Continued from part2- Ancient Indian Weapons and Warfare Other Weaponry:

Other Weapons: The Bindipala along with the nine following were minor weapons of this class. Probably this was a heavy club and had a broad and bent tail end. The bent tail end measured around one cubit in length. It was to be used with the left foot of the warrior placed in front. The various uses of this weapon were cutting, hitting, striking and breaking. It was like a ‘Kunta’ but had a big blade. It was used by the Asuras in their fight with Kartavirya Arjuna.

The Nalika was a handgun or musket rightly piercing the mark. It was straight in form and hollow inside. It discharged darts if ignited. Sukracarya spoke of two kinds of Nalika, one big and the other small. The small one had a little hole in the end, measuring sixty Angulas which were the distance between the thumb and the little finger. It was also dotted with several spots at the muzzle end.

Ancient Indian Weapons and Warfare

Through the touch hole or at its breach which contained wood, the fire was conveyed to the charge. This weapon was generally used by foot-soldiers. But the big gun had no wood at the breach and was so heavy that it had to be conveyed in carts. The balls were made of iron, lead or other material. Kamandaka used the word Nalika in the sense of firing gun as a signal for the gullible king.

Again in the Naisadha, a work of the medieval period, Damayanti was compared to the two bows of the god and goddess of love, and her two nostrils to the two guns capable of throwing balls.

Cakra

The next weapon was called as Cakra. Cakra was a circular disc with a small opening in the middle. It consisted of three kinds namely of eight, six and four spokes. It was used in five or six distinct ways. Lord Vishnu popularly addressed it as ‘Sankha-Cakra-Gada-Pani’, meaning having Sankha or conch, Cakra or disc, and Gada or mace in three of his four hands.

The various uses of a disc were felling, whirling, rending, breaking, severing, and cutting. Kautilya also spoke of it as a movable machine. The Cakra belonged to the category of a missile. According to the Vamana Purana, the Cakra had lustrous and sharp edges.

The Tomara was another such weapon of war frequently mentioned in almost all kinds of warfare. It was of two kinds, an iron club called as ‘Sarvayasam’ and a javelin. According to the Agni Purana, it was to be with the help of an arrow of straight feathers. The Tomara was powerful in dealing blows to the eyes and hands of an enemy.

The Dantakanta was of the shape of a tooth. It was made of metal, consisting of a strong handle and a straight blade. It had two movements.