Vasistha's Dhanurveda Samhita 

The existence of Dhanuryeda or Science of Archery can be traced back to ancient time as is evident from references in several ancient literatures. Visnu Purina! refers it as one of the eighteen branches of knowledge taught by Bhreu, while the Mahabharata mentious it as having sutras like other vedas. Sukraniti? describes it as that ‘upaveda of yajurveda’ which has five arts or practical aspects—use and employment of arms by the proper arrangement of legs, duelling by the various artifices, throwing arms towards the aim formation of battle arrays according to the signals, arrangement of horses, elephants, chariots, etc. Agnipurana and Samrajya- Lakshmi-Pithika a Saiva Tantra, contain separate chapters on Science of archery and describe in detail the correct posture in shooting. position of drawing the bows, measurement of

1. Visnupurana tr. by H.H. wilson. Calcutta, Punthi Pustak, 1961, Book III Chapter VI.

2. "DhanuVerdasya sutra ch yatrasutram naagram" | — Mahabharata (Sabhaparva 5.1,0) ed. by Belvalkar, Poona, 1944.

3. Sukraniti, tr. by B.K, Sarkar. New Delhi, Oriental Books, 1975 Chapter [V Sec, III (152-164).

4. Agnipurana tr. and annotated by N. Gangadharan. Delhi, Motilal Banarasidass, 198: Pt. £1 Chapter 249 and 250.

5. Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika, ed. by V. Sastri, Tanjore, 1932, Chapter 135, 136.