaka -touching the ground with head and hands–[...] )
(e) Tiryaglīna–touching the ground sideways ([...])
(f) Nikhāta–breaking open ([...])
Arthaśāstra[1] places it under the ploughshare type of weapons.
Śukranīti (IV. 7. 214cd) says that its edge is bound by a śaṅku:
[...]
Auśanasa dhanurveda[2] states that the dravya for the kuntadaṇḍa is the wood from one of the following trees namely: veṇu, vetra, tāla, candana, śiṃśapā, sana, khadira and devadāru and the loha can from two different minerals: puṣkalāvartaṃ and vīna. The kuntaphala is to be made of soft metal and the dhāra, made of sharp metal.
Mānasollāsa (p. 22) gives the kuntacālanavidhi as: Kaṅkāvarta -Rotation using wrist, Kaṇṭhāvarta–Rotation on shoulder, Pṛṣṭhāvarta–Rotation on stomach.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
II. 18. 7: [...]
[2]:
Cited by Vīramitrodaya (p. 316-7); Auśanasa Dhanurveda also provides similar details.