Part 2: The Royal Army—Introduction

The importance of a standing army is found to be appreciated from quite early times. seven Kautilya and consists of records it as Danda and it unmistakably forms a part of the components of the state (Arthasastra 6.1.1). Normally it is described to be four-fold (caturanga) the horses, elephants, chariots and the foot-soldiers, (Manasa. 2.6.678-684) though six-fold (Sadvidham balam including camels and bulls or mules, see Raghu. 4.26) and eight-fold (including vishti, servants, spies and the original four, see Mahabharata 12.59.41) are not wanting. counsellers to Whatever, might be the constituents of an army the vital role it plays in the life of a king can never be minimised. Its role in war, in fighting battles, snatching victory for the master and in peace, in participating in games like haunting and in salvaging man and material during natural calamities - all this has made it the prized possession of all the rulers down the ages. Army appears to be the nucleus in every age around which civilisations are built up and destroyed. Rulers

550 might have changed and so also the techniques of war, but the concept of a well-equipped army has turned only brighter with every passing age and its possession, a virtual necessity for the rulers. It is in this light that the informations provided by Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika on this topic assume important proportions and are fit to be studied inasmuch as these open up the veils of centuries and reveal before us state of Armed forces of the time of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika (16 th Century A.D.). NOW we propose to deal with the classical four-fold division of royal army, discussion on each of them, weaponry like bow and arrows, practices of a bow-man, targets (laksa) and arrows of different types, description of expedition and war and an epitaph on war-martyrs.