Dhanurveda

Dhanurveda, literally the science of the bow, is an ancient Indian discipline that concerns archery, weaponry, and warfare. It is described in traditional Sanskrit literature as a comprehensive body of knowledge governing the practice, training, and ethics of military arts, including the use of bows, arrows, swords, and other weapons.

The scope of dhanurveda covers technical instruction for weapon construction and maintenance, various forms of archery (including mounted and chariot-based shooting), cavalry and infantry tactics, siegecraft, battlefield signaling, and the organization and leadership of forces. It also encompasses training regimens for warriors, strategic planning, and ritual or regulatory aspects associated with warfare.

Historically, dhanurveda is linked to the broader Vedanga or ancillary branches of Vedic learning. It exists in multiple textual traditions rather than as a single uniform treatise, with various manuals and verses attributed to sages and schools that circulated in ancient and medieval India. References to archery, weapon use, and military science appear in epic, puranic, and didactic literature, reflecting a tradition that connected martial skill with social and ritual dimensions.

In modern scholarship, dhanurveda is studied as part of the history of Indian technology and military culture. Its legacy is visible in classical poetry that extols archers, as well as in the broader historical understanding of Indian martial arts, weaponry, and strategic thought.