Shishupala-vadha (Study)
by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words
This page relates ‘Knowledge of Dhanurveda in the Shishupalavadha’ of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.
Knowledge of Dhanurveda in the Śiśupālavadha
Poet Maghā was well versed aboud Dhanurveda:
“dhānuṣkasyeva valgitam” ||
So, it is said that both āyūrveda or Dhanurveda were not unknown to poet Māgha.
Poet Māgha had immense knowledge about the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata. He is influenced by these two epics also.
In the fourteenth canto of the Śiśupālavadha we find the description of Rāma. Lakṣmaṇa, monkey and Hanumana of the Rāmayaṇa.
“etāsminnadhikapayaḥ śriyaṃvahantyaḥ saṃkṣobhaṃ pabanabhuvā javena nītāḥ |
vālmīkerarahitarāmalakṣmaṇānāṃ sādharmyaṃ dadhati girāṃ mahāsarasyaḥ ||” 4.59 ||[1]
Beside this kṛṣṇa killed many enemies with one arrow. In this context Māgha described that Rāma tabbed seven palm trees with one arrow—
“ekeṣuṇā saṅghatithān dviṣo'bhindan drumāniva |
sa janmāntararāmasya cakresadṛśamātmanaḥ ||” 19. 107 |[2]
Mallinātha says in his commentary of this verse—
“vibheda ca punastālān sa ekenamaheṣuṇeti rāmāyaṇe |”
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
ibid., p. 181.
[2]:
ibid., p. 825.