Dhanurveda — the science of the bow and warfare

Weapons that leave the warrior’s hand and travel to the target. The bow is the archetype; this is the class from which Dhanurveda takes its name. Mastery of mukta requires unwavering aim, draw-strength, and the ability to time release with breath.

Weapons that remain in the warrior’s grip throughout combat. These are the weapons of close-quarters duel. Mastery requires foot-work, balance, and reading the opponent’s body. Most surviving Indian martial arts (Kalaripayattu, Silambam, Gatka) focus heavily on this class.

Weapons that can be thrown and recovered, or used both ways. The chakra (discus) is the iconic example — Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra. Also includes the rope-with-projectile (lasso) and the spear when used in either mode.

Weapons released by a machine rather than directly by hand. The siege-craft class. Vishnu Dharmottara enumerates: catapults, large ballistae, multi-arrow launchers (the “hundred-killer” / sata-ghni), incendiaries. Modern parallels: artillery, missiles. Sukra Niti adds: nalika (the “tube” — sometimes interpreted as an early proto-firearm).

Vasishtha’s Dhanurveda Samhita

~ before Common Era; reconstructed from later quotations

Attributed to the Saptarshi Vasishtha. Considered the lost source-text. Mostly reconstructed from quotations in the Vishnu Dharmottara and the Agni Purana. Survives in fragments cited by Sharngadeva and later writers.

Vishnu Dharmottara Purana, Khanda 2

~ 4th-6th c CE

The most complete classical treatment. Khanda 2 has dedicated chapters on the four weapon classes, training regimens, the warrior’s daily routine, weapon-rituals, and battlefield ethics.

Agni Purana, Adhyayas 248-252

~ 6th-8th c CE

Five chapters of practical military instruction — vyuha-rachana (battle formations), individual weapon technique, chariot-warfare specifics, the ten stances (sthanas) and ten gates (dvaras) of the warrior’s body. Most-cited dhanurveda source in medieval commentaries.

Sukra Niti

Sukracharya — date uncertain

Combines governance + military doctrine. Contains the famous nalika passage — sometimes cited as the earliest description of a proto-firearm. Comprehensive on the warrior’s caste duties and the king’s military policy.

Nitiprakashika

Attributed to Vaishampayana

Dialogue between Vaishampayana and Janamejaya on military science. Practical and detailed; covers bow construction, arrow-fletching, target-practice progression, and the four-bhuja stance.

Kodanda Mandana

Sharngadeva (13th c CE)

A focused archery-manual within the larger Sangita Ratnakara tradition. Sharngadeva is better known for music; his Kodanda Mandana shows the polymath ideal of a classical Sanskrit pandit.

Signature — Gandiva bow (gifted by Agni at the Khandava-dahana). Akshayya-tunira (inexhaustible quivers). Bhagavad Gita opens with Arjuna’s bow falling from his hand.

Story — Drona’s favourite. Won Draupadi at her svayamvara by striking the fish’s eye reflected in water. Single-handedly held off the Kaurava army on the 14th day of Kurukshetra.

Signature — Vijaya bow (gifted by Parashurama). Famous for Brahmastra knowledge. Carried Surya’s kavacha (armour) and kundala (earrings) from birth.

Story — Equal of Arjuna in technical skill. Born of Surya + Kunti before her marriage. Cursed by Parashurama to forget his Brahmastra when needed most, and by Bhumi to have his chariot wheel stuck — both curses played out at the moment of his death.

Signature — Granted the boon of icchha-mrityu (death-at-will) by his father Shantanu. Commander of the Kaurava army for the first 10 days at Kurukshetra.

Story — Took the terrible vow of celibacy + lifelong service to the Hastinapura throne. Defeated by Arjuna only when Shikhandi (born female, transformed male) stood in front. Lay on a bed of arrows until uttarayana, then gave up his body.

Signature — Guru of both the Pandavas and Kauravas. Master of the Brahmastra and Brahmashira. Father of Ashvatthama. Commander of the Kaurava army for days 11-15 at Kurukshetra.

Story — Refused weapons to Eklavya (with thumb-dakshina), but trained him in privacy in the forest. Killed on the battlefield when falsely told that "Ashvatthama" (the elephant) had died — Yudhishthira’s only half-lie.

Signature — Wielded the parashu (battle-axe) given by Shiva. The supreme guru of all Dhanurveda lineages — Drona, Bhishma, and Karna all studied under him.

