Dhanurveda

Dhanurveda (धनुर्वेद) — literally "the knowledge of the bow" — is the ancient Sanskrit treatise on warfare, archery and martial arts. Traditionally considered an Upaveda (applied Veda) appended to the Yajurveda (1100–800 BCE), it is attributed to the sages Bhrigu, Vishvamitra or Bharadwaja. Alongside Ayurveda, Gandharvaveda and Sthapatyaveda, it forms one of the four Upavedas of the Vedas, and its legacy lives on in India's living martial art traditions.

What is Dhanurveda?

The Charanavyuha, authored by the sage Shaunaka, lists four Upavedas — including archery (dhanurveda) and military science (shastrashastra). Mastery of these sciences was declared the dharma (duty) of the warrior class. Kings, who belonged to the Kshatriya (warrior) class, served as army commanders and were trained in archery, wrestling, boxing and fencing as part of their education.

The Sanskrit terms for martial arts reveal their roots:

• Dhanurveda — from dhanus ("bow") and veda ("knowledge"), literally the "science of archery," later applied to martial arts in general.
• Shastravidya (शस्त्रविद्या) — from shastra ("weapon") and vidya ("knowledge"), literally "sword knowledge."
• Mallayuddha / Malyutham — the historical form of wrestling, known as mallayuddha in the north and malyutham in the south.

Dhanurveda in the Vedic Texts

The Vedic hymns of the Rigveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda emphasize the use of the bow and arrow, and the Yajurveda preserves the Dhanurveda as a treatise on the science of archery and its use in war.

• The Vishnu Purana counts Dhanurveda among the eighteen traditional branches of "applied knowledge."
• The Mahabharata states that Dhanurveda possesses sutras (aphorisms) like the other Vedas.
• The Sukraniti describes it as "Upaveda of the Yajurveda," comprising five arts or practical aspects.

The treatise describes the making of bows and arrows, military training, the rules of engagement, and the training of warriors, charioteers, cavalry, elephant-warriors and infantry. It was considered a sin to shoot a warrior in the back or to fight multiple warriors at once. Vedic archery terminology is precise and rich:

Many popular sports mentioned in the Vedas and epics originated in military training — boxing (musti-yuddha), wrestling (maladwandwa), chariot racing (rathachalan), horse riding (aswa-rohana) and archery (dhanurvidya).

The Dhanurveda of the Agni Purana

One of the earliest surviving manuals of Indian martial arts is the Dhanurveda section of the Agni Purana (dated between the 8th and 11th centuries CE). Spanning chapters 248–251, it:

• Categorizes weapons into thrown and unthrown classes, each further divided into sub-classes.
• Catalogues training into five major divisions for different types of warriors: charioteers, elephant-riders, horsemen, infantry and wrestlers.
• Describes the nine asanas (fighting stances) for combat.

The Nine Fighting Asanas

The section then offers a detailed discussion of archery technique and lists the "deeds" possible with various weapons — 32 positions with sword and shield (khadgacarmavidhau), 11 techniques for using a rope in fighting, 5 "acts in the rope operation," and catalogues of actions for the chakram (war-quoit), spear, tomara (iron club), gada (mace), axe, hammer, bhindipala or laguda, the vajra, dagger, slingshot and cudgel. It closes with the use of war elephants and how to send the well-trained fighter off to war.

Extant Dhanurveda Texts

Though older manuals existed, the surviving Dhanurvedic corpus is relatively late:

• Agni Purana (chapters 249–252): A revised version of earlier manuals, no earlier than the 8th century, containing instructions for kings preparing for war. It defines five training divisions (chariot warriors, elephants, cavalry, infantry, wrestlers) and five weapon types — projected by machines (arrows and missiles), thrown by hand (spear), thrown and held (slingshot), permanently held (sword), and the hands alone. The text states that Brahmins and Kshatriyas may teach martial arts and that lower castes can serve as soldiers.
• Dhanurveda-Samhita of Brhata Sarngadhara Paddhati (mid-14th century).
• Ausanasa Dhanurveda Sankalanam (late 16th century), compiled under the patronage of Emperor Akbar.
• Dhanurveda-samhita attributed to Vasistha (17th century).

Later medieval texts — Kamandakiya Nitisara (ca. 8th century), Somadeva Suri's Nitivakyamrta (10th century), Bhoja's Yuktikalpatara (11th century) and Somesvara's Manasollasa III (12th century) — also carry scattered references to martial arts.

Practical / Modern Context

Dhanurveda's legacy continues in contemporary India through living martial traditions: Kalaripayattu in Kerala (an umbrella term for armed and unarmed styles), Pehlwani wrestling in North India, thang-ta from Manipur and gatka from the Punjab region.

Beyond the training ground, the Dhanurveda offers timeless values for daily life — discipline, situational awareness, respect for rules of engagement, and the ideal of strength in service of dharma. Its emphasis on posture (asana), breath and focused practice anticipates the principles of modern yoga and physical fitness, while its codes of fair combat anticipate the sportsmanlike ethics of modern sport.

Common Misconceptions

1. Dhanurveda is only about archery. In fact, Dhanurveda covers the full spectrum of martial arts — wrestling, boxing, fencing, chariot warfare, sword-and-shield, mace and even rope-fighting techniques.
2. Dhanurveda is a standalone Veda. It is not one of the four principal Vedas but an Upaveda (applied knowledge) attached to the Yajurveda, alongside Ayurveda and the other applied sciences.
3. Only the warrior class knew martial arts. While mastery was the dharma of Kshatriyas, the Agni Purana explicitly states that Brahmins and Kshatriyas could teach the arts and that lower castes could serve as soldiers.
4. Indian martial arts have no ancient textual basis. The Dhanurveda sections of the Agni Purana are among the earliest extant martial arts manuals in the world, cataloguing stances, weapons and training regimes in extraordinary detail.

Conclusion

Dhanurveda is far more than an ancient combat manual — it is a complete science of disciplined strength, ethical warfare and physical mastery rooted in the Vedic worldview. From its bow-and-arrow terminology and nine fighting stances to the living traditions of Kalaripayattu and Pehlwani, it remains a proud and practical inheritance of Bharat. To study Dhanurveda is to honour the dharma of the warrior — courage tempered by virtue, power guided by righteousness.

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