Dhanurveda (1)

This Sanskrit manuscript (S21827, folio 12C) preserves a significant treatise on *Dhanurveda*, the ancient Indian science of archery and martial arts, comprising detailed technical instructions on bow construction, arrow types, archery stances (*sthana*), grip techniques (*musti*), and combat formations (*vyuha*). The text uniquely integrates practical military training with ritual and astrological considerations, prescribing auspicious times for instruction, protective mantras, and herbal preparations for weapon-proofing, while also enumerating the legendary divine bows (*Shiva's Pinaka, Vishnu's Sharnga*) and their mythic lineages. Its colophon identifies the scribe as Keshava Dhanurvedi, son of the Kashi physician Tryambaka, dated to Shaka 1827 (c. 1905 CE), offering valuable evidence for the continued transmission and adaptation of martial knowledge in late colonial India.