Story — Killed Kshatriyas 21 times in retribution for the murder of his father Jamadagni. Tested Karna’s caste-status by allowing a worm to bore through his thigh while Karna held his head; Karna’s composure exposed him as non-Brahmana, and Parashurama’s curse followed.

Signature — Self-taught archer of the Nishada tribe. Carved a clay murti of Drona and trained before it; surpassed Arjuna in pure technical skill.

Story — When Drona discovered Ekalavya was outdoing Arjuna, he demanded the right thumb as guru-dakshina (so that no non-disciple would surpass his favourite student). Ekalavya cut off his thumb without hesitation — and continued to shoot using his remaining four fingers. The Eklavya story is the most poignant moment of Mahabharata Dhanurveda — at once condemning caste-discrimination and celebrating the disciple’s devotion.

Signature — Wielded the Kodanda bow. Lifted and broke Shiva’s bow at Sita’s svayamvara — Janaka had set this as the test. Equipped with celestial astras taught by Vishvamitra.

Story — Killed Tataka, Subahu, Marichi (later, his second encounter), Vali (with a single arrow through the chest), Kumbhakarna, and finally Ravana. The Ramayana ends with Rama’s arrow piercing the navel of Ravana — the source of his immortality.

Often called the world’s oldest surviving martial art (~3000 years). Trained inside a kalari (sacred earthen pit). Four stages: meypayattu (body conditioning), kolthari (wooden weapons), ankathari (metal weapons), verumkai (empty-hand). Includes marma-vidya (vital-point science) used both to wound and to heal.

Weapons — Kettukari (long staff), cheruvati (short staff), gada (mace), urumi (flexible sword), churika (dagger), valum-parichayum (sword + shield).

Staff-fighting art with origins traced to the Sangam period (~3rd c BCE to 3rd c CE). Practitioners learn 18 patterns (silambam-payirchi) covering stance, footwork, defence, and offensive strikes. Trained barefoot. Often paired with bare-hand kuttu-varisai.

Weapons — Silambam (long bamboo staff, typically 5-6 ft), maru (deer-horn dagger), valari (boomerang), surul-pattai (flexible whip-sword), kattari (push-dagger).

The martial art of the Maratha warriors — preserved by the Bhonsle, Holkar, and Scindia clans. Strong cavalry tradition. Shivaji’s 17th-c elite (the Mavalas of the Sahyadri) trained in Mardani Khel. Today preserved chiefly at Kolhapur.

Weapons — Patta (gauntlet-sword), dandpatta (cudgel + sword combination), bichuwa (curved dagger), katar (push-dagger), bhala (lance), pata (long sword).

Sikh martial art codified by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (~17th c). Today preserved as a competitive sport by the World Gatka Federation; also taught at every major Gurdwara youth programme. Trained with farma (stylised sparring) and rasmi (display forms).

Weapons — Soti (wooden stick, often paired with farri shield), kirpan (curved sword), chakkar (war-quoit — the iconic Sikh wheel-weapon), barchha (spear), gada (mace).

Thang-Ta = sword-and-spear art. Sarit Sarak = unarmed combat counterpart. Manipur’s warrior tradition was active until the 19th-c Anglo-Manipuri War. Today preserved as a cultural performance art and competitive sport.

Weapons — Thang (sword), ta (spear), chungoi (shield), arambai (poisoned dart-arrow on horseback).

Sword-and-shield (pari-khanda) and stick-fighting (lathi khela) arts of eastern India. Active in many rural pahalwan akharas. Lathi Khela is the everyday descendant — practised in nearly every village fair.

Weapons — Pari (shield), khanda (broad sword), lathi (bamboo stave, typically 6-9 ft).

Olympic archery

India’s archery teams (Limba Ram, Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das) represent the modern continuation of the dhanurveda tradition at the highest international level. The Tata Archery Academy + the Army Sports Institute run dedicated training programmes.

Tribal archery

The Bhil, Santhal, Munda, Oraon, and Naga communities have maintained continuous archery traditions for thousands of years. Most modern Indian Olympic archers come from these communities.

Indian Army regimental traditions

The Maratha Light Infantry, Sikh Regiment, Rajputana Rifles, Gorkha Rifles, and Madras Regiment all maintain connections to regional Dhanurveda traditions through their regimental colours, war-cries, and shastra-puja observances on Vijayadashami.

Shastra-puja on Vijayadashami

On Vijayadashami (10th day of Navaratri), every weapon, vehicle, tool, and instrument is ceremonially worshipped. The Mysuru Wadiyars + Kerala royal families preserve elaborate court-versions; every Indian household’s ayudha-puja is the popular descendant